family – My Dad's Photos

PL Travers

05/01/201905/01/2019 By shendyNo Comments

Completely coincidentally with the release of the new Mary Poppins film, I was sorting through some of my dad's photos over Christmas when I noticed that one the black & white films from October 1955 mentioned PL Travers, author of the Mary Poppins books. And there, towards the end was this one frame... PL Travers, bottom right My aunt confirmed that it is her - the photo was taken at the Symons' house in Gloucester Gate near Regent's Park. The Symons were friends of the family, and I have a vague memory of visiting them there in the 1970s - something to do with being allowed to play underneath a grand piano, or something like that. My cousin apparently met her when he was 6 months old. One thing that occurred to me is that PL Travers probably reduces my Bacon Number quite significantly (see Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon) - me to my dad, to PL Travers, to Walt Disney, to anyone...

Guided Tour part 2 – People

04/11/201504/11/2015 By shendyNo Comments

The other part of the site that has got the most attention is the sets of photos from Kings Road in Chelsea, taken between 1967 and 1975 -a time of such fantastic changes in the fashion scene - swinging 60s through to the less renowned 70s. However bad the 70s fashions got, it's still a great record of what real people were wearing. The one shot that always catches my eye is this one. The first thing I thought was "Bay City Rollers", and you'd be so wrong. They hit it big in 1974-75-76, while this photo was taken in July 1973. Far from being trend-setters, they were a good 2 years behind the fashion. Unfortunately there is nothing remotely like this to add to the "People" section - it's basically the only street photography my dad ever did - and I'm not quite sure what else to add. The obvious additions is a "Family" section - the big advantage of having all of his photos is that I...

50

15/03/201308/04/2015 By shendyNo Comments

This is a long way from the best photo in the collection, although the fact that my dad is in it means it's not his fault. It's also the only photo I have of my mum and dad on their wedding day - and today would have been their 50th wedding anniversary. ...

Cousins

04/11/201208/04/2015 By shendyNo Comments

Four cousins in the back garden in 1977 - Me, Chris, The Brother and Mike. And as a footnote, yes - a number of footballs did come into contact with the greenhouse......

Me, 1975

06/07/201208/04/2015 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....

Mother, 1975

06/07/201208/04/2015 By shendyNo Comments

Three photos of Mother from 1975. A standard position, backstage at the Masque Theatre, probably prompting. And a couple of portraits....

Family, 1975

06/07/201212/04/2020 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....

Family, 1974

04/06/201208/04/2015 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......

Summer 1973

08/01/201212/04/2020 By shendy2 Comments

Pics from our summer holiday in 1973 - a trip up north, which will have been to stay with my father's parents near Hull. We went a bit further north, as well. The Transporter Bridge in Middlesborough - to be honest, until I saw this I never knew I'd been there. A couple for any Dr Who fans out there - an exhibition in Stockton-on-Tees. Not sure whether they supplied a sofa to hide behind. One of me and the Brother with our father - no idea where we are! A great piece of 1970s fashion sir! Skidby Mill near hull - I remember going there several times - pretty sure it was a functioning mill. Ah yes, a quick google and here it is. These last two show a fairly uninspiring set of workings and a bloody great hole in the ground. This building site became the Humber Bridge - there are some more pics to come from 1974, but I've never seen the bridge...