Alongside Jedrzejczyk’s photographs, the exhibition of this project at Side included reprints from an archive at Turner’s, originally produced for Wills’ at the start and peak of the Newcastle factory’s life. The contrast between these historical images and the quiet closure captured in 1986 reflects both the scale of change and the dignity of work that had defined the site.

Wills’ Factory offers a portrait of industrial decline shaped by routine, uncertainty and the endurance of the people involved. Jedrzejczyk’s work records this transition with clarity and restraint, marking the end of a significant chapter in Newcastle’s working life.

Isabela Jedrzejczyk is a documentary photographer whose work explores the lives and landscapes of working-class communities, particularly in the North East of England. Born in London, she studied at Nottingham Trent University before moving to Newcastle in 1977 to work at Side Gallery. She soon became a member of the Amber Collective, contributing to the growing AmberSide collection.

Originally known for her landscape photography, Jedrzejczyk turned her focus to people and places with strong social and historical significance. In 1980, she produced Jungle Portraits, a series of portraits taken at the Northumberland Arms in North Shields, a pub known locally as The Jungle and a gathering place for the fishing community.

Now living in a village near Carlisle, Cumbria, Jedrzejczyk is known for work that reflects an interest in capturing the character and atmosphere of everyday spaces.