When Tim Robotham found an old toolbox in an antique shop he had no inclination he was about to uncover a fascinating photographic history.

Now the Victorian toolbox is set to be included in a major exhibition launched by the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.

Called Forget Me Not: Photography and Remembrance, it will showcase photographs belonging to Bradford people that have been preserved, framed, stored or printed in unusual ways.

Mr Robotham took his toolbox to an open day held by the museum for people to reveal their "photo-histories". Staff put their details on to a database and are currently deciding what will end up in the exhibition in January.

The owner of Tim Robotham Ironmongers in Shipley discovered two smaller boxes inside the toolbox, which were dated 1898. And slotted into the lids of the smaller boxes were some old photographs.

"Some are Victorian, including one taken with a postage stamp camera, which put the sitter's picture on the Queen's head on a photo the size of a stamp," said Mr Robotham. "One photograph is of a footballer, J Forbes of The Rovers, and another is of what looks like a grandfather with a baby on his lap. The others are of semi-dressed ladies - quite risque for 1898!"

Mr Robotham bought the toolbox, which is the size of a blanket box or chest, from a Bingley antique shop. Now he's trying to find tools of the period to fit inside and is keen to know whether the people in the photographs were local.

"I thought it was just an old toolbox until I discovered the photographs," he said. "There are several joiners' stamps on it, all of them presumably owned it at some time. It would be great to try and find out more about the people behind the photographs and the box itself."

Museum curator Colin Harding said the idea behind the Forget Me Not exhibition is to "question the assumption that a photograph on its own is enough to capture a memory".

"With today's technology you can have photographs mounted on things like mugs, pillow cases, bags and jigsaws," he said. "Every time you use them they rekindle a memory."

Included in the exhibition will be photo-histories already in the museum's collection, including a pane of stained glass with a photo of a young boy set into it, and a Victorian photograph in a frame made of plaited human hair!

"Our problem is we don't know who these photographs are of or how they came to be mounted like this," said Mr Harding. "Whoever created the hair frame must have cared deeply about the man in the photograph - was she his wife, sister or mother? Was the stained glass pane part of a door in a Bradford house?

"We're creating a database of new photographic artefacts and the personal stories behind them, to preserve them for the future."

Other items brought in by Bradford people include a calendar belonging to Suzanne Johns, of Gomersal, made of photos of her children, and a holiday scrapbook containing photographs alongside stones, pieces of grass and tickets.

l Anyone with information about the toolbox or photographs can ring Mr Robotham on (01274) 584405.

l For more about the Forget Me Not exhibition call (01274) 207690 or email a picture of your item with your contact details to photography. nmpft@nmsi.ac.uk.