My Dad's Photos

ON THE MOVE!

2011-07-16T17:17:00.002+01:00

I've moved this blog over to a Wordpress blog hosted alongside my website, so there won't be any more posts here.

The new one can be found at http://mydadsphotos.shendy.co.uk

Children

2011-04-03T21:39:00.002+01:00

I must admit that I thought for a while about publishing these. They were taken in September 1970 at the school my aunt taught at - I showed her some of them last weekend, and I think she said it was in East London. It was over 40 years ago, but she remembered plenty of them - names and what they were like.

I was unsure about showing them as they're not family, but I think they're really good documentary portraits.

Tractor

2011-04-03T21:36:00.002+01:00

My God, I remember that tractor - I'm sure it was red, with a yellow steering wheel?

School

2011-04-03T21:28:00.001+01:00

The Brother in his first school uniform - Abington Vale Lower School.

King's Road 1970

2011-04-03T21:21:00.004+01:00

A definite change in the fashions on King's Road - August 1970.

A fine 'tache, sir!

The Northampton Igloo Building Company

2011-04-03T21:16:00.002+01:00

March 1970, and a big enough dump of snow for us to have a decent stab at building an igloo. OK, it's not perfect seeing as there's no slope on the walls, but it's not bad for the East Midlands!

More childhood cuteness

2011-04-03T21:04:00.004+01:00

Me at the age of about 12 months

18 months old. Cute aren't I?

Me and The Brother

This is us riding on the miniature train that used to be on some land just next to Delapre Abbey in Northampton.

I'm behind, with Mother, while The Brother is in front with her mother.
Postscript: Good grief, they're still there - Northampton Society of Model Engineers Ltd.

King's Road 1969

2011-04-03T20:59:00.002+01:00

The third annual visit to photograph the happening people of King's Road.

OK, I know this one isn't King's Road - it's Piccadilly Circus - and the people are probably slightly less trend-setting than the fashionistas of Chelsea, but it's still worth posting.

I'm here!

2011-04-03T20:45:00.003+01:00

Ah, August 1968 and I've arrived.

This is the one of the first handful of photos of me, and look at that gesture!

Me and The Brother.

Ahhh...

Famous car

2011-01-03T17:57:00.002Z

July 1968 on the King's Road - A Bentley S1, registration 222 APL. It was decorated by some bloke who married the flat-mate of our current next door neighbour when she lived in Liverpool. That's not why I've posted this pic - he was slightly more famous for something else. Her name was Cynthia - she married John Lennon...

See this website for a colour image - scroll down a bit.

Hey there groovy hepcats...

2011-01-03T17:51:00.002Z

It would appear that my father visited the King's Road in Chelsea a few times in the late 1960s and early 1970s to photograph the nation's trend setters. It looks like he went every summer from 1967 to 1975.

These are from 1967 and 1968, and it'll be interesting to see how the fashions change over the years!

A few more of The Brother

2011-01-03T17:44:00.003Z

Just a handful more pictures of The Brother before his world gets turned upside down by my arrival - the first photos of me are on the scanner as I write this. And there's a corker already!

I distinctly remember that blanket, and it must have subconsciously influenced my decision on what I bought for our office Secret Santa a couple of weeks ago - the enforced theme was "scarves", and the lady I bought for got something that looked remarkably like it.

I'm sure he'll love me to bits for pointing out that he's still got that dog soft toy.

Things haven't improved much...

And finally, a follow on from the Social Services post I put up recently. Christmas 1966.

Famous Person Alert

2011-01-03T17:18:00.001Z

I had to be told as I wouldn't have guessed, but this is Lesley Joseph in the Masque Theatre's 1964 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream - she wasn't quite 20.

Other subsequently famous people to have been at the Masque -Michael Green (author of The Art of Coarse Acting) was a member around 1950, Marc Warren, and Alan Carr was in one production.

Has anyone got the number for Social Services?

2010-12-26T17:20:00.003Z

I don't know, it's just shocking.

The Brother in 1966 with father's beer glass. Personally, I didn't acquire a taste for ale until I was in my 20's, but it looks like he started much earlier.

And I'll finish off this batch with this one of The Brother, from 1968. He looks happy enough here, but little does he know what joys would lie in wait later in that same year, when I arrive!

Yorkshire

2010-12-26T17:12:00.003Z

A couple of colour shots of Yorkshire from summer 1965.

Lower Falls, Asygarth

The Shambles, York

Rievaulx Abbey - this is actually from 1971, as the chronological order of the slides leave something to be desired at times.

Drunk and disorderly

2010-12-26T16:40:00.005Z

Back in this post, I mentioned someone getting drunk at their sister's wedding - Mother at her sister's wedding in October 1966.

The bride.

A proper working class party - a keg of beer, and a bottle of Dubonnet for the ladies.

The is Mother at the wrong end of presumably a few Dubonnets - her getting very drunk at her younger sister's wedding is a well-told story in the family.

What's particularly ironic about her inability to stand up is this picture of The Brother, taken earlier in the day.

This is actually him standing up on his own for the first time.

I happened to mention at lunch today that I was sorting out photos of this wedding (my aunt is coming to lunch tomorrow), and Mother asked if there was a shot of The Brother standing up, mentioning the significance of it - which I hadn't realised. The Brother commented on the irony of him standing up and her not being able to...

Some things never change...

2010-12-26T16:37:00.003Z

September 1966. What is it about small children and ice creams that means more of it ends up on their face, clothes and anything else around, rather than in their mouth?

CAUTION: Scientists at play

2010-12-26T16:35:00.001Z

February 1965.

Good to see that the brainiacs at Plessey enjoyed a snowball fight as much as anyone else.

Not what I thought

2010-12-26T16:32:00.004Z

I saw this one and thought it must have been from a Halloween party, and that Mother just needed the broomstick before heading out for the night. Unfortunately it turns out that it's Hospital Ball from early 1965 - she worked there before The Brother arrived.

On the subject of Halloween, SWMBO

a) Persuaded her grandfather to make a proper broomstick for Mother.

and

b) rang Mother on the 31st October hoping to catch her before she went out for the night. Amazingly, Mother still talks to her!

Random portraits

2010-12-26T16:28:00.003Z

Some random portraits of my parents (presumably taken by each other) from early 1965

Christmas 1964

2010-12-26T16:15:00.003Z

Photos from the two sides of the family at Christmas 1964:

My father's father unwrapping presents on Christmas morning.

Mother's family - Mother and her sister (more of whom shortly)

This is Mother's father - there aren't many photos of her family, so it's good to find the ones that my dad took of them. He never met SWMBO, missing her by only a couple of years, but the general view is that he would have liked her.

And this is her mother (on the left) - there will be even fewer of her, as she died in the early 1970's - I only have a vague recollection of her.

Strut that funky stuff...

2010-12-26T16:04:00.004Z

Was it really September when I last posted? Oops.

As the Masque Theatre is rapidly heading towards its 80th anniversary (it's actually in 2012, but they've started preparing nice and early), Mother asked me to dig out all of the Masque negatives I could find. I don't think anyone (least of all me) was quite expecting somewhere in the region of 400 films that I delivered a couple of weeks ago!

Fortunately, now that I've handed over all of the Masque negs, they become an SEP (Someone Else's Problem - Douglas Adams) and I can concentrate on the rest of the archive.

Anyway, I was trying to work out where I'd got up to on the blog, and found some older pics that I passed over previously.

Dancing at a couple of Masque parties in 1964.

200 up!

2010-09-18T18:20:00.004+01:00

I have now finished the first four boxes of black & white films, so that's 200 done. OK, I've skipped a chunk that are photos of Masque Theatre productions, but that's still quite a lot to have got done in the last year.

It seems to me that there have been three phases so far. Phase 1 was "student". The second was "petrolhead", and we're now moving into the third - "family"

If there's anyone out there, I hope you've been enjoying it as much as I have.

More to follow as and when they're scanned.

Simon

Aw, ikkums...

2010-09-18T18:09:00.006+01:00

I suspect that the reason for the major holiday in 1964 is explained in these photos - offspring #1, born in November 1965

This is the very first photo of him.

Four generations

I love this one - considering he's only a few weeks old, it's a fabulous expression.

"Yes?"

There is a card you can get that says "Life would be so much better if only Mother would stop knitting"...

And just to prove that I'm not just picking out the less flattering ones...

Now, dear brother, how much is it worth not to send a link to this post to your colleagues?

I'm sure he never looks at this blog, so he'll never see these ;-)

When we get to my arrival, at least I get to choose all flattering shots!

Er, OK

2010-09-18T17:31:00.000+01:00

No, I have no idea why my dad is having a bath wearing a hat either.

Cefalu

2010-09-18T17:13:00.005+01:00

In September 1964, the parents went on a 3-week Club Med holiday to Cefalu in Sicily. I believe that it was on a 3 weeks for the price of 2 end of season deal, and they both had to take some unpaid leave to make use of the third week.

There's quite a few photos in this post, but it was a substantial holiday.

It was a proper straw hut Club Med affair

with communal dining, out in the open air.

There are loads of photos of people water-skiing - strangely, quite a few of them appear to be of bikini-clad young ladies...

Interesting seas for swimming

And this just looks plain dangerous!

Nice view for sunsets

And we couldn't finish without a nice colour shot of bronzed 1960's types in bikinis, could we?

Mother

2010-08-28T18:47:00.002+01:00

A couple of Mother from 1964.

Not really sure what's going on in this one - it looks like she might be taking some medicine. She still pulls faces like that if you feed her cheap red wine.

A look, she's using a mangle. A mangle! I thought they went out in the 1800s. I know she's old, but even I didn't think she was that old.

Crunch...

2010-08-28T18:16:00.004+01:00

This will have been painful for my mother (at the back, in the duffel coat) - she's a huge fan of Ferraris, and this is one that's had a bit of a ding.

It's a Ferrari 250 GTO, at the International Trophy meeting at Silverstone in 1963.

Honeymoon

2010-08-28T17:37:00.004+01:00

Marriage put an end to the petrolhead holidays in France, but in June 1963, the parents went to France on their honeymoon, ambling around the Alps and the Loire.

When the French say "chausee deformee", they really mean it!

La Grave. The parents stayed here for a few days, SWMBO and myself went a couple of times in the early 2000s, and in 2008, the whole family went back (see previous posting). Looking at this photo now, we reckon that the low building is the restaurant for La Meijette, the hotel we stayed at in 2008. It looks like my parents stayed back up the road, possibly in the Hotel des Alpes.

This is down in the valley, by the Romanche river. I've been down to the same spot myself, and that water is bloody cold!

While my parents were in La Grave, the Alpine Rally "just happened" to pass through town.

Hmmm, coincidence or planned? We shall never know.

And from the Loire, Azay-le-Rideau.

Domesticities

2010-08-28T17:12:00.004+01:00

March 1963, and what I suppose is a tolerably important landmark in several people's lives - including me.

"Do you, John Cristopher Hendy, take..."

Yep, the parents got married. I've never seen any wedding photos, and there are only a few from what appears to be a very small reception at the Green Man pub near Silverstone. I imagine this is because my father was otherwise occupied on the day.

The Green Man is/was a long time favoured haunt of racing drivers for decades. Now, a racing driver's pub near Silverstone - I wonder how that managed to get chosen for the reception? It's got a modern Premier Inn tacked onto it now, although it burned down just before the British Grand Prix this summer.

Mother, on her wedding day...

This is probably a unique photo - my father's mother and my mother's father. He was proper Northampton shoe industry working-class. She wasn't.

The rest of my mother's family - twin brother, mother and younger sister (referred to, I believe as "post-war"). Family legend has it that she had a glass of red wine in one hand and a glass of white in the other, and was sipping alternately from each.

Someone did apparently get very drunk at their sister's wedding, but it was actually older sister at younger sister's wedding. That's not until 1966, which means I've got another 50 films to go before I get to it.

Monaco

2010-08-28T16:39:00.005+01:00

In 1962, just for a change, my dad didn't go to Le Mans. Instead, Bill and he went to Monte Carlo for the Grand Prix. Did they fly? No. They made a proper petrolhead trip of it.

First up, they drove to Germany (what in those days would have been West Germany, to be precise) for the Nurburgring 1000km. Then they drove down through the Alps to Monte Carlo, watched the Grand Prix, and then drove back up through France, via Arles, the Gorges du Tarn, Le Mans (OK, so he went there, but not for the 24 hour race this time) and then back to Calais.

Not something you see every day - a racing car (Formula Junior - the precursor to Formula 3) parked at the side of the road, between a couple of oh-so-French vans.

One of the most iconic Formula 1 cars - the Sharknose Ferrari 156, driven here by Phil Hill.

Jack Brabham in a Lotus-Climax 24, in Casino Square.

A Porsche 718, driven by Jo Bonnier, also in Casino Square.

Bruce McLaren in a Cooper-Climax T14, celebrating his win with what looks suspiciously like a bottle of Coke. You don't see Lewis Hamilton doing this, do you? For one thing, he'd expect to be paid an obscene amount of money to do it, and Bernie Ecclestone probably wouldn't let him.

I think that these are some of the best photos so far. Not only did he get very close to the actions, but some of them are in colour as well:

A view down over the harbour - is this heading down towards the Rascasse corner?

Jack Brabham.

The Sharknose Ferrari 156.

Jim Clark in a Lotus-Climax 25.

Graham Hill in a BRM P57.

What the...

2010-08-28T16:36:00.002+01:00

There's nothing particularly startling about this photo, apart from the fact that it's my mother looking very stern and HOLDING A GUN!

It's apparently a rehearsal for a play called The Chinese Bungalow.

Masque Theatre summer show

2010-08-28T16:26:00.003+01:00

The Masque Theatre in Northampton put on an open-air show every summer, usually Shakespeare. Traditionally it was always held in the courtyard of the museum in Abington Park, but this was closed for a number of years over the last decade or so. However, they're back there now, which means that the actors once again have to battle to be heard over the peacocks from the small aviary just behind. Assuming there are still any there - I haven't lived in Northampton since 1992, so I've no idea whether there are or not!

As this is 1961, it must be Much Ado About Nothing. If I recall correctly, the little ticket booth is green, and always saw additional service in the Borough Show in Abington Park a week or two later. I spent many summer evenings around there, often selling programmes, as my father was generally in the play and my mother helped out, sometimes prompting, sometimes in the ticket office. Quite possibly sometimes both.

These days, I don't do Shakespeare - I suspect those summer evenings in the 1970s are a major reason why.

And just sometimes, it doesn't rain.

And we're back...

2010-08-28T16:11:00.004+01:00

What do you mean I last posted in March? It wasn't that long ago, surely? Oops...

Now, where were we? Ah yes, 1961, and it's Le Mans time again - for the third and final time, my father and his friend Bill went to Le Mans for the 24 hour race.

This, believe it or not, is the start of the race. The drivers have just run over from the bank in the foreground and are just getting into the cars. And yes, the spectators really are that close. The two cars are Aston Martins DB4 GT Zagatos. #4 is Roy Salvadori & Tony Maggs' car, while #5 is Jim Clark and Ron Flockhart.

This is taken from directly above the pits - the Ferrari garage in this case. This is #10, a Ferrari 250, with Phil Hill getting in.

Night view from above the pits, with Bill watching.

The Salvadori/Maggs Aston Martin, in the process of retiring, 19 hours into the race. There is a sequence of several photos, showing the car coming into the pits, mechanics attending to it as usual, and then the appearance of the rather ominous leak at the back. Then there are shots of concerned mechanics studying the rear end, and finally the car being wheeled back into the garage. Fuel leak apparently.

An interlude

2010-04-02T15:06:00.003+01:00

I've just been flicking through some of my dad's recipe folders, scanning a few (well, quite a lot actually) that look interesting - and found this in the middle of it.

No prizes for anyone who manages to decipher it, but about all I can make out at first glance is "OH YES" against the 5th one.

He should have been a doctor - he had the handwriting for it...

Silverstone International Trophy, 1961

2010-03-06T17:20:00.003Z

Stirling Moss zipping around the paddock on a little scooter. He'd get an ASBO for riding one of those things now. Especially with a passenger.

Very important photos

2010-03-06T16:41:00.002Z

I can't overstate how important these photos are.

Having moved to Northampton for his job, my father carried on with the amateur dramatics thing, joining the Masque Theatre in 1960 (we actually have the letter confirming his membership). He remained a member for the rest of his life, sometimes acting, sometimes helping backstage, and taking photos of many, many productions - I totted up and something like 300 of the 850 b&w films are of Masque productions. I don't propose to scan many of these, but will probably hand them over to the Masque archive.

Anyway, the young lady in these pictures, Greta, was stage managing this production (The Entertainer in 1961), and I think he took a bit of a liking to her - rather a lot of a liking in fact. A sort of married for 45 years with two children liking...

Yep, say hello to my mother.

You know the membership letter I mentioned above? She signed it.

The chap in the last photo (John Cartwright) remains a family friend to this day.

Regent Street

2010-03-06T16:39:00.003Z

Regent Street in London, in December 1960, with the Christmas lights.

Le Mans 1960, part 2

2010-03-06T16:31:00.003Z

This little selection is from behind the scenes at Le Mans

One of the bars at night

People sleeping in the stand

La Calandre, the small hotel/restaurant where my father stayed. I can't find any reference to it still being open, but there is a Rue de la Calandre in Le Mans, so I suppose that's where the hotel was.

And the staff at La Calandre, saying goodbye

Le Mans 1960

2010-03-06T16:21:00.003Z

Some shots from the 1960 trip to Le Mans

I'm sure I've made this comment before, but you just know that just out of shot, but still very close by, is someone smoking a cigarette...

The famous Maserati Birdcage - properly known as the Maserati Tipo 61

A pair of Aston Martin DBR1/300's at the start

Kenneth More

2010-01-07T21:44:00.001Z

This is also from May 1960, and is of a proper famous person - Kenneth More signing autographs at the Imperial College fete!

Oops

2010-01-07T21:33:00.002Z

This is from May 1960, and is titled "Piper Equipe, Oxford" - looks like a driver or two had an eventful time at some meeting or other! Unfortunately I'm not good enough to identify the cars, and haven't yet been able to work out where they'd been racing, or who the guilty drivers were.

Work

2010-01-07T18:19:00.004Z

In, I think, 1959, my father actually got a job - having seemingly managed to put it off until he was 27. It sounds late, but a degree would have taken him to 22, plus another year for a Masters, 2 years working on a PhD and 2 years National Service adds up!

And in fact, it was the only job he ever got - he worked at the same place (for Plessey at the Allen Clark Research Centre at Caswell in Northamptonshire) until he retired.

I'm probably breaking all sorts of rules by publishing these, but I doubt there are any still-secret innovations in a lab almost 50 years ago.

It looks like what I think of as proper chemistry - bell jars and that sort of thing, although there seems to be a disappointing lack of bunsen burners. Interesting to see what looks suspiciously like a car battery in there though!

Le Mans 1959

2010-01-07T18:01:00.004Z

As promised, here are the pictures from Le Mans in 1959.

Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (Phil Hill's car), photographed at "Pesage", which I think is scrutineering.

A whole load of Ferraris (250's and a Dino), also at Scrutineering

An Aston Martin DBR1 - the car that came second (just behind an identical car)

The start - I still can't believe how close everyone is to the track, and not a safety fence in sight!

Stirling Moss retiring from the race in the evening - another Aston Martin DBR1

France / Belgium, 1959

2010-01-06T22:08:00.002Z

In June 1959, my dad and his friend Bill Greenstreet went to the Continent for a holiday - not a common thing to do in those days. No nipping over on the cross-channel ferry for them. Instead they used the wonderfully named "Air Bridge" - a Bristol freighter which flew them to France. That's Bill's car being loaded.

A typical French road, lined with plane trees - near Nogent-Sur-Seine if you're really interested.

The Basilica in Lisieux

This is Le Mans cathedral, and that should tell you a lot about why they really went to France. The first box of 50 black and white films can probably be summarised as "student days", while the second box (the one I'm on now) can probably be summed up as "petrolhead" - it looks like about half of the films are dedicated to motorsport meetings all over the place - Silverstone, Brands Hatch and most significantly of all, Le Mans. But, we'll come to that soon...

After the visit to Le Mans, it looks like they went on a bit of a pilgrimage of motorsport venues, also managing to fit in visits to the circuits at Reims and Spa in Belgium. It has to be said that these two aren't really on any kind of direct route back from Le Mans towards, well anywhere in England really.

This shot is of the Spa circuit, looking back towards the pits from the legendary Eau Rouge corner.

Christmas in London, 1958

2009-12-31T17:56:00.002Z

I don't know if you can make it out in this copy of the picture, but there are masses of people in Trafalgar Square, just looking at the tree.

Birmingham Rag, October 1958

2009-12-31T17:50:00.002Z

I'm not quite sure of the timeline here. I know my dad did National Service after he was at Imperial College, and I think that included a Masters degree.
But, now that he's been demobbed, it looks like he's back at university. I think he said once that he started on a PhD but couldn't finish it as the grant ran out. So, I'm guessing that this is the PhD period, especially as it looks like he started a proper job in 1959.

Demob

2009-12-31T17:28:00.003Z

Demob from REME at Arborfield, October 1958. Boy, them boots is shiny!

London Zoo

2009-12-31T17:18:00.003Z

October 1958, and presumably the crocodiles are huddled together to keep warm. That or it's some kind of reptilian orgy...

I'd like to show this photo to the current head of Health and Safety at London Zoo, just to see how pale he turns, and how quickly.

Susan, the fairy of the compost heap

2009-12-31T17:06:00.003Z

Another one from July 1957, and I'm sure my aunt will love me dearly for posting this one.
Apparently she's currently recovering from Scarlet Fever - get well soon!

Landing the Catch, Whitby

2009-12-31T17:04:00.002Z

This was taken in July 1957, but something about the way they look makes it look way older than that.

Hill Crest, Cottingham

2009-12-31T17:00:00.002Z

My father at home in Cottingham in July 1957.
I see he's looking at "The Family Of Man" - a hugely important photography exhibition, first shown at MOMA in New York in 1955 - see the Wikipedia entry.

The Lugger Inn, Polruan

2009-12-31T16:58:00.001Z

August 1955.

Dad carving the turkey

2009-12-31T16:54:00.003Z

As it's the festive season, and seeing as this is one of the first colour photos, I thought it was appropriate.
Looking at the size of that turkey, I start to wonder whether the 18.5lb specimen that we had this year was a little on the large side. There were 4 of us...

An update

2009-10-25T18:03:00.003Z

That brings us to the end of the first box of 50 black & white films, which takes us to 1958 and basically the end of the student and National Service period.

I've brought home about half of his slides, so I'm currently having a detour into some 1950s colour. I shall be posting some of those in the near future, before a return to the second box of black and white.

"A" Company Sports Day

2009-10-25T17:31:00.002Z

These shots are from the 16th May 1958, at the "A" Company sports day at Arborfield.

The mandatory Tug O War, 5 Platoon.

Quartermaster Wells in the long jump.

"Keith" in the high jump. Is it just me, or is he going to have to be very careful about his landing in order to avoid it being really painful/dangerous? I've never seen anyone doing the high jump with a head-first dive before...

Sgts Williams and Clarke, at what is presumably the refreshment area. More of that infernal Watneys!

"Pubs with the Wrens"

2009-10-25T17:25:00.003Z

They certainly knew how to make their own entertainment in those days!

This shot, from April 1958, is on a film titled "Pubs with the Wrens". Two of them appear to have been known as "Thing" and "It"...

One thing to note is that my dad was just short of 26 when this was taken, and he has a noticeably, ahem, "high forehead". Fortunately I have not been blessed with quite such active genes in that department.

"Mum Swigging"

2009-10-25T17:21:00.003Z

My grandmother at Patty-Mary Good's wedding in April 1958

"Blizzard"

2009-10-25T16:53:00.002Z

I think the word "blizzard" might be a little excessive for what doesn't really appear to be too much snow, although nowadays this much snowfall would cause the entire country to grind to a halt for a couple of days.

What's really interesting is to see a policeman still out there directing traffic in Piccadilly Circus. Actually, the surprise is not that they're still out there in the snow, it's that they're out there in the first place...

Going Underground

2009-10-25T16:48:00.003Z

These are Piccadilly Circus and Hyde Park Corner tube stations, from February 1958. In so many ways, these look pretty much as they do today. The second one is remarkable in that there's no-one else there - when did you last see an empty tube station?

The advert in the first one caught my eye - "We Want Watney's Brown Ale". From what I understand, it was a reasonable brew in those days, long before the dreaded Watney's Red Barrel and Party Seven.

"The Spread"

2009-10-25T16:41:00.002Z

December 1957 at Arborfield, and what is presumably the Barracks' formal Christmas dinner - is Barracks the right term? It looks quite an interesting spread, although there's always you don't know how much of it is something you might associate with 1950's military cuisine shaped and dressed up as something nice...

Skiffle Group

2009-10-25T16:33:00.002Z

August 1957, and some sort of street fair in Soho, with a skiffle group playing in the street - you can tell it's skiffle because someone is playing a tea chest.

Even if you wanted one and could afford one, you weren't allowed to use a proper bass - it had to be the piece of string attached to a tea chest. It's in the rules of the International Skiffle Federation - look it up if you don't believe me.

National Service

2009-10-04T14:30:00.004+01:00

And now we get to one bit that I was quite looking forward to seeing - photos from my dad's time in National Service. This is early 1957, so probably early on in basic training.

Not really too much that I can say about these, not knowing anything about it, but I think they are really interesting pictures - it's very obvious that it's not modern.

This one is captioned "Murray, extinguished"

This is from a bit later, and is simply titled "Ron reading comic". I'm sure a military expert out there would be able to identify the beret badge.

There are more photos from National Service, and there is one film labelled "Pubs with the Wrens", which sounds mildly interesting!

Garden Fete, De La Pole Hospital, Cottingham. 25/08/1956

2009-10-04T14:16:00.002+01:00

These are from the summer fete at De La Pole Hospital in Cottingham (near Hull), where my grandfather worked.

Here we have Mr Hudson judging the lovely ankles competition.

And this is the view from the other side of the screen!

Warning to the Public - Motor Racing Is Dangerous

2009-10-03T18:51:00.003+01:00

Too bloody right it's dangerous when you consider how close my dad is standing to the course, with nothing but a bit of grass and maybe a small wooden fence between him and some racing cars!

This is from the 6th August 1956, at the Television Trophy at Brands Hatch. It's a Formula 3 race, and the information my dad recorded on the back of a print of this wonderfully detailed:

#2 Cooper Norton. Stuart Lewis-Evans

#6 Cooper Norton, George Wicken

#1 Cooper Mk IX Norton (Cooper Car Co) Jim Russell

#36 Cooper MK IX Norton, Ivor Bueb

And amazingly, there is a website that confirms it all.

It's amazing to see how close they were to the action, and the complete absence of any safety features. I know drivers were killed all the time in those days, but you have to wonder how many spectators died as well. I was going to say that I thought things might have changed after the huge fatal accident at Le Mans, when 84 spectators were killed, but it turns out that happened the year *before* this race.

"Bugs and Paddy Toasting The Union"

2009-10-03T18:42:00.002+01:00

No idea what's going on in this one - why the hats? Judging from the blackboard, there might be an election for Student Union President about to happen, but why the need for toasting? Well, they're students, so drink is never going to be far away...

"Sound Effects"

2009-10-03T18:37:00.002+01:00

From the Imperial College Drama Society's production of Dispersal.

It must have been really difficult to do sound effects for a play in those days, presumably before even tape recorders were widely available. I assume everyone does it from a laptop these days, with just a mouse click to kick off the relevant sound. Imagine trying to cue up records and start them off at the right point - not to mention stopping them in time as well.

"Bugs in Bed (5th floor)"

2009-10-03T18:32:00.003+01:00

Another from Imperial College. Not a clue what's going on in this one - it looks to me like someone's been out on the sauce and has slept it off in the corridor. But, if that was the case, surely he wouldn't have sheets, blanket and a pillow - not to mention an alarm clock on the window ledge.

Not sure who Bugs was, but judging by some of the captions on other photos, he might have been one of the rowing crowd rather than the drama society. Complete guesswork though, and I imagine we'll never know the true story!

BTW, sorry for the gap in posting.

"Morphy Day, General Melee"

2009-09-06T16:06:00.003+01:00

November 1955, on the footpath of the Thames
A bit of digging on t'interweb reveals that Morphy Day traditionally consisted of various bits of Imperial College (which was made up of the Royal College of Science, the City & Guilds College and the Royal School of Mines) having a flour and tomato fight on the towpath at Putney whilst the Morphy and the Lowry races took place between the three colleges on the river. Somehow I suspect the rowing wasn't the most important bit of the day...

"Wal and apparatus"

2009-09-06T15:56:00.002+01:00

Now that's what I call a proper setup in a chemistry lab, with a proud looking John Walton.
At a rough guess, it'll be for distilling something lethal to put into their punch.

Commemoration Day, 1955

2009-09-06T15:49:00.003+01:00

My father on graduation day (known as Commemoration Day), October 1955 at the Royal Albert Hall.

EDIT: Just found this in felixonline.co.uk (the IC student newspaper):

In 1945, King George VI and the Queen Mother visited Imperial College to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Royal College of Chemistry, the oldest of the institutions that were amalgamated into Imperial College in 1907. It was decided that this royal visit would be commemorated annually, and it is this ceremony, held in the Royal Albert Hall, at which Imperial undergraduate students celebrate graduation.

Fowey, August 1955

2009-09-04T15:46:00.003+01:00

Lostwithiel Street, Fowey

Fowey Harbour from Coastguard, at night

Two shots from the family holiday in Fowey in August 1955

Hutton-le-Hole

2009-09-04T15:43:00.001+01:00

From Hutton-le-Hole, North Yorkshire - August 1955, but looks almost timeless.

Petrolhead

2009-09-04T15:27:00.002+01:00

Peter Collins in a Formula 1 Maserati 250F. Crystal Palace 30/05/1955

Colin Chapman in a Lotus XI. Goodwood 24/09/1955

A couple of shots from the 1955 motorsport summer.
The amount of detail my dad recorded on some of these shots is great - written on the back of the prints of these two photos is the following:
1) Formula 1 Maserati 250F (2.5 litre), disc brakes, alloy wheels. Owen Racing Organisation car, driven by Peter Collins
2) Lotus Mk IX Climax, 1097cc. Six Mile Stable, driven by Colin Chapman. Almost certainly XPE8, the works car at Le Mans 1955. Cleaned up on the races that day.

Scarborough, 1955

2009-09-04T15:22:00.004+01:00

Scarborough harbour from the early part of 1955.

ICDS - Maidstone 1955

2009-09-04T15:01:00.002+01:00

Similarly to the production that the Imperial College Drama Society put on in Cheltenham in 1954, they did the same in Maidstone in 1955.

Mr & Mrs Fletcher

Les and Ursula on stage

I think that the first shot is of the landlord & landlady in the pub that they adopted during their stay - there are several photos that appear to be in the pub.
I suspect that my father wasn't acting in this particular play, as this was taken from above the stage. I don't know what play they were doing - surprisingly enough his records don't say.

I suspect the reason I never really became interested in the theatre (drawing a discrete veil over my appearance as a Munchkin) is that I was subjected to too much Shakespeare as a small child. My parents were (and my mother still is) long-standing active members of the Masque Theatre amateur group in Northampton, and they were always involved in the annual open-air productions. Being too young to be left at home, my brother and I spent many interminable summer evenings hanging around Abington Park trying to think of something interesting to do. We must have been too well brought up, as otherwise we'd have been off nicking hubcaps or something like that - although Abington is too nice a part of Northampton for that sort of behaviour thank you very much.

Rowing, 1955

2009-09-04T14:42:00.005+01:00

Head of the River Race, 4th VIII throwing the boat.

Imperial College 3rd VIII at Walton Regatta, my father 2nd from right in the front row

Along with the Drama Society, my father also rowed for Imperial College, competing in the Head of the River race two or three times. I'm not quite sure how he managed to combine both of these activities along with studying for his degree, but he seemed to manage it!

Interestingly enough, three of his interests were photography, cycling and rowing - I do the first two and have done the third. Something went wrong though, as I've never been interested in the theatre.

Coronation, 1953

2009-09-02T09:17:00.002+01:00

Westminster Abbey

Whitehall & Houses of Parliament

Piccadilly Circus

A special bonus of three images this time, to round off the detour back into the really old 40's and early 50's stuff, before my dad had his own camera. I think these "half-plate" shots were taken on his mum's camera - I seem to recall him saying that he borrowed hers for the cycling trip to France.

I have also just looked through another set of "half-plate" sized negatives that I brought back the other week, and these look even older. It looks like one of the associated prints is dated 1920, so these will presumably have been taken by my grandfather, or maybe even his father. There must be getting on towards 100 of them, so that's ramped up my scanning a bit more!

Anyway, these three images are, as the title of the posting says, from around the time of the Coronation in 1953. I'm not quite sure what everyone is queueing for in the first shot, but then us Brits do tend to enjoy a good queue, so there might not even have been anything particularly interesting at the end.

Col d'Izoard, 1953

2009-09-01T21:58:00.005+01:00

In 1953, my dad went cycling in the Alps with a friend (I don't know his name unfortunately). It seems that they read an article about a tour over some of the Cols that the Tour de France used, and they decided to do it - without really knowing that much about what they were letting themselves in for. Information about the Tour was pretty scarce in those days, although he did have some wonderful French Tour magazines from the 50s.
They got the train down to Grenoble, then cycled over the Lautaret, down to Briancon, over the Izoard, then the Col du Vars and the Col de la Cayolle - one Col per day - and then about a 50 mile coast down to Nice.
They obviously passed very close to the bottom of Alpe d'Huez as they went through Bourg d'Oisons, but didn't really know that it existed or what a famous climb it would become. The Tour went up the Alpe for the first time in 1952, but didn't go back until the 1970s.
I've seen photos of the roads in the 50s, and they were basically gravel tracks, not the smooth tarmac we have now. Incredibly, he didn't get a single puncture - his front tyre went down on one descent, but he couldn't find a puncture (once the rims had cooled down enough to take the tyre off!), so it was probably just down to the heat from all that braking.

Refuge Napoleon on the north side of the Col d'Izoard

The top of the Col d'Izoard

Over the course of about 10 years, we vaguely spoke about going back to the Alps, and we finally got round to doing it in August 2008 - ostensibly to celebrate my 40th birthday, but also to take him back to the Izoard, 55 years on. We also took in the Galibier and, of course, Alpe d'Huez. We stayed in La Grave, where my parents also stopped on their honeymoon in 1963 - I'm sure there will be photos from that trip to come at some point!
On the way down the Lautaret we stopped at one of the tunnels that he remembered riding through, which we were able to walk into as the road now bypasses the rather narrow tunnel. Similarly, on the way up the Lautaret from Grenbole there are some narrow precipitous roads that are fortunately now bypassed by nice wide tunnels.
Refuge Napoleon on the Izoard is still there, but it's now about 3 times the size, and there are now a few buildings at the top, where there was just the monument in the photo. We also stopped at the Casse Desert on the south side, which he particularly wanted to see again.

He died suddenly at the end of November 2008, and looking at his holiday diary for the trip, he said that he could die happy now that he'd been back - although he didn't plan on doing that just yet...

Waterfall, 1952

2009-09-01T21:57:00.000+01:00

From a Lakes tour in 1952. Looks fun!

Dr BD Hendy

2009-09-01T21:54:00.003+01:00

My grandfather, Dr Bernard Hendy. 1951.

Festival of Britain

2009-09-01T18:57:00.001+01:00

From the Festival of Britain in 1951, on the South Bank in London - the "Skylon", a "vertical feature in steel and aluminum"

"Cycle Touring"

2009-09-01T18:54:00.003+01:00

Spring 1951.
I love the lightweight cycling mitts...

Tennis Player

2009-09-01T18:49:00.002+01:00

Spring 1951.
Who even knew that he ever played tennis?
There is a really old tennis racket at home, which me and my brother used to use when we were children in the 70s and early 80s, and it's quite possible that it's the same one. Given his hoarding instinct, I think it's very likely!

"Malham, 1950"

2009-09-01T18:38:00.002+01:00

From a trip to Malham in the Yorkshire Dales in 1950, quite possibly Youth Hostelling.
Not really sure where this waterfall is, as a quick Google search for waterfalls in Malham doesn't come back with anything looking much like this. It would seem that Malham is close to Gordale Scar (it's not an area I know at all), but there is a different photo that looks like the waterfall there. Any ideas anyone?

Fowey Harbour, 1949

2009-09-01T18:35:00.001+01:00

At least we're on to some images that are dated now! Summer 1949 in Fowey.

Bike Race

2009-09-01T18:19:00.002+01:00

Once again, I have no idea when this is from as it's part of another series of unlabelled half-plate images. Late 1940s/early 1950s is the best guess for most of these. But, I think it's in Hull - one of the other images with it has a sign for "Cream Cabs" in the background, and a quick Google search shows that there's only one Cream Cabs, and they're in Hull (and still going). That would make complete sense, as my grandfather was a doctor there.

Rugby Player

2009-09-01T17:40:00.003+01:00

This is from my dad's first labelled film (half-plate, not 35mm), which just says "Early Home". Given that the next one is from summer 1949, this must be from the 1948/49 rugby season at Towcester Grammar School.
I assume this is the forwards, and that my dad played at lock forward - he was tall and thin so it would make sense. I had no idea he ever actually played until I saw this photo, although he was always a rugby fan and my parents used to watch the Saints in the 1960s.

Whitby Harbour

2009-09-01T17:37:00.005+01:00

Probably late 1940s or early 1950s.
As identified in the comment from cousin Chris, this is from Whitby - confirmed by searching for the "Duke of York" pub (just below the church - the sign is readable on the high-res version), which is still there.

Family shots, late 1940s

2009-09-01T17:28:00.002+01:00

John and Sue with their father, from the late 1940s.

This one is from a set of unlabelled negatives (half-plate, I think), but looks to be of a similar vintage to the one above.

Family shots, late 1930s

2009-09-01T17:09:00.002+01:00

Two more from the 1930s colour photos, both with his sister, Sue. The lady on the rocks is my grandmother, Katie.

"Baggy Trousers"

2009-09-01T16:52:00.003+01:00

We're going back in time a bit now - this is from a batch of colour transparencies from the 1930s, which are obviously my grandfather's. Probably on holiday in Cornwall, somewhere near Fowey.
I can't imagine any children nowadays being prepared to wear something like that!

"Road Relay Spectators (Wal, Dug, Norman & Sheila)

2009-08-30T15:26:00.005+01:00

March 1955 - watching the Hyde Park Road Relays, first held in 1949 and still going.

"Judy, prison scene from Antigone"

2009-08-30T15:18:00.002+01:00

March 1955.
Not necessarily the best quality (some of the negatives are a bit scratched), but a nice shot from the IC Drama Society's production of Antigone.

"Dick and Robinson"

2009-08-30T14:56:00.002+01:00

At something called the "Luds Party", October/December 1954 - perhaps London University Drama Society?
Nice pants!

"Stonehenge"

2009-08-30T14:51:00.000+01:00

August 1954, on the way back from holiday in Cornwall. Contrast this to today, when you can't get anywhere near the stones - unless you're a druid.

"Wal, Keith and Trevor sailing"

2009-08-30T14:33:00.003+01:00

July 1954 - The Imperial College Drama Society put on "The Dumb Wife of Cheapside" at the Civic Playhouse in Cheltenham (24-31 July), so there are three films of the show and also the cast spending some spare time in the area.

"Dick Dyball and Ken Ansell in the Lab"

2009-08-30T14:24:00.002+01:00

May/June 1954.
A proper 1950's chemistry lab - white coats, glass jars, tubes, and the tutor sat at his desk reading a book. All that's missing is bubbling jar of something toxic. Note complete absence of safety features.

"Royal College of Organists"

2009-08-30T12:46:00.002+01:00

Who even knew that such a thing existed? I assume they don't mean Wurlitzers with gurning buffoons turning and grinning at the audience as they levitate up in front of the cinema screen...

"Pits at Silverstone"

2009-08-30T12:32:00.002+01:00

Silverstone circuit, early 1954 - just totally different to how it looks now.
I didn't find out until quite late on just how much of a petrolhead my dad was - there's loads of motorsport to come, including 3 trips to Le Mans.