FREDDY BEARD – FACI

1938-2018

A Tribute by OVFM Chair Jane Oliver

Dear Freddy, where do I start?

Freddy was always there, part of the fabric of the club, her presence always felt. A warm welcome greeted all who crossed our threshold at OVFM. The club ran smoothly due to what she did in the background and the links she had fostered over time. Freddy had all the information one could ever ask for at her fingertips. She rubbed shoulders with people from all walks of life, no matter their standing and yet had some of the most beautiful traits that any human being could ever have, that of humility and servanthood. Nothing was ever too much and she was the one who would go out of her way in order to help someone else. We have so much to thank her for.

Take club evenings, as if by magic the lights would go on and off during our evening film shows at the appropriate times. When anyone else stepped up to do the lights in her absence, we’d have a light show; Switch off? No, on. Switch on? No, off and then another light would mysteriously come on.  Freddy was a little under the weather at our last meeting so offered to relieve her of ‘light duty’. Her response was firm, a most emphatic ‘NO’ and I knew exactly what that meant! Dogged, determined, Freddy’s philosophy was that nothing would ‘defeat’ her.

…. And the notice board, pictures, posters, rules, minutes, reports, news and adverts, the magazines, the badges, the event boards that did the rounds for members to sign up to; where did they appear from? only to disappear at the end of the evening.

…. And at the interval; who would invariably be behind the serving hatch? Even at the last meeting she volunteered, serving us again despite not feeling particularly well.

How faithfully she served us. Nothing ever seemed to be too much.  She got on with her duties quietly and unassumingly; her effectiveness as OVFM club secretary was second to none. Wherever did she get her energy? When most of us had dropped into bed, exhausted from the last committee meeting that had, once more, gone on too long, she would sit up into the wee small hours typing up the minutes to ensure everything was in order. I sometimes wondered if she ever slept when I saw the ‘time’ her emails were sent.

Freddy would be out filming at the Big O Festival and other local events to gather material for the newsreel. Nothing was too much, despite her huge commitment to Oxfam where she worked as a volunteer for many years.

This behaviour, this servanthood, went far beyond the boundaries of OVFM.  At SERIAC, The Kent Film Festival, BIAFF, UNICA and the like, you’d see her busy with one duty or another; ‘light duty’ catering, serving, clearing up, sorting out the raffle, or hiding in the broom cupboard sorting through hundreds of envelopes to return films and provide judges’ comments to the filmmakers. She’d be carting films and equipment back and forth whenever and wherever it was needed … and when we needed props, well, she had plenty of sources.

…. And the social occasions, garden parties, Christmas functions and when the club was together as a group to film….  who’d be part of the set up team, the catering team, the clearing up team, or whatever other team you had created?  Freddy.

…. And as though her OVFM role wasn’t enough, she found herself on the KFF Committee for many years and was the Treasurer of SERIAC.  Freddy would travel the world to get to a film festival and was welcomed at clubs across the globe, where she was known and loved.

She fully deserved her fellowship to the IAC, although typically, she tried to turn in down believing she was unworthy.

I was so pleased that Ian showed us his little film starring Freddy at our last meeting and that she was there to enjoy it. So beautiful and poignant, a lasting memory that we will have forever, thanks to Ian and Freddy.

Freddy, you were loved and will be sorely missed. Such a character, life experiences etched into your face, cut deep with laughter lines and dimples. A face engraved indelibly upon my memory, together with the sound of your distinctive voice and unmistakable chuckle; a memory that many others share.

Our thoughts are with Freddy’s three boys, Alan, Michael and Andrew and their loved ones at this sad time.

 

Basil Doody (FACI) 1930 – 2018

Basil joined the club (Orpington cine society) in 1966 and we soon worked together on a Film in an evening which resulted in a film about a joker (myself) who persuaded Basil to stare through a pair of binoculars which had soot smeared on the eye pieces.  And while he was staring, I cut off his tie!

Not a promising start to a friendship which has lasted for over fifty years!

During the filming of the many scenes of Jumble Sale in 1972 it was evident that Basil was a very useful actor and he did not mind the embarrassment of carrying a skimpily dressed mannequin through the streets of Petts Wood.

I had to seek his advice for many of the scenes – he knew about things called cutaways and jump cuts!

There is one scene in that film in which the mannequin wearing a miniskirt is propped against the pillar box while Basil lights his pipe.  While he is distracted the mannequin slips and falls and is replaced by a young woman identically dressed who walks up and leans on the pillar box to read the notice.

Having finished his pipe Basil was expected to pick up the mannequin/lady and hoist her upside-down under his arm.  Being a gentleman he only put his arm around her.

Later the young lady told me that she had worn two pairs of knickers especially for that scene and was rather disappointed!  So was I!

 

In 1973, the year after Jumble Sale the club decided to make an ambitious film of an Air Race starting and finishing at Biggin Hill.  Basil was given the task of producing it.  It included some footage taken from one of the aircraft, shots taken by OCS club members in various parts of the South East including the South coast.  I looked after the sound having to synchronise aircraft noises recorded by one of those new-fangled cassette tape recorders.

It is a good film considering the limitations we had at that time and is in the archives.

As a long term film maker, Basil’s library is not large but he made some prize-winners.  One significant one was of his National Service and another was on Evacuation.

To his credit, having had a sparse education which was interrupted by the evacuation he became very knowledgeable on plumbing and he told me that on one occasion he was called in to advise on some plumbing problem inside Buckingham Palace.

Eventually he became a non-executive director of a wholesale plumbing company, and when that was taken over he landed a full time job in Scotland Yard, which was the job that he enjoyed the most until he retired.

When his first marriage broke up we invited him on some of our family outings including a couple of summer holidays.  Later when I was widowed, very much too early, he was a great support to me.

I am proud that I was the one who introduced him to Margaret which resulted in a much deserved happy marriage for both of them and a happy extended family for Basil.

It was after his second marriage that I made a series of one minute films which illustrated Basil’s versatility as an amateur actor.  First it was an uncouth man being taught golf by the vicar, then an irate husband who catches his wife with the milkman, later he was towing the club trolley up a steep hill with a so-called mobile phone on it, later he was a refined doctor and very finally a very uncultured gardener showing a refined lady around our garden.  These are films I will treasure.

Gillian, Basil’s daughter became a doctor and now as a high flyer, Dean of Medical Education / Professor in General Adult Psychiatry and Medical Education in Nottingham.

In turn Basil’s contribution to the amateur film movement was recognised by the award of the Fellowship of the IAC (FACI).  He was chairman of our club for one year but did not enjoy it and did not stand for office again.

I shall miss Basil very much and so will those who knew him, especially his wife Margaret and the whole family,

 

Colin Jones

 

MIKE COAD, FACI.

By Reg Lancaster

 

I was stunned at news of the passing of our dear friend and club-mate Mike Coad. He was one of that rare breed, a quiet man.

He was a chairman’s dream in that while he didn’t make a lot of noise, when Mike agreed to take on a task, you’d get a complete package, everything wrapped up, delivered on time, all potential problems foreseen and dealt with. Job done, efficiently. The real deal.

Some years ago, the IAC Council’s office was sinking under a sea of paperwork going back to the early 30’s and it was suggested that Mike take a look. All went quiet and then to general surprise Mike and Jo presented the first half of a new history of the Institute that exceeded all expectations. They went on to complete the whole task in a surprisingly short time.

It was the same about ten years ago,  when the North v South competition  ran into difficulties. Mike stepped in and has run it ever since. That was the Coad way. Quiet, solid performance. We are all in his debt.

I doubt anyone in our hobby has visited more film or video clubs than the Coads. They seem to have been everywhere.  When Annabelle and I started to go “out” to the likes of the Kent Festival and SERIAC events they were often there. When we went up North, people would ask for news of them. When I discovered they lived at Sevenoaks, it was only natural to approach him. He was a lone worker at the time but when he changed his job he came on board and Jo joined not long after.

That was in OCS days when celluloid was king and Mike, in addition to making films, was an avid attender at film fairs, where fans and collectors got together to watch  and trade Super 8 versions of film classics. Mike and Jo gave several Nights at the Flicks, using their collection. There’d be a Cartoon, a Newsreel, Trailers and a main Feature. Mike introduced and projected, while Jo served popcorn and/or ice cream at the interval.

When video arrived, trust me, the image quality was lousy. Mike and I thought so and while I buckled, the Coad stable was the last active film “unit” to convert to the new medium. You could say that our “OVFM” title came about because they were still making their special brand of movies on crisp quality Super 8, when we needed  to get “video” into our club name.

Mike and Jo have been among the most prolific filmmakers in the last 30 years, and we teased them about having a secret vault full of fascinating facts about familiar places. Mike even threatened to write a “Scintillating Sevenoaks” scenario but instead, he whisked Jo off to beautiful Bexhill and made their recent films down there!

Mike was a commodity trader when younger, gave it up and had a variety of jobs and interests. A born trader, he was an eBay expert before most of us even had a computer. He was also, shall we say, a very experienced driver – in that every time you saw them, he seemed to have a different machine! No jalopies, they’d often be spacious, if venerable Mercs, which ran and ran, though one did conk out right at the knackers yard gate!

Full of surprises they dazzled us with their most unlikely exploit, when they sold up and moved to Bexhill to go on a world tour, starting in the Indian sub-continent. We followed their  hair-raising adventures on his daily blog, with baited breath. Eventually they made a surprise re-appearance at the club dinner.  He even pioneered making a movie using still pictures of the faces he saw there.

Of late Mike’s passion was genealogy and he and Jo were about to launch a family history research company. They’d had cards printed.  He’d also become involved with the Sussex Festival. Mike touched so many of our lives and we will miss his quiet but significant presence.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Jo his loving companion in life, at this painful time.

 

If you have any messages or wish to share your memories of Mike, please do so below.

Thank you and thanks to Reg for the obituary.

 

By now many of you will be aware that OVFM lost another member of its family last week when Derek Allen sadly passed away. A stalwart of the club for many years, Derek will be fondly remembered for his prolific film output and cheeky sense of humour.

His funeral will be on Monday July 22nd at Beckenham Crematorium at 12:45pm. Olive Allen has requested that instead of flowers, donations be made to Harris Hospice in memory of Derek. The funeral directors will be on hand to take donations or they can be posted.

 

DEREK ALLEN 1923-2013

Obituary by Reg Lancaster

All who knew him will share our sadness at the loss of our dear friend Derek Allen who passed away in his sleep recently. He was a valued member of OVFM.

Derek’s love of film started early. “We kids used to gather up scraps of 35mm film to roll up tight in paper,” he’d wink, “When you set it alight, it made great ‘stink bombs!”

Later he bought a Boots ciné camera, making holiday films and he joined OCS, our former name. Often working late, he couldn’t attend many meetings. He returned after buying a video camera and was surprised to discover that he was our first video member and was promptly asked to give a talk about how it worked.

His long friendship with Mike Turner began in the local National Trust Centre. They’d record outings and group holidays together, including little off-the-cuff comedies shot at these exotic locations. Mike then joined us and soon we three became friends.

He had recently stood down from several committees but when our Secretary Annabelle approached him about standing for Committee, he agreed and served for several years. Many strings to his bow became clear, such as having been a Flight Lieutenant in the Air Training Corps.

The subject of his recent film, My Friend Ralph was Ralph Reeder, founder of the famous Scout Gang Shows. Derek was involved for years, both behind the scenes and on stage too. At his Golden Wedding he made a touching, funny speech and later, sitting with old pals they went through the old comic songs, as we stood around applauding. The children loved it.

A member of the National Trust Centre’s fund-raising Committee, Derek produced shows at the Stag Theatre and memorably featured with Mike Turner and NT Chair Geoff Lewry in a hilarious drag version of “Sisters” the Beverley Sisters’ hit. He regularly made a perfect Stan Laurel, with well upholstered Geoff as Oliver Hardy. Like the originals, one look and you felt better.

As a boy Derek won an essay competition and loved writing. He came up with articles, ideas for films, letters and emails at the drop of a hat. The Committee decided to have a serious go at the North v South competition and next day his story idea dropped on our mat, well ahead of three others. I could see how his idea could be done and asked if I could photograph it, wrote a screenplay and we called ourselves The Geriatrics. We made four dramas and brought the elusive John Wright Trophy South three times. A keen Casablanca man (guilty, your Honour) he pursued video editing with relish, never failing to enter every club competition going. Derek was a talented, cheerful and delightful man who was a treasure to have in any organisation or club.

The sudden death of his father saw Derek take on the family business very young. He was dapper, good company and surprisingly energetic. He was still working right up till last autumn.

Earlier this year, he went into hospital for two months. It was typical of his attitude to life that the medical team were impressed by his spirit and forbearance in the way he faced his situation. Looking forward to his 90^th birthday, he was sharp as a tack the last time I saw him, only 36 hours before the end.

Of his many talents, it was with children that you saw Derek at his best. They don’t fool easily and he tuned to their wavelength effortlessly. Derek had no knowledge of French but our Swiss grand daughter Roxane who has Down syndrome, took to him instantly and for them, over the years, communication was never a problem. His own large family circle adored him.

It was a pleasure to know Derek. Our sincere condolences go to his loving wife Olive, their children and grandchildren at this time. He will be greatly missed.

 

 

Please feel free to share your memories and thoughts about Derek on this page.

Thank you.