While browsing a charity shop in Hackney, East London, Tilda Butterworth stumbled upon a vintage Olympus analogue camera that held a surprising secret: a half-used roll of film containing 10 photographs taken many years ago. After developing the film, Tilda was stunned to uncover images depicting family moments and a dog, apparently from Christmas celebrations long past.
Sharing her discovery on TikTok, Tilda posted the photographs and asked her followers to help locate the family seen in the pictures. “I found an Olympus camera in a charity shop with a half-used roll of film inside,” she explained. “I wasn’t expecting anything when I developed it, but there were 10 photos, mostly of a family’s Christmas celebration.”
The photos revealed subtle clues about their time and place. One image showed a young girl reaching into an Asda carrier bag to feed ducks in a pond, with family members visible nearby. Viewers quickly suggested sharing the images on local community groups, pointing to the possible location—Wyndley Pool in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham.
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TikTok users debated the timeframe based on details like the Asda bag and Christmas decorations. Estimates ranged from the 1990s to the early 2000s. “The photos with the ducks are definitely taken in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands," noted one user. “Given the Asda bag and decorations, I would say between 2003 and 2005. The children in the photo might now be in their late 20s.”
Thankful for the community’s assistance, Tilda expressed hope to reunite the photographs with their rightful owners. She also issued a respectful warning for privacy concerns: “If the family in the pictures would like the images removed, I will do so immediately—please get in touch.”
The post quickly gained attention, amassing over 170,000 views within two days, highlighting the powerful connections that can emerge from unexpected finds and the kindness of strangers joining together to preserve personal memories.