REMEMBERING FRANK HYDE
It is with sadness that we have to report the passing of our oldest member, 92 year old Frank Hyde. Newer members may not have been able to put a name to the elderly gentleman sitting quietly on “our” side of the aisle on club nights but Frank was an important member for many years.
Born in Birmingham, he served in Burma during the War and was an accountant back in civvy street. A keen member of South Birmingham Cinè club, when his job moved him to Bexley in the early Seventies he joined his nearest club, Shooters Hill where I first met him as their Chairman.
He, Madge and their two sons eventually moved to Petts Wood and he joined OCS and he soon took on the job of Treasurer which he fulfilled for many years. He was a keen film maker, using Eumigs in celluloid days, moving on to Panasonics for video.
He was delighted when Madge made a nice little winner about Wordsworth’s home Brantwood. Frank was no stranger to success himself. In our Annual Competition one year, he won the Ian Dunbar Cup, our top award, for a film Nimrod, made with Colin Jones, and was also runner up with his own production, Facets of France. He served as our Chairman in 1988-9. He set a good example in being the first to note every film shown in the club.
Frank was a family man, a dog lover, keen gardener and walker. Though he seemed a shy man, once you got to know him he was a great and loyal friend to have.
If a smart elegant couple were needed in club films, Frank and Madge could fill the bill, as in the NvS winner Final Call. When a character young Tim Jones plays in The Job turns up casually dressed for an interview, the long look of disapproval that immaculate Frank draws, with those steely blue eyes, needed no words.
Some years ago Frank founded an investment club which son Steven and other four OVFM members joined. At the inaugural meeting his eyes twinkled as he proposed naming it after his address. He liked the idea of living in a road called Great Thrift. We shall miss him enormously.
REG LANCASTER
Thanks to Reg for his obituary.
If you have any memories or stories about Frank them please feel free to share them in the reply section below. Thank you.
R.I.P Frank