CCC History: The Early Days - The 1960s
by Paul Bradley
by Paul Bradley
Television was starting to encroach on leisure time but attendance at Clubs and Societies in the 1960s was still very popular. There had been a number of attempts to form a Camera Club in the Rickmansworth area, but all had ultimately failed. However in 1960, a few staff from Dickinson’s Paper Mill in Croxley Green, with a mutual interest in photography, decided to establish a Camera Club to promote the “ Science and Art of Photography”. This group included Dick & Marie Hassell and Geoff Hermon who remained members for many years.
An advertisement was placed in local shop windows and an inaugural meeting was arranged on 24 August 1960. The meeting was led by Messrs Gittens and Woollen, with the very first agenda item being “Name” - Croxley Camera Club was formed.
A committee of mill workers under the Presidency of Harry Andrews was appointed with the Club initially comprising eleven members. The Club met every two weeks in the Dickinson Guild House on the corner of New Road and Dickinson Square – Guild House Flats stand on the site today. The Guildhall was the club building for workers at Dickinson’s Mill on Croxley Moor. Hire would have been free if the new club comprised only mill staff, but a number of “outsiders” had joined also up. Indeed records from the time indicate that “Female members were especially welcome”. Room hire and other associated costs warranted a Club subscription which was duly set at one guinea (£1.05).
Times were tough for the new, unknown Club and as such it was difficult to attract speakers and judges. Meetings usually comprised members passing on information about prints and darkroom technique, although anyone with the “new fangled” slides usually ended up giving a show - but they had to provide their own projector and screen. Money was short and was not uncommon for the room fee to come out of members pockets. The Club survived these early years, driven on by the enthusiasm of its founding members and a shared interest in photography.
The first Club Annual General Meeting was held in March 1961 and reported an income of £22-16-0. (£22.80) i.e.: mostly from subscriptions. Members requested that the programme for the next season should contain more instruction sessions and fewer slide shows, which must have disappointed those slide workers who had provided their services.
An advertisement was placed in local shop windows and an inaugural meeting was arranged on 24 August 1960. The meeting was led by Messrs Gittens and Woollen, with the very first agenda item being “Name” - Croxley Camera Club was formed.
A committee of mill workers under the Presidency of Harry Andrews was appointed with the Club initially comprising eleven members. The Club met every two weeks in the Dickinson Guild House on the corner of New Road and Dickinson Square – Guild House Flats stand on the site today. The Guildhall was the club building for workers at Dickinson’s Mill on Croxley Moor. Hire would have been free if the new club comprised only mill staff, but a number of “outsiders” had joined also up. Indeed records from the time indicate that “Female members were especially welcome”. Room hire and other associated costs warranted a Club subscription which was duly set at one guinea (£1.05).
Times were tough for the new, unknown Club and as such it was difficult to attract speakers and judges. Meetings usually comprised members passing on information about prints and darkroom technique, although anyone with the “new fangled” slides usually ended up giving a show - but they had to provide their own projector and screen. Money was short and was not uncommon for the room fee to come out of members pockets. The Club survived these early years, driven on by the enthusiasm of its founding members and a shared interest in photography.
The first Club Annual General Meeting was held in March 1961 and reported an income of £22-16-0. (£22.80) i.e.: mostly from subscriptions. Members requested that the programme for the next season should contain more instruction sessions and fewer slide shows, which must have disappointed those slide workers who had provided their services.
(© CCC) The First Club Programme
Another comment reflected the formats available at that time, as it was noted that the Club catered for 35mm slides, but not 16mm or 120. Even the days of 35mm slides, the most popular format, seem numbered today. Interestingly a proposal to move meetings to St Oswalds Church Hall was also raised at this early point in the Clubs history, but the decision was made to stay at the Guild House – until 1974 anyway! A meeting in that first season had 17 members and 18 visitors in attendance. The latter no doubt testing the water.
By 1962 membership had risen to 22 and there became a need to identify membership status with “Advanced” members defined as “Anyone who had won a Competition”. On the financial front a Post Office Account was opened in April that year with an initial deposit of £19.18s.7d (£19.93p ).
The Club was strong enough to hold its first Inter-Club slide battle, the first of many with near neighbours Watford CC – Croxley lost! A comment in the subsequent minutes noted “The preparation of our Slides left a lot to be desired”. The Club continued to develop joining the Rickmansworth Society and holding its first ever Show at Ebury Hall during “Ricky Week”. Despite all this enthusiasm the future of Club Christmas parties were in the balance even at such an early stage in the Clubs development because of a low turn out.
By 1962 membership had risen to 22 and there became a need to identify membership status with “Advanced” members defined as “Anyone who had won a Competition”. On the financial front a Post Office Account was opened in April that year with an initial deposit of £19.18s.7d (£19.93p ).
The Club was strong enough to hold its first Inter-Club slide battle, the first of many with near neighbours Watford CC – Croxley lost! A comment in the subsequent minutes noted “The preparation of our Slides left a lot to be desired”. The Club continued to develop joining the Rickmansworth Society and holding its first ever Show at Ebury Hall during “Ricky Week”. Despite all this enthusiasm the future of Club Christmas parties were in the balance even at such an early stage in the Clubs development because of a low turn out.
(© CCC) First Club meeting in Guildhouse 1962. Back (l – r) :
?, NV Woodward, Francis Good, ?, Stan Gibson, ?, ?, ?, Mr Gittens
Front (l – r) :
Mrs Gibson, Miss Gibson: ?, ?, Alf Hedges, ?, Geoff Hermon, Marie Hassell, ?, Harry Andrews.
In 1963 meetings became weekly and “Wednesday night is Camera Club night” became the mantra. The Club was better known, so speakers and judges were easier to come by. There was still a “make and mend” theme to proceedings with entries to print competitions displayed on the window ledges. The Club was getting more and more ambitious. Apart from the first of many “battles” with the staff at Clements Department Store, Croxley visited a local circus and arranged a studio night with visiting models. The popularity of cine film (for younger readers cine was a precursor of video!) was also reflected with several Club cine nights and even an unsuccessful proposal that a separate cine section be established. Apart from this every month an “Instruction Meeting” by members for members was held.
A Club outing was arranged to Bourton on the Water in 1964. Club outings arranged by the Committee became regular occurrences for the Croxley Club over the years and Bourton was again the chosen destination just a couple of years ago. Costs in 1964 were far more reasonable though at 25/- (£1.25) for the trip. Despite this there were complaints that the coffee stop taken during that trip was too expensive at 1/3d (6p) a head.
A Club outing was arranged to Bourton on the Water in 1964. Club outings arranged by the Committee became regular occurrences for the Croxley Club over the years and Bourton was again the chosen destination just a couple of years ago. Costs in 1964 were far more reasonable though at 25/- (£1.25) for the trip. Despite this there were complaints that the coffee stop taken during that trip was too expensive at 1/3d (6p) a head.
(© Dick Hassell) Members at Bourton on the Water
1964 also saw current Club stalwart Kath Howard and husband Edmund join the Club. They had both been members at Watford CC since 1934, when they came to live in Rickmansworth after their marriage. Both were keen photographers who had met at the London County Council Staff Camera Club in 1926. This partnership was to last fifty years until Edmunds death in 1976. Kath sold the family house and moved to Croxley Green in 1977. Kath celebrated her 100 birthday in 2006, is still a regular on Club nights and has been a source of much information for this history.
Whether it was a result of Kath's arrival or for another reason, the Club Rules were changed that year to allow women onto the Committee. However it was to be another five years before the first women President was elected. There was another Watford connection as well in 1964 as the Club were “entertained” one evening by Watford CC. This joint initiative with our near neighbours has been resurrected after many years for the Clubs 2006-7 season.
Expectations were obviously increasing during the sixties and there were comments that the Guild House was too gloomy and had few facilities. Thought was given to holding a meeting as an evening class at Rickmansworth School but this idea was not pursued. . It was also noted that members were arriving late for the weekly meetings and not helping prepare the hall (surely a perennial problem for every type of Club). Indeed on one evening only one member had been present at the 8pm start time to greet the Speaker.
At the AGM in April 1965 it was agreed that the title of Chairman be replaced by President. Mr Woodward continued his role albeit with a new title. Another member status definition was established that season, probably by a process of elimination, when “Beginner” was clarified as “a member who at the start of the season had not won a competition nor received a commendation”.
The Club by now was really part of the local community and it was interesting to note that they joined in the general objections to the demolition of the nearby Tithe Barn. There was an interesting slide battle held that year when the Members took on the Committee. The result is not recorded but there must have been an edge to the proceedings that night.
In 1966 Kath Howard and her husband Ed met Len Smith OBE, a recently retired top Civil Servant, on a photographic tutorial week at Ambleside. Len was a noted pioneer of audio visual presentations and Kath soon discovered that he lived in Rickmansworth. He was naturally invited to give a show to the Croxley Club which he did. He also brought some friends from the Royal Photographic Society including the Pollocks of which more later.
Len became a member of Croxley and organised the Studio Group, made the Club Slide Screen as well as providing much help, assistance and ideas for lecturers until his death in 1976. The Club now had 83 members (some of those earlier visitors must have liked what they saw).
A census of interests was conducted in 1966 with 53% interested in colour photography, 39% in Black and White and 8% in Cine. More members made the Club more financially stable enabling the purchase of small amounts of equipment, including a slide tray in March! Membership was getting so buoyant that the Committee even seriously discussed the possibility of limiting membership to 90! Some meetings were moved to the larger Science room in the Guild House but this cost 30/- a night (£1.50p). By now the display of Prints had moved from the window sills to purpose built peg boards.
As mentioned earlier Croxley had a strong tradition of Club outings including an extensive summer programme as shown by the programme for the summer of 1967 reproduced below which includes a visit to London, a Treasure Hunt and river trip.
The Club Programme was printed by the company P. Underwood and carried a number of sponsors - local businesses such as, Hollands Artists Materials of High Street Rickmansworth and Hammonds – “Photographic Centre of SW Herts”.
Whether it was a result of Kath's arrival or for another reason, the Club Rules were changed that year to allow women onto the Committee. However it was to be another five years before the first women President was elected. There was another Watford connection as well in 1964 as the Club were “entertained” one evening by Watford CC. This joint initiative with our near neighbours has been resurrected after many years for the Clubs 2006-7 season.
Expectations were obviously increasing during the sixties and there were comments that the Guild House was too gloomy and had few facilities. Thought was given to holding a meeting as an evening class at Rickmansworth School but this idea was not pursued. . It was also noted that members were arriving late for the weekly meetings and not helping prepare the hall (surely a perennial problem for every type of Club). Indeed on one evening only one member had been present at the 8pm start time to greet the Speaker.
At the AGM in April 1965 it was agreed that the title of Chairman be replaced by President. Mr Woodward continued his role albeit with a new title. Another member status definition was established that season, probably by a process of elimination, when “Beginner” was clarified as “a member who at the start of the season had not won a competition nor received a commendation”.
The Club by now was really part of the local community and it was interesting to note that they joined in the general objections to the demolition of the nearby Tithe Barn. There was an interesting slide battle held that year when the Members took on the Committee. The result is not recorded but there must have been an edge to the proceedings that night.
In 1966 Kath Howard and her husband Ed met Len Smith OBE, a recently retired top Civil Servant, on a photographic tutorial week at Ambleside. Len was a noted pioneer of audio visual presentations and Kath soon discovered that he lived in Rickmansworth. He was naturally invited to give a show to the Croxley Club which he did. He also brought some friends from the Royal Photographic Society including the Pollocks of which more later.
Len became a member of Croxley and organised the Studio Group, made the Club Slide Screen as well as providing much help, assistance and ideas for lecturers until his death in 1976. The Club now had 83 members (some of those earlier visitors must have liked what they saw).
A census of interests was conducted in 1966 with 53% interested in colour photography, 39% in Black and White and 8% in Cine. More members made the Club more financially stable enabling the purchase of small amounts of equipment, including a slide tray in March! Membership was getting so buoyant that the Committee even seriously discussed the possibility of limiting membership to 90! Some meetings were moved to the larger Science room in the Guild House but this cost 30/- a night (£1.50p). By now the display of Prints had moved from the window sills to purpose built peg boards.
As mentioned earlier Croxley had a strong tradition of Club outings including an extensive summer programme as shown by the programme for the summer of 1967 reproduced below which includes a visit to London, a Treasure Hunt and river trip.
The Club Programme was printed by the company P. Underwood and carried a number of sponsors - local businesses such as, Hollands Artists Materials of High Street Rickmansworth and Hammonds – “Photographic Centre of SW Herts”.
(© CCC) Summer Programme 1967
1967 indeed found an impressive 90 members on the Croxley role and we started to be known on the circuit as the “Friendly Club”, a title that still applies and in use nearly forty years later. Approval was given in 1968 for Croxley to join the Chilterns Association of Camera Clubs. The programme that year included a “Photographers Brains Trust” and another trip to London, this time for night photography rather than treasure. The annual Most Unusual competition also started that season. Slides were becoming a more popular medium with members and so a Projector Fund was established. The Leitz Pradolux equipment was duly purchased in March 1968 for £55.12s (£55.60p) - a considerable sum in those days.
The AGM on 17 April 1968 reported membership had broken the 100 mark for the first time. There was no mention of turning others away though. Probably not unconnected, a tea rota was established the same season. Tea at that time was very civilised, being prepared and distributed on trays by members to members during the interval.
The Club now had a projector but a proper screen was required as wall projection was not satisfactory. A new screen would cost about £25 so the concept of buying a cheaper ex RAF or Army one (£8.12s - £8.60p) was investigated. This project went on for some time and the quality of the ex-military versions were very variable. Eventually a screen was purchased in October 1969 for £27.10s (£27.50) from Messrs Andrew Smith Harkness.
The AGM on 17 April 1968 reported membership had broken the 100 mark for the first time. There was no mention of turning others away though. Probably not unconnected, a tea rota was established the same season. Tea at that time was very civilised, being prepared and distributed on trays by members to members during the interval.
The Club now had a projector but a proper screen was required as wall projection was not satisfactory. A new screen would cost about £25 so the concept of buying a cheaper ex RAF or Army one (£8.12s - £8.60p) was investigated. This project went on for some time and the quality of the ex-military versions were very variable. Eventually a screen was purchased in October 1969 for £27.10s (£27.50) from Messrs Andrew Smith Harkness.
(© CCC) Programme 1969 1970
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Croxley joined the East Anglia Federation in January 1969 and had its first women President – Mrs C Pike, ably supported by Kath Howard who shortly after took over as Secretary for the next seven years. Unfortunately due to other commitments Mrs Pike had to resign on 12 November 1969 and Mr Black was appointed as acting Chairman for the remainder of the year. Mr Black also left the Club, for South Wales, in 1970.
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(© Dick Hassell) An Early Christmas Party in Full Swing
With thanks to;
Paul Bradley (Chairman, Croxley Camera Club, 1999 to 2009 & May 2007)
Mike Loose
Croxley Camera Club
Paul Bradley (Chairman, Croxley Camera Club, 1999 to 2009 & May 2007)
Mike Loose
Croxley Camera Club
