Eype 1955
Peter’s last Sports day at Aldwickbury school which shows Peter winning 220 yards and second in quarter mile then an obstacle race and Fathers and Sons up to 1:52. The setting moves to a beach scene at Eype showing Peter, Christine, John and Doris swimming in the sea – Doris displays the best swimming style – followed by a study of herring gulls. The colour film from 3:59 starts on the beach with Sheila in a skirt she made with a Lino print on yellow material, then Peter and Christine find a plank of wood which Doris carries over the rocks. At 5:32 Mr Hoeffler the owner of the Bonville Hotel is shown in a cook’s hat—views of the coast from the top of the cliff. Then Peter and Christine are seen in the new Daimler NGP 391 on an outing to Portland with scenes of the harbour and Chesil Beach. Peter and Christine with cute kitten 5:34. Doris and Sheila from below watch Peter mount the lower part of the cliff (Christine scrambling up) to dam a stream, release the water, then come down fast to watch the water tumble down and across the beach.—more swimming. Outside Bonville Hotel Doris and Sheila with swimming things, then Peter and Christine emerge and all four walk down the lane to the beach. Waterfalls and rock pools. John is spinning Christine.
Over exposed old camera 1955-56
This film starts excellent coverage of Sheila’s Sports Day at St Albans High School. At 1:37 it shows Peter in Maybury garden in an Aldwickbury blazer (purple!) – Summer 1955 was his last term there. 2:02-13 foggy section. It shows Peter and Christine playing tennis and cricket and ends with a longish scene 3:11 showing a Dog, A black cat with a white bib and Sheila by a wheelbarrow. Have asked Peter and Christine – not sure about the dog.
Home, Snow, Tennis 1956
This short (1 minute) colour film starts with a snow scene: Peter and Christine sledge down a slope (on the newly built Meadway), then in the Maybury garden Peter pulls Christine and Christine pulls Peter.
After 10 secs, the film switches to tennis with Jean and Peter at the field end serving and returning balls; then Sheila joins Jean and Peter disappears; at 0:40 Doris and John replace them and Peter re-appears at the end.
Eype 1956 and 1957
This colour film starts with Doris, Peter and Christine swimming in the sea. Then moves on to John, Doris, Peter and Christine playing cricket on the sand. (Up to here (1:59) could be 1956) Move to the Maybury garden where Peter, Christine and Sheila play cricket. Change of scene to sports at St Georges 3:03: (Ffrancon is doing better than Hucket) assorted relay races. Christine can be seen being briefed before doing the sack race.
The at 3:31 a Hedgehog appears – enjoying a saucer of bread and milk.
At 3:40 the scene changes to Cornerways (Grandpa and Aunty Gladys’ house) in Parkstone, Dorset. It was John and Doris’ 25th Wedding anniversary. Doris displays for the camera a white iced cake ( saying “25 Happy Years”) provided by Aunty Gladys and admired by Peter, Christine and Sheila. Then at 3:53 Doris and Gladys emerge from door followed by Grandpa, Sheila, Peter, Christine, Jean and Colin who must have filmed the next scene showing John, Doris and their 4 children around the cake then Grandpa joins the group, looking very happy (with his cigar).
At 4:35 there is a long scene around the Trig point at Pilsdon Hill which is at 903 feet, the highest point in Dorset climbed and jumped off by Peter, Jean and Christine.
At 4:55 the scene changes again until Signpost ‘Pilsdon’ 5:44 Eype cricket on the beach, Peter, Christine and Sheila swimming. 6:30 : Cliff fall. Then cricket with a very small bat,
Then follows a really interesting illustrated tour showing Doris, Peter and i enjoying Dorset villages each identified by a signpost. These villages include Netherbury (fuchsias and a tree-lined walk), Whitchurch Canonicorum (George Inn and church), Stoke Abbott, Burton Bradstock, Shipton Gorge, and Askerswell. Finally they arrive at the Bonville Hotel Eype and head down to the beach.
Golf 1958 and 59
John and Doris took up golf in 1955 after being given some clubs by an E.Smith & Co. client Thomas Adie. They joined Harpenden Common Golf Club a short but tight course of 4582 yards with 9 par 3 holes and par score of 64 and Peter and Christine followed in April 1956 when the subscription for juniors was one guinea, husband and wife 11 guineas; they used to cycle the mile and a half with 5 clubs in a pipe bag almost daily in the school holidays.
This film is a wonderful record beginning with practice in the back garden hitting a plastic ball with holes so it would only travel maybe 20 yards. All four are shown mainly in slow motion and seem to have good swings. At 3.46 all four start at the 12th hole in colour and follow round the 18 holes on Harpenden Common showing several shots by each. The lowest handicaps achieved were John 14, Doris 21, Christine 19 and Peter 6; lowest scores on the original course were John 67, Doris 84, Christine 79 and Peter 65. John had a hole in one at the 13th and Peter at the 18th on his 29th Birthday. The combined family eclectic score was 40.
At 6.50 we arrive at Moor Park Golf Club, Rickmansworth to watch a professional tournament, The Spalding, when the players went round twice on Thursday and on Friday rather than the present one round per day. Golfers shown include Harry Bradshaw, Max Faulkner, Harry Weetman, Dai Rees, Peter Alliss and Bernard Hunt all regulars who played in the Ryder Cup.
At 10.08 we return to Maybury for more practice in the garden when Sheila joined in as she played a little, including some chip shots. At 13.10 the 1st tee and 18th green on the Common are shown with some action. At 14.10 we are back in the garden for a little more practice. At 14.55 just before the end, the lovely field at the back where Peter used to follow the tractor for hours is being desecrated by housing.
Eype 1958-59
Panning views of the beach, a hat, Doris under it, Peter, … Doris, John, Peter and Christine diving using a plank on a rock, climbing a sandy cliff. Game with blow-up ball. 2:32 up the steps from the beach.More beach, diving etc At 4 mins in the Bonville dining room with David Hoeffler serving plates of soup and Christine enjoying her dinner. Journey home in the Daimler taken by Doris from the passenger seat, arrival at Castle Hotel, Devizes for lunch then Uffington White Horse scarcely visible. At Maybury the beautiful long haired grey cat who lived with us for 15 years playing with ball then John picks cat up (7:09). Golf practice at Maybury using plastic balls with holes to restrict distance Doris apparently aiming at windows (WW2 shelter still there) 8:02 John has a go, then Christine. At 8:16 new Maybury sign originally redesigned by Jean and recently repainted by Sheila. Break in film. Eype 1959 at Bridport and West Bay golf course up to about. 9:20 Visit to Grandpa and Auntie Gladys at Cornerways, first budgerigar in cage then fun on a swaying fallen tree by Auntie Gladys, Doris, Sheila, Peter and Christine watched by Grandpa.10:22 Bridport station waving to John off to London to spend a day in the office. Rocks, sea, P and C up to 11:15. Inspecting rock pools. Fishing boat passes 11:58. Join about 12:20 Then Sheila appears. Bouncy ball game in sea, diving board still functioning. Cut required before 14:26. Bridport Golf Course again showing John, Doris, Peter and Christine playing some of the holes.
Jean’s wedding and Eype 1959
Scene in the garden John, Colin’s mother and father – 0:05: Sheila, Jill and Dick (Colin’s sister and husband). Colin’s mother then Colin and Jean come forward (beside car UTV 35) with Christine (camera) behind then Jean and Colin are driven away in the Daimler, 0:26 A nice shot of Gran (with Jill and Dick ).
0:28 Eype 1959: Visit to Cornerways. A group is sitting at an oval table in the garden. From the left Christine, Peter, Doris, with Sheila opposite (Aunty Gladys has her back to the camera) and Grandpa is on the right0:40-48 needs cut. To the beach .. The red-headed child is Ruth Henson who with her parents lived in Topstreet Way and they were at the Bonville at the same time as we were. Both parents appear in the film on the beach. 1:54 gulls 2.04 Christine and Sheila on rocks and John drying his feet. 2:24 View from the hotel balcony down the Eype valley and to cliffs. 2: 48 beach again, diving off rocks.
The main actors
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John (taken by Christine) 1955
September 1955, Peter moved to St Albans School.
Autumn 1955: Sheila left SAHS
Autumn 1956: after being awarded a Maths degree, Jean moved to London for a PGCE at the Institute of Education.
April 1957 – Sept 59: Sheila worked at Ordnance Survey, Southampton
Autumn 1957– July 1959: Jean worked at Northwood College as a Maths teacher.
Jean and Colin’s wedding was on 15th August 1959.
Colin’s parents Eric and Elsie Dollimore
Autumn 1959– Jan 61: Jean to Birkbeck College with a grant to do a research Masters degree.
October 1959– Sept 1961: Sheila worked on the Soil Survey of England and Wales at Rothamsted Experimental Station.