Jocko
Off With The Pixies
A few days ago, as part of my relentless pursuit of old junk, I bought “Correct Exposure In Photography” by Morgan and Lester. Thus began a tale of love, war and intrigue, not unsuited to the approach of Valentine’s Day....
The book, published in New York, in April 1944, is little more than a 100-page puff for the Weston exposure meter. The real point of interest lay in the inside cover....
In superb, slightly manic script, the original owner had written her name -
Euphemia Smallhope
Saddleworth Church Vicarage
Saddleworth
Oldham
Lancs.
So - the Vicar’s wife, or possibly his daughter. Her name is a novel in itself. The leftward slant, graphologists claim, would indicate shyness, yet the wild downward strokes suggest hidden passion: Here is a lady of impeccable decorum, betrayed only by her flamboyant scrawl.
Yet in 1944, books on photography were not the stuff of transatlantic trade. How did Euphemia get her copy?
The answer lies in one word: Saddleworth.
You may recall the movie “Yanks” (1979) starring Richard Gere. It tells how, in the weeks before D-Day, a small Lancashire town is overwhelmed by American troops preparing for the invasion. With most of the local men long gone, love blooms in unlikely places.
But it isn’t just a film. It all really happened. At Saddleworth, where much of the movie was shot. What occurred in April-May ‘44 became a legend - one of my own cousins is in fact a product of those tumultuous weeks. So: a photo-enthusiast GI was surely the source of Euphemia’s book... But could that be all the story?
A glimpse at the Saddleworth web site [http://www.saddleworth.net/] reveals a town of striking charm. Perhaps they met on those photogenic hills, she with an Ensign, he with an Ektar.
Possibly even now in an Iowa farmhouse or plush Long Island mansion, “Grandpa” keeps a ragged snap: Euphemia, still rapt with love, gazing back through her rain-splattered glasses. Or perhaps a boy lies in the St Laurent Cemetery, beyond Omaha Beach.
Either way, Saddleworth has not forgotten them. The town celebrates its spasm of love with a yearly “Yanks” festival, which, in itself may be a photo-op - http://www.yanksevent.com/. And we should not forget them either: We may not find true love this Valentine’s day, but thanks to Mr Weston we can have Correct Exposure.
Cheers, Ian
The book, published in New York, in April 1944, is little more than a 100-page puff for the Weston exposure meter. The real point of interest lay in the inside cover....
In superb, slightly manic script, the original owner had written her name -
Euphemia Smallhope
Saddleworth Church Vicarage
Saddleworth
Oldham
Lancs.
So - the Vicar’s wife, or possibly his daughter. Her name is a novel in itself. The leftward slant, graphologists claim, would indicate shyness, yet the wild downward strokes suggest hidden passion: Here is a lady of impeccable decorum, betrayed only by her flamboyant scrawl.
Yet in 1944, books on photography were not the stuff of transatlantic trade. How did Euphemia get her copy?
The answer lies in one word: Saddleworth.
You may recall the movie “Yanks” (1979) starring Richard Gere. It tells how, in the weeks before D-Day, a small Lancashire town is overwhelmed by American troops preparing for the invasion. With most of the local men long gone, love blooms in unlikely places.
But it isn’t just a film. It all really happened. At Saddleworth, where much of the movie was shot. What occurred in April-May ‘44 became a legend - one of my own cousins is in fact a product of those tumultuous weeks. So: a photo-enthusiast GI was surely the source of Euphemia’s book... But could that be all the story?
A glimpse at the Saddleworth web site [http://www.saddleworth.net/] reveals a town of striking charm. Perhaps they met on those photogenic hills, she with an Ensign, he with an Ektar.
Possibly even now in an Iowa farmhouse or plush Long Island mansion, “Grandpa” keeps a ragged snap: Euphemia, still rapt with love, gazing back through her rain-splattered glasses. Or perhaps a boy lies in the St Laurent Cemetery, beyond Omaha Beach.
Either way, Saddleworth has not forgotten them. The town celebrates its spasm of love with a yearly “Yanks” festival, which, in itself may be a photo-op - http://www.yanksevent.com/. And we should not forget them either: We may not find true love this Valentine’s day, but thanks to Mr Weston we can have Correct Exposure.
Cheers, Ian
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