Northampton 1976

By shendyNo Comments
The long, hot summer of 1976 - sat here writing this in the wet, crappy summer of 2012. This is The Brother on a slide at Midsummer Meadow pool, about to plunge through the ice into the frigid waters. OK, I exaggerate - but not much. Mind you '76 was so hot that they might not have had to employ the ice breakers that year. And a couple of candids from the Market Square...
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Me, 1975

By shendyNo Comments
And to wrap up 1975, some pics of me. I simply cannot understand why my modelling career never took off. From the Masque thing at Easton Neston. I don't know why I'm in costume as I don't recall being in the play. And yes, those are tights. Another home-knitted jumper there I suspect, plus my favourite very 70s tracksuit....
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Family, 1975

By shendyNo Comments
A few of the family from 1975. This is my uncle Penry, Mother's twin brother. In all of the pictures I've scanned so far (about 17,500) there are just 9 pictures of him and about 2 decent ones. These two are cousin Chris. And this is The Brother in a Hesketh t-shirt - what would that be worth today? I've just had a bit of a look and you can get retro Hesketh t-shirts but none of them have the teddy bear in the superman pose....
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Odds and Sods 1975

By shendyNo Comments
A slightly random selection from 1975. This was taken in June 1975 at a Masque Theatre production at Easton Neston - home of Lord Hesketh. Through the gate was the home of his Formula 1 racing team, whose main driver at the time was one James Hunt. March 1975, London Zoo. This is Guy The Gorilla. Especially memorable for me because for some reason he charged the window me and The Brother were looking at him through. Scared the bejesus out of us - let's face it, who wouldn't be spooked when a bloody huge gorilla charges you - and I was a skinny and weedy 6 1/2 year old. Personally, I think he took a dislike to The Brother - perfectly understandable... And this is one for the social historians out there - my mother's parents kitchen in Pembroke Gardens. At least that's where I assume it is - looks vaguely familiar, but I was probably last there around 35 years ago!...
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Family, 1974

By shendy1 Comment
And to wrap up 1974, here is the section that the family will have been dreading - the most interesting photos of them from the year. We'll start with Mother, looking surprisingly cool in her shades and the evening sun - she's watching the Caswell Ladies Cricket Team. Me at the Borough Show in Abington Park, tucking into a hot dog. I think this is The Brother with my father on the dodgems. One from London - cousin Chris, me and The Brother. What's that? The hair? Yes, I know - you have to remember it was the 1970s. Me at Midsummer Meadows outdoor swimming pool. Those of you from Northampton who are old enough to remember it will probably have the same memories as me - that water was always bloody cold. No idea where this was taken, but I'm guessing that the heat of the top that Mother had knitted got too much and I needed cooling down a bit......
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Portraits

By shendyNo Comments
During this period, my father was still going to the camera club, and there are quite a number of photos of young ladies who seem unable to keep all (and indeed sometimes any) of their clothes on. This one is quite different, not least because it wasn't that kind of photo session - I think she was a member of the theatre group.  I think it's rather a good picture - a bit unusual....
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