Project aims to tell stories of toll booth workers

A social history project is aiming to tell the stories of people who work in the toll booths on the Tamar Bridge.

Fotonow CIC, based in the Royal William Yard in Plymouth, want to create an archive of those who have made a contribution to the bridge that links Devon and Cornwall.

The group said it wanted to "shine a spotlight on the unsung toll staff who have manned the crossing for generations" and the work would then be compiled for an exhibition about the crossing.

Emma Booth, community photographer for Fotonow, said: "What we are trying to do is tell these working class stories of the people who have been the face of the bridge for, some of them, 25 years."

The team behind the project want people to come forward with memories, stories and photos of their connection to the bridge.

Once all the photos and memories have been gathered for the exhibition, the pictures would go on display along the footpath on the bridge, with QR codes for people to scan to hear the oral histories, organisers said.

Ms Booth said the stories people had shared already add a "human element to the bridge".

One of those sharing his story is Stephen Rostron, who has worked on the bridge for 25 years.

Mr Rostron said: "For the last seven years, I have been doing cleaning on the bridge and have only just come back to taking tolls and people have noticed.

"They've said: 'Where have you been?'"

The project is being funded by by Historic England.

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