Billingham
Waterproof canvas camera bags, made in Staffordshire since 1973
Philosophy
English camera bags made in Staffordshire since 1973. Waterproof canvas, vegetable-tanned leather, solid brass. Each bag is hand-sewn with a lifetime guarantee. The Hadley is an absolute street photography classic.
History
1973. Pink Floyd released Dark Side of the Moon, Roger Moore debuted as James Bond, and in the West Midlands, a newly married young couple decided to make bags. Ros worked in a camera shop, Martin was an amateur photographer at a local club. They met through photography. But instead of becoming photographers ("Ros feared we'd end up as wedding photographers," recalls Martin in a 50th anniversary interview), they chose bags. Martin had worked at a company making canvas and leather fishing bags that could never meet demand.
They started at home. Cutting table first in the garage, then in the bedroom. Ros cut canvas with large shears and prepared leather with a round knife. Martin sewed. In 1977, an order for 300 bags from Hardy Brothers gave them confidence to go full-time, moving to a 500 sq ft lean-to where they worked 12 hours a day.
The pivot to photography came from an American order that made them realize their waterproof canvas expertise was exactly what photographers needed. The Hadley was born. FibreNyte or Stormblock canvas, English vegetable-tanned leather, patented Quick Release solid brass buckles. Among enthusiasts, and DPReview, 20-year use testimonials abound. Collaborations with Hasselblad, Leica, Fujifilm, Olympus. Still run by Ros and Martin from Cradley Heath, 50 years on. The Rolls Royce of camera bags.
Iconic Products
Hadley Small Pro
The most iconic bag in the range, the one that built the legend. Compact format for one body and 2-3 lenses. FibreNyte or Stormblock canvas, vegetable-tanned leather, Quick Release brass buckles. Among enthusiasts, 15-20 year use testimonials without notable wear are the norm. No rain cover needed - the canvas is waterproof by default. The bag Leica photographers instinctively choose.
Hadley One
The premium all-leather Hadley. Proves Billingham doesn't just do canvas. Full-grain Italian leather, removable camera compartment for camera or daily use. More expensive, more elegant, same indestructible construction. For those wanting a Billingham at the office without looking like they're heading to a shoot.
35 Rucksack
The Billingham photo backpack. Same canvas, leather, brass, but in vertical format for long walks. Less known than the Hadley because street photographers prefer shoulder bags, but landscape shooters hiking with Leica M gear swear by it.