John Barnes  Passionate collector and historian, he chronicled
the early days of British cinema  The film historian John
Barnes, who has died aged 87, was a leading authority on pre-
cinema and early cinema, and co-founder - with his twin brother
William - of the Barnes Museum of Cinematography, which opened
in St Ives, Cornwall, in 1963. Their collection filled two whole
floors of a house in Fore Street and, as one of the first film
museums, it became a focal point for scholars worldwide.  The
collection continued to grow as William, based in London, hunted
for the marvellous at ephemera fairs and auctions, and ran an
antiques stall dedicated to photography and cinema. The museum,
where John's wife Carmen was assistant curator, closed in 1986;
by then he was recognised as a great expert in the field, and he
continued to devote ever more time to his work as a historian.
He was born in London. His father was involved with WH Barnes,
piano manufacturers. John, together with William, developed an
early passion f