Overview

In 1994 a 48-page booklet was produced, entitled: The Pen and Camera Club of Methodism – A History 1904 to 1994. It was compiled by J.E.Morton ARPS and R. Deval ARPS. What follows is the introduction to that booklet. The structure of the booklet beyond the introduction was:

• Information about the formation of the club
• A synopsis of the first 70 years from John Morton in 1974
• An article about 1974-1994 by Rodney Deval
• A set of tables detailing various awards made by the club

The first 3 of these sections can be accessed from this page (using the links to the left). The tables appear elsewhere on the site (brought up-to-date).

THE PEN AND CAMERA CLUB OF METHODISM

A HISTORY 1904 to 1994.

INTRODUCTION

It is surprising when you come to write the history of a Club such as ours just how little documentation of its affairs exists. Apart from one notebook from 1905 which miraculously survived there are virtually no records pertaining to the Folio until around 1954. This was the year, our Golden Jubilee, when we started to hold regular annual reunions. For several years John Morton circulated a ‘Reunion Special’ which included an account of the reunion, a summary of any business transacted (we didn’t hold a formal AGM until later) and an album of photographs taken at the reunion. As the Club grew in membership and reunions became a regular annual feature business was formalised by holding an AGM and circulating Minutes first in the form of a Newsletter and then ‘officially’. This has made my task somewhat easier than John’s but even so glaring gaps exist, particularly in the matter of winners of folio trophies both for Mono “A” and Colour “A” prior to 1966. Some of the folio secretary’s note books are held in the Archives, but there are still many gaps.

An account of the years 1904 to 1974 was given by John Morton in his history ‘The First Seventy Years’ which accompanied his Wilfred Harrison Memorial Lecture in 1974. Much of this history as recorded by John has been reprinted but for the sake of brevity some of the sort personal reminiscenceshave been omitted and for the sake of accuracy a few factual errors have been corrected.

In summarising the following years 1974/1994 I have drawn upon the Newsletters and AGM Minutes written by our various General Secretaries, these have been invaluable in providing background. I have tried to concentrate on the life of the Club and to include the contributions made by folk who have either been Officers or who have made a ‘photographic’ impact. We hear so much of that word in relation to our photographs and yet it describes so accurately the effect people and pictures have in our lives and that is what our Club and Hobby is about. With a Club our size it is now virtually impossible for any one person to know precisely all that is done behind the scenes by so many people so, if I have omitted reference to anyone who has served us over the years please forgive me.

Rodney Deval