Whittlesford Video Show
7th February
2004
by Robert Pumfrey
In the early days of the East Anglian Club, I
remember attending Steam Film Shows at Wimbish Village hall,
organised by Club President, Ben Taylor. It was an ideal way to
spend a Saturday evening in the long winter months, looking at
pictures of rallies and steam friends from the past, and waiting in
anticipation, for the coming rally season.
In 1983, the late Mick Charles and I decided to keep the tradition
going by organising the first of what was to become the annual Great
Chesterford Film Show.
With the help of our wives and friends it has become a very popular
social evening for our members. Over the years films have been
presented by Derek Legg; Jerry Metson; Stan Burgess; The Pumfrey
family and David Cleveland of the East Anglian Film Archive.
Great Chesterford Village Hall was pulled down in 2001, and as the
new Chesterford community centre was still not available in 2002, we
moved our show to Whittlesford Memorial Hall in Cambridgeshire. This
Hall holds special memories to the Pumfrey family. The bricks
for the original part of the hall were carted from the Dreadnought
Cement works at Barrington with Great Grandfathers’ 7 n.h.p. Burrell
Traction engine pulling a four-wheel wagon. On one occasion when
descending Barrington Hill (1/11) with about 5000 bricks, Charles
Pumfrey, was surprised whilst using the reversing lever to assist
braking, to see the steam gauge registering 250 lbs sq inch.
This year was our 21st Annual Show, and nearly 70 members attended
the evening.
8 mm film has now given way to video, and a wide spectrum of films
were seen including Saling Rally 1955, Weeting and Haverhill 1968,
plus a selection of 2003 rallies including Thurlow, Haddenham,
Little Casterton and Bedford.
Member Geoff Barrett had brought along an interesting video about
Ploughing & threshing contractors, Desboroughs’s of Magdalen near
Kings Lynn.
A vote of thanks must go to Michael Pumfrey for arranging the films,
Maureen and Emily Pumfrey for the refreshments, Glen Culpin and
Chris Pumfrey behind the bar and Carol Lewis for arranging the
raffle.
A good time was had by all, and we look forward to doing it all
again next year.
Below are a couple of pictures that were displayed
on the wall at the show.
