Originally published in 1983 by Jonathan Cape, Sirkka Liisa Konttinen's Byker is recognised as a seminal body of work and a modern classic of photography. Konttinen documented a close knit community in Newcastle in an area that was her home for seven years and which was destined for wholesale redevelopment. The work gained national recognition as a key photographic account of a richly working class culture on the eve of its destruction. The book was selected by The Observer as one of the top ten books of the year.