LAST Friday was the fifth anniversary of the death of North East photographer Jimmy Forsyth, who died aged 95.

Jimmy came up from Wales during the war and was a fitter, but sadly he lost an eye in a lathe accident while working at ICI. He lived on Scotswood Road and bought an old box camera at a junk shop with which he chronicled vanishing community life in the North- East. He produced some 35,000 images.

My daughter was at Newcastle Art College doing photography. She did a dissertation on Jimmy’s work and met him. He was totally untrained and his work will be here for posterity, but I wonder if modern-day photography will be as long-lasting, with electronic images on mobile phones holding sway.

Never has taking photographs been easier. No developing or printing but will these images stand the test of time like Jimmy’s? I think not.

Malcolm Rolling, Durham.