Dive Brief:
- Bob Smethurst, a waste worker in Sussex, England for 36 years, picked up more than just garbage on his route: He collected photographs and memorabilia that were discarded in the trash and dumped in landfills
- Smethurst now has over 5,000 war-related images, making him the proprietor of one of the largest single collections of photos from World War I in the world.
- Although the collection is estimated to be worth a considerable amount, Smethurst is content with knowing he has preserved an important piece of history that would have disappeared forever.
Dive Insight:
Collectors often pay close to $50 per photo for images depicting the first World War. Smethhurst, who collected most of the images during the 70's and 80's, discovered items such as postcards, letters, medals and bullets in addition to the now-coveted images. He was able to see the photos because waste bins were carried individually, and without bags.
