Felixstowe Photographic Society E-newsletter for March 2008

The Felixstowe PS Celebrate their Diamond Jubilee!

Founded in 1948 & now in the year of 2008, covering 60 years as a Society. Early in 2007 and we should have a celebration of this important milestone in the Society’s history. The event was held on the 14th February 2008, in the presence of 53 members & invited guests, who were leading representatives of the The Felixstowe Society; The Felixstowe Museum; Felixstowe Old Peoples Welfare Association & the founder members of the Beyond Photographic Group, Russ & Barbie Lindsay, who started her photographic career in 1981 with Felixstowe PS, using a modest Ricoh compact camera & little knowledge of photography. Barbie, as most of us know, is now a well known photographic personality throughout the EAF & indeed nationally, with many photo distinctions to her name.

The evening began with a short welcoming speech from President George Buxton, who then proceeded to outline the beginnings of photography in Felixstowe at the turn of the last Century, to the formation of the club in 1948 and the changes to the technical side of photography & the kind of equipment used within the club’s history up to the present day.

Tony Colbourn put on some 8mm movie footage from 1978, of the last ever rides on Charlie Manning’s Scenic Railway prior to its demolition. This was followed by more footage, documenting the damage caused to Felixstowe seafront by a storm surge during the same year.

A previous President, Peter Barratt then read out the minutes from the inaugural meeting of the club followed by our remaining founder member, Geoff Cordy being interviewed by our youngest member, Catherine Godbold on Geoff’s personal memories throughout his 60 years with the club Diamond Jubilee 2008

The next item was a digital projection showing historical photographs of Felixstowe & its people at the turn of the 19th Century, followed by pictures of various meetings, exhibitions & outings run by the club during its history.

To take us up to the tea-break, about 20 or so conventional colour slides were shown depicting Felixstowe from the Docks Viewpoint to the Deben Ferry. Included were slides of the demolition of the Cavendish Pub, next to the Amusement Park, also the new sea wall being constructed in the “Dip” after the 1978 storm surge.

For the tea-break, a sumptuous buffet was provided by the members, including a special birthday cake with the club logo printed in the icing was cut by Geoff Cordy. During the break, members & guests had time to look round the static displays of old equipment, photographs & photographic publications printed from about 1948 & beyond.

The representatives of the Felixstowe Museum had brought some of their vast archived photographic library for inspection, in the form of several large archivally preserved photograph albums. Many of the old prints were by a Mr Emeny, a well known sea side photographer operating in Felixstowe during the late 1800’s & early1900’s.

The evening was concluded with the club entering the 21st Century and the Digital Revolution, depicted by a digital projection of the images we had entered for the annual Cambridge Digital Interclub Competition 2008, together with 30 minutes of Digital Audio Visual presentations by various members.

  
Meetings are held at the Senior Citizens’ Centre, Orwell Road, Felixstowe. Anyone interested in digital or conventional photography is more than welcome to join. We cater for beginners in the craft as well as the more experienced worker. All meetings begin at 7-30 pm unless otherwise stated.

Further details may be had from Dennis Lumkin
e-mail dglumkin@tiscali.co.uk

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