A new intergenerational project launched this week In Wales aims to change the way we see and share history. Cathy Owen finds out more

If you have a box of black and white photos curling at the edges in the loft they could be about to make history.

Because a new website has been set up to encourage members of the public to share their hidden treasures by electronically “pinning” old photographs on top of modern ones on the internet.

Some examples of scenes across South Wales can be seen on these pages, including men, women and children enjoying a VE Day Thanksgiving Service in front of Cardiff City Hall in July 1945. Swimmers can be seen diving into Roath Park Lake in the 1960s, children playing in Victoria Park in 1967, the bombing of Llandaff Cathedral in 1941 and a pancake race in Bertram Street, Roath, in 1961.

They are just some of the pictures that appear on the new website called Historypin, the latest creation of a collaboration between social movement company We Are What We Do and Google.

It is a digital machine that was launched this week and allows users to share images from their personal photo albums, as well as the stories behind them.

To date, pictures have been provided from various national archives, as well as diverse contributors including Selfridges, Marks & Spencer, the Royal Albert Hall and Arsenal FC.

The site finds a unique use for Google Maps and Street View, meaning pictures can be dated as well as geo-tagged and then “pinned” into place on top of modern street view photography.

The result is a fascinating snapshot of the changing face of local streets and well known landmarks and provides a new perspective on historic moments.

The site has ambitions to become the world’s largest archive of historic images and stories, providing easy access to digitised history stretching from the invention of the camera to today.

Nick Stanhope, managing director of We Are What We Do, said: “Historypin aims to be the world’s largest communal archive of historical images and stories.

“The unique way users can upload, review, comment on and share images via Historypin creates a fascinating window to the past.”

Historypin has been developed by We Are What We Do as part of their campaign to get people from different generations to share more and come together more often. The site aims to start millions of new conversations between old and young, motivating older people to share their history and younger people to share their digital skills.

Kate Hammond, marketing manager at Google, said: “This remarkable project helps to bring together the generations to share past experiences and exchange internet skills in a brand new way.

“With this highly original use of the Street View technology we hope that communities up and down the country will be brought a new perspective on local streets, landmarks and historic moments, in a way that benefits both old and young.”

Local historian Brian Lee has used hundreds of old pictures in the 16 books he has written on the history of Cardiff.

“There is a real fascination with old photographs, especially black and white ones,” he explains. “And the internet can open them up to a whole new younger audience. When I started out, I used to have to flick through hundreds of volumes of old books but the internet makes it a lot quicker and opens up a whole new world.

“With programmes like Who Do You Think You Are? people are very interested in their ancestry so there is always an appetite for these sorts of websites. It sounds like a very interesting new website because nothing evokes nostalgia like an old black and white photograph.”

For more information, visit www.historypin.com