{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O242785"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O242785/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU3000/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU3000/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BU3000","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Homer Sykes/www.homersykes.com","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O242785/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O242785","accessionNumber":"E.3701-2007","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Burry Man","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"Once a Year: Some Traditional British Customs","type":"series title"}],"summaryDescription":"Since 1687, the town of South Queensferry in Lothian on the Southern shore of the Firth of Forth, Scotland, has held a 'ferry fair' in the second week of August. As part of the fair, on the second Friday in August, the 'Burry Man' makes his annual perambulation of town boundaries, traditionally to bring luck to the herring fishing fleet. In 1971 the Burry Man was the local grave digger, John Hart, who had performed the ritual for many years. His traditional costume was covered with burrs and roses and he was accompanied by two assistants, collecting money and stopping at all the public houses.\r\n\r\nThe photographer Homer Sykes was born in Canada in 1949, but has lived in Britain since 1950. He is one of the UK's foremost documentary photographers and the V&A holds several examples of his work.","physicalDescription":"Black and white photograph of the 'Burry Man' wearing a suit covered with burrs and roses, accompanied by his two assistants, one of whom helps him to take a drink through a straw.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Homer Sykes","id":"C5912"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"x43821"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Gelatin silver print.","categories":[{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2008BU3000"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"X","shelf":"1027","box":"E"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1977","earliest":"1977-01-01","latest":"1977-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph, 'Burry Man' from the series 'Once a Year: Some Traditional British Customs', vintage gelatin silver print, by Homer Sykes, 1977.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"South Queensferry","id":"THES250696"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.3701-2007"],"accessionNumberNum":"3701","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2007,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-11","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-08","availableToBook":false}}