The historic Welsh landmark on the cover of Sam Fender’s new album
It’s one of the most historic and famous structures in Wales.
Opened in 1906, the Grade I listed Newport Transporter Bridge crosses the River Usk in Newport.
It is one of only two operational transporter bridges in Britain, the other being the Tees Transporter Bridge.
The bridge, one of fewer than 10 transporter bridges that now remain in use worldwide, is a striking landmark in the Welsh city.
Now it has appeared on the cover of People Watching – the latest album from Geordie singing star Sam Fender.
The bridge, pictured on the cover of indies version of the album features a famous pic from famed social documentary photographer Tish Murtha.
The photographer was best known for documenting marginalised communities, social realism and working class life.
However, the Newcastle-born photographer had links to Newport art college and its world renowned School of Documentary Photography.
And that’s where the image of Newport Transporter Bridge originates.
Matt Jarrett, of Diverse Vinyl in Newport, one of the retailers selling the ‘Newport’ indies version of Fender’s album, has written about Tish Murtha’s connections to the city in a blog on the shop’s website.
Matt wrote: “Sam Fender is from Newcastle right? So why has the limited indies version of his new album, ‘People Watching’, got a photograph of Newport tip and the Transporter Bridge on it? The answer leads back to our famous art college.
“The images across all the versions of Fender’s album, singles and promotional material, are the work of the amazing Tish Murtha.
“Murtha was born in Newcastle in 1956 and spent her childhood in the city. She moved to Newport at the age of 20, to study at the School of Documentary Photography, at Newport Art College, set up by David Hurn (An amazing Welsh documentary photographer, who’s work has also adorned album sleeves this month. It’s his work on Manic Street Preachers’ ‘Critical Thinking‘ album). There are a number of images from around Newport’s industrial hinterland, in social clubs and pubs and around the city (or town, as it was in the late 70s), including an excellent photograph in the street around the corner from Rodney Parade. After graduating, she returned to Newcastle and her work continued to focus on community and the working class, injecting humour and joy into what could sometimes be seen as bleak and unforgiving urban landscapes.
“Tragically, Tish passed away suddenly from a brain aneurysm in in 2013, a day short of her 57th birthday. Her daughter Ellen has kept her work alive, both on Instagram and in making a documentary that celebrates her mother’s work. You can watch the trailer below.”
The story was also picked up by Gary Raymond of Welsh independent record story Grinning Soul Records in Monmouth. You can see Gary talking about Sam Fender’s album and Tish Murtha below.
@grinning.soul.records Our Gary talks us through why #samfender might have a picture of the #newporttransporterbridge on the cover of his hit new album #peoplewatching ♬ original sound – Grinning Soul
The Tish Murtha documentary can be viewed on BBC iPlayer HERE
Tish Murtha prints can be purchased HERE
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The second album released this year that features strong links to Newport Art School documentary photography course. This one by Tish, and the recent Manic Street Preachers David Hurn shot, Hurn started the photography course at Newport at taught Tish ! Finally people realising what they destroyed when they merged / take over [Uni Glamorgan] destroyed Newport Art School