Long lost memories

I consider myself to be something of a militant anti-sentimentalist but every now and then something comes along that just makes you smile.

A (long) while back my mum gave me a cylinder of ancient camera film and asked me to see if I could find somewhere that might have a go at developing it.  She thought the film was at least 30 years old and might not have even been used – so expectations about getting anything from it were pretty low.

 A quick search on the internet found Process C-22 who specialise in developing old films.  The ad stated that payment was required with the film roll and that there was no guarantee of success.  I sent off the film and heard nothing.  For months.  And then forgot all about it.

Then in April of this year, out of the blue (and more than a year after sending off the film) I got an email from Process C-22 saying they had managed to produce contacts from the film-  and asking if I was still interested in having it developed.  Too right I was – the single contact print they sent me (teased me with showed the pix would be worth it.

After a further impatient wait, the prints finally arrived.  I now have more than 30 grainy black and white photos taken almost 40 years ago.  Me when I was a toddler, my brother and sister, childhood friends who I am going to need some help identifying.  Star of the show is a pretty underwhelmed looking donkey on Sutton on Sea beach (it had to be Sutton or Mablethorpe – they were our regular holiday haunts).   Dad is there looking thinner than I remember (my dad died in 1984 but I am not going to get mawkish – he was almost 70 when I was born!)  No pictures of mum though which is a shame – I can only assume that she was the one behind the camera.

Now I am very much looking forward to visiting mum at the weekend with my treasure.  Thank you, Process C-22!

Here’s a sample:

That’s me on the left (looking very cute and for some reason sitting in a trailer) with my sister, Jane and a friend who has commandeered the tractor.

And that’s me (the sweet blonde one) and my brother Terry (the one on the right with a look on his face that says “everything was great until HE came along, if he hits me with that spade one more time…”)