Mother of London

I have always since childhood, being captivated by the Isle of Portland in Dorset. It is an island of great mystery and intrigue; there is an atmosphere you can feel which is indescribable. I wanted to achieve the somewhat daunting task of documenting a place and a nucleus culture, which I knew very little about and had no direct contact with.

I was first interested in the ever-changing face of Portland, with its many quarries and their history. The landscape is continuing to change and evolve with the demands of today's society. The stone has been used to create some of Britain's most prestigious and historical buildings in all our major cities, especially London. It has provided essential employment and development for the island. This is clearly an essential part of developing the structural economy of this unusual and richly historic land.

I am also greatly interested in photographing the men who work on the quarries. This is historically a family orientated trade, passing on the arduous job through the generations to help the island survive.

A major part of Portland is the Port and Quay, which have provided an essential point for delivering Portland stone to create some of our cities. The port was one of the largest assembling points for the D-Day landings; evidence is still seen today with the remnants of the Mulberry casement (a stone man-made floating harbour) and the remains of the rich Navy history; such as the barracks. These still tower over the residents and can be seen for many miles.

For me, one of the most inspiring things about this island is the people. They have sculpted the island and adapted themselves to the environment with a harmony and respect, uncommon in today’s world. The locals to the island have myths and rules, still practiced by the old folk. Traditions important to the islanders such as the court leaf symbolic land laws that still hold social precedence.

With the Olympics set for 2012 and all water sports to be adopted by Weymouth and Portland for the season, Portland is in for another historically important spell of renewal, prestige and strong connection to London. I hope to continue this project and document another changing face of Portland telling the story in years to come of how the Mother of London quietly adapted herself to suit the needs of her city.