We need your help! Donate and #SAVESIDE
This selection of 35mm colour slide transparencies was taken by T Dan Smith in 1962 and 1963, during his time as Leader of Newcastle City Council. The images document two key subjects: the major urban redevelopment then underway in the city centre, and that year’s May Day parade. Together, they reflect the two defining aspects of Smith’s political vision: radical modernisation and civic engagement.
Working closely with planning officer Wilfred Burns, Smith sought to transform Newcastle through bold planning strategies that prioritised modern architecture, improved transport infrastructure, pedestrianisation, culture and education. While widely recognised for his ambition, he remains controversial for the demolition of historic buildings and the city’s shift toward Brutalist design. His later conviction for corruption in relation to his work with architect John Poulson overshadowed his earlier achievements.
These slides were deposited with Amber as part of a wider collaboration with the collective during the 1980s, which led to the production of the film T Dan Smith: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Utopia. Alongside this material, Smith contributed a personal archive of photographs, filmed interviews and an unfinished autobiography, all now held in the AmberSide Collection. The slides offer a rare first-person visual record of Newcastle’s transformation, seen through the eyes of the politician who led it.
