Copyright caymancompass
Long-forgotten images in the archives of the Cayman Compass are sparking joy and nostalgia as modern technology brings them back to life. These magical photos, which conjure up memories of people and places in times gone by, have been digitalised in one of the biggest undertakings in the history of the newspaper. Known as TimeBack, the project safeguards the vast collection of negatives and photos stored in boxes in the Compass ‘attic’. The original images were taken by Compass photographers and reporters when covering news and events in the Cayman Islands in an era when cameras used rolls of film. Around 347,000 negatives and photos were carefully boxed up, then shipped by Cayman Airways to Los Angeles where they were digitalised. Laborious process The process was long and laborious, going through each box containing tens of thousands of envelopes and plastic pockets, with album reference numbers. Batches were fed into a purpose-built scanning machine by hand in order to preserve the reference numbers from the originals to have as part of the file names of the final photos. Importance of the collection “It was massively important that this unique collection was saved by the Compass for the nation; if lost it could never have been replaced,” says Compass archivist Ivan Burges. For many years, Burges had been single-handedly looking after the collection as best he could, knowing the importance of the photographs, which document the history of Cayman in the second half of the 20th century. The images collectively capture the rich tapestry of life on the islands, from everyday happenings, to landmark events, family gatherings and scenes of leisure, to major political and social developments. But without resources, the neatly packed and categorised boxes were gathering dust, relegated to the shelves of history without anybody seeing these culturally significant photos. As well as being of great national value, the images hold cherished memories for numerous individuals and families who didn’t have cameras in the days that the pictures were taken, or who lost photos during Hurricane Ivan. But, fortunately, this photo archive was destined to find new life when Dart Media and Entertainment bought the Compass in 2023. “When Dart Media and Entertainment purchased Compass Media, the Compass team took the board on a tour of the building, including the ‘attic’, where all of the old media was stored,” says Jackie Doak, director of Dart Media and Entertainment. “Ivan showed us boxes and boxes of photo negatives as well as the bound copies of old Compass newspapers, all the way back to the 1960s. We were struck – this wasn’t storage…this was history. Six decades of Cayman’s history were in that attic. “This inspired us. We needed to help Compass Media protect this history, but just as importantly, we needed to share it. It belongs to everyone in Cayman.” Together, Dart and Compass Media worked out a plan and built a team to make that happen. TimeBack website Following the digitalisation process in California, a task force of amateur historians, journalists, artists and civic-minded Caymanians reviewed the photos, 12 initial collections, each with around 100 images. These were then uploaded and displayed on the website timeback.ky. While the subjects of many photos have been identified and put into context by this task force, members of the public are also invited to help name people, places and events by commenting on images featured on the website. This is an ongoing quest to share reflections around individual photos, document lost stories and expand on historical knowledge – collaborating with professionals from the National Archives for their expert guidance on how best to catalogue community feedback. Cinema screenings and community engagement Since the TimeBack website was launched last year, the captivating images have sparked an extraordinary response, prompting the rapid expansion of the project to include cinema screenings, community slide shows and a national exhibition. Screenings were held at the Camana Bay cinema on Saturday mornings once a month from late last year until May, proving hugely popular, with around 100 people attending each event. Many often returned with family members, turning the screenings into much-enjoyed special occasions. The photos often garnered delighted and exuberant responses from the audience, as they recognised people and places on the screen. This, in turn, helped the task of captioning the photos, with Compass staff on hand to take notes. “Hosting the TimeBack pop-ups at the cinema was such a rewarding experience,” says Angela Sevilla of the TimeBack team. “We saw families spanning multiple generations come together on Saturday mornings, some even finding themselves in the photos, and taking home a piece of history. The response from the community filled my heart, and reminded me just how important this project truly is.” The community slide shows were equally as pleasing, with events held in Bodden Town and George Town as part of Older Persons Month 2024. Burges gave short commentary as the photos were displayed, and he was gratified to hear members of the audience call out loud when they saw familiar faces in the images. “The slide shows were really enjoyable, as people often spotted family and friends they knew or remembered,” he said. Another public screening was held in December at Pedro St. James as part of the historic attraction’s Christmas event. Many of the images were also printed as small photos, which the audiences at the cinema and slide shows could take home as keepsakes. TimeBack Exhibition Also as a result of the huge public response to TimeBack, the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands mounted a joint exhibition with Compass Media and Dart. The TimeBack Exhibition opened in March and was so successful that it was extended from its intended closing date in July until September. “Since opening, the exhibition has been enjoyed by numerous visitors and has struck a notable chord with our community due to its accessible subject matter and the wealth of archival images that allow viewers to take a nostalgic stroll down memory lane,” National Gallery director Natalie Urquhart said when it was announced the exhibition would be extended. “While the show has proved especially popular with seniors, it has received equally glowing responses from younger members of our community, as evidenced by the response from students, many of whom have had the opportunity to engage with TimeBack through the gallery’s busy programme of school tours.” Meanwhile, smaller presentations were held on the Sisters Islands, and there are plans for a community mini-exhibition to be held on Grand Cayman. Additionally, the TimeBack team has been liaising with the National Archives and the National Cultural Foundation on ways in which the photo collections can be utilised and further preserved for future generations. TimeBack even received international recognition when it was featured on US television’s CBS News. In a report about how to safeguard photos taken in pre-digital days from threats such as natural disasters, the Cayman Compass’ project was featured as an example of how technology can be used to preserve memories. Inspiration for the name Simon Barwick of BB&P – the creative agency in Cayman which designed the project branding – came up with the name of TimeBack. “When I was a teenager in the 70s, I used to fish regularly with a wonderful West Bayer called Fredance ‘Fredson’ Ebanks who was then the Governor’s driver,” he recalls. “Fredson would tell me fascinating stories of his youth and of Cayman’s earlier days. He would often say things like, ‘Conch used to be so plentiful. Time back you’d find them in two or three feet of water’. “‘Time back’ was a term he used frequently; it seemed appropriate as an inspiration for the name of this project.” TimeBack has been made possible by Compass Media, Dart and the Kenneth B. Dart Foundation, with additional sponsorship from Logic, Water Authority – Cayman, BIAS Investors, RE/MAX Cayman Islands, Butterfield, BB&P, and CUC.
