A SPECIAL photographic collection of royal visits to South Lakeland will be displayed during the Diamond Jubilee week.

Cumbria County Council's archive centre in Kendal will be taking a look at visits by the Duke and Duchess of York, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Elizabeth II.

The photographs are taken from the papers of the late collector Margaret Duff, who was inspired to preserve Kendal's photographic heritage after rescuing some old photographs in the 1970s.

She was encouraged by her husband Percy who succeeded Alfred Wainwright as the last Borough Treasurer for Kendal Borough Council.

After Mrs Duff died in 1998, Mr Duff took it on himself and continued the collection until deciding to donate to the county council, as intended by his will.

For the rest of the year Cumbria County Council’s four archive centres - in Barrow, Carlisle, Kendal and Whitehaven - will be showcasing an individual archive or a small selection from a collection for the first week of every month, to mark the service’s 50th anniversary. For information about opening hours visit www.cumbria.gov.uk/archives/recordoffices/default.asp.