DIGNITARIES turned out in force tonight for the launch of the second volume of Bucks In Time.

After the success of the first volume last year the Bucks Free Press launched the second at Wycombe Museum.

It was a joint celebration as the museum is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.

The new book has four chapters and brings together extracts from the Bucks Free Press and scores of images from the unique Sharing Wycombe’s Old Photographs (SWOP) database.

It was written by Mike Dewey who is a voluntary archivist at the Free Press.

Editor Steve Cohen introduced the book.

He explained how the first volume came about because the paper wanted to make the most of the photos on SWOP.

There are nearly 4,500 photographs taken by Bucks man Ron Goodearl in the collection.

Steve said: "It is a collection of pictures from the early 20th century. We plan to go on and on.

"This book is a wonderful testament to Mike's work and the work of our team and to people like Ron Goodearl."

Mike Dewey thanked Liz Collins who laid out the pages, and who is a sub editor at the paper, for her hard work.

Chairman of Wycombe District Council, Wendy Mallen, spoke about the history of the museum and how it moved to its current location in 1962.

The Museum has been awarded a round one pass and £78k of development funding by the Heritage Lottery Fund to prepare the way for its proposed relocation and expansion.

It hopes to move to the Wycombe District Council offices in Queen Victoria Road.

There was a cake which was decorated by a museum volunteer Maddy Baskerville depicting the front of the current museum in Priory Avenue.

Bucks in Time Volume 2 is £7.99

 The following will stock the book.

• MH Freeman: 192 Desborough Road, Wycombe HP11 2QA

• J Walsh: Pond Approach, Holmer Green, HP15 6RJ

• Flackwell News: 3 Swains Market, Flackwell Heath HP10 9BL

• Waterstones: Eden Shopping Centre High Wycombe HP11 2BZ

• Supernews: 8a High Street, Wycombe HP11 2AZ

• D&J News: 35 West Street, Marlow SL7 2LS

• High Wycombe Library: 5 Eden Place, Wycombe HP11 2DH

•Flackwell Heath Library: Carrington Junior School, Chapel Road, Flackwell Heath, HP10 9AA

Click here to order your copy!