Webmaster - Martin Bodsworth

Club Abington Photographic

The Club, originally known as Abington Community Centre Photographic Club, was formed by a band of 14 photography enthusiasts on April 22nd 1949. Councillor Walker was in the Chair for that inaugural meeting and Mr Fred Samsun was elected as the first Club Secretary and Mr Miller as Treasurer. The aims of the Club were agreed to be to create an interest in Photography in the district and to help and encourage beginners. Public exhibitions of members work would be held at suitable times at the Community Centre.

The modern day Club, with an equally enthusiastic membership, continues to meet at the Community Centre every Monday evening with the same aims as those original forebears. Over the intervening 60 years the Club has witnessed and embraced huge changes in photography. In those early days amateur photography almost exclusively meant painstakingly producing black and white prints in a darkroom but changing technology since has brought colour photography to the amateur; colour slide and negative films; high street processing, increasingly sophisticated, compact mass produced cameras; right up to the present when photographs can be taken on a digital camera and prints produced on a home computer and inkjet printer.

As the years pass by, Club Abington Photographic members enjoy their photography as much today as ever before and within their ranks are people of all photographic abilities, from near beginners to highly experienced amateurs and professionals. Says the Club’s current Secretary, Martin Bodsworth, “We are proud of the fact that as a Club we are still going strong when there are so many calls on people’s leisure time these days. We are a friendly bunch of people and always welcome newcomers to the Club. What better time could there be for people to come and meet us and share in our common passion for our hobby”.

With such an enthusiastic membership, and interest in photography as a hobby increasing in the digital age, it is certain that the future is bright for Club Abington Photographic as they continue beyond their 60th anniversary. Anyone interested in joining the Club will find a warm welcome at the Abington Community Centre any Monday evening at 7.45. Telephone enquiries can be made to the Club’s Secretary, Bob, on Northampton 410339.

Roger Tapp ARPS BPE2*
Club Abington Photographic

John Heywood at work

By Pat Chater

This picture from our archives is dated 1976
although you probably guessed that from the
tie! I don't know who the wearer is but I assume
that he was presenting the trophy. Accepting it,
(from left to right), Alec Redgrove, Bill Chater,
Fred Ginger and Pat Marsh.

Another archive photograph depicting members
with that year’s carnival queen and helpers.
Faces I recognise belong to Peter and Fred Ginger,
Bill Chater, Ted Sharpe and a non-bearded Alan
Burman. Any additions or corrections welcomed.

This picture is from 2004 and shows a studio set up used when we were visited by our local Town Crier

Origins

In 2009 we celebrated 60 years of image making.
A series of special events marked this landmark achievement
including the production of a book, showcasing our members’
photographs. This is available from here - Club Abington book.

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Please remember that copyright of all images remains with the authors