While working at Focus Prints in the late 60’s a customer came into the store with a collection of glass negatives. ( Photographic plates preceded photographic film as a capture medium in photography. The light-sensitive emulsion of silver salts was coated on a glass plate usually the night before the shoot The photographer used a heavy camera which needed a tripod because of the long shutter speeds) The customer wanted cheap prints from the plates. I worked at night and used the cheapest paper on hand. Charged him a ridicul;ously low price. He went away happy and I kept copies of what I thought were the most interesting prints. You can find more info of the Gold Rush here.
Lost touch with Midge. I found out she had committed suicide sometime in the 2000’s.
I moved to Hornby in 1972. After two stints at the Peace River Dam, University, Buying a house, working in Focus prints (professional photographic prints) , became manager, had a baby (Fraser). Woof!!
My work at Focus can be found at the top of the blog under ‘Potpourrie’
London-during a heat spell. Midge stayed in Europe-continued travelling. We had enough money to buy plane tickets. Soon to go.
Were treated to a motorcycle race. Much fun.
Stayed with Jo’s Aunt and Uncle outside of London. They had a great house built in the 18th century and fixed up continually over the years. Very cosy, thick walls.
Time to get rid of the car. I took it to a used car dealer outside of town. The proprietor looked at it and said “I doan value it at nuffin..” Left it in the ditch outside his gate.
Uncle grew to like me. He gave me a full package of Cuban cigars! Couldn’t get them in North America-Cuba BAD! They were still wrapped in cellophane and they were very handy on the plane and trip to Vancouver.
They took us to the airport and dropped us off.
The adventure wasn’t over…
If you want to see this story ‘Europe’ from the beginning or my previous story ‘Japan’ go to potpourri above and click on the subject.
“David’s gigantic, rousing bronze monument to Jean Bart (1650–1702), a French naval commander and privateer. Bart raises his sword (lost) as he tramples an enemy cannon at his feet. His sailor’s costume whips and curls in the wind, producing an energetic surface and delineating a human form that deviates from the idealized proportions of the classical nude body. David’s monuments were intended to educate and inspire and drew upon nationalism and local pride. The Jean Bart monument was erected in the privateer’s native Dunkirk, its inauguration on September 7, 1845, attended by a crowd of thousands. The statue continues to play a central role in that city’s annual civic rituals.”
Heading back to England then Canada. Think I grew up on this trip (at least came to my senses). We saw no other Canadians on the road. Yet we were treated with respect by the whole European community. I know they found us ‘odd’ but we were accepted. (Actually after close to 60 years later I find the whole adventure ‘odd’.)
A semi-practical use for my 10,000 historical photos
