Croydon Camera Club
Croydon Camera Club

Croydon Camera Club History: 1890-2000

1961 The Darkroom
Monthly Print Competitions

Although the Dark Room premises were being well used, considerable problems were being encountered with the landlord who in carrying out alterations elsewhere in the building had caused the Dark Room to be flooded. When these problems had been resolved, the electricity was cut off. These factors of unreliability and uncertainty led to the income barely covering running costs and on 28 August 1963 the Dark Room was closed, since which time the Club has been without such facilities.

At a meeting on 30th November 1961 S. G. Pickford proposed that as Print Battles were not supported by members offering work or presence, they should be cancelled and no more arranged. The proposal was defeated but the problem of lack of support was never overcome and exists to this very day.

Mr Pickford asked for volunteers to meet lecturers before a meeting but there was no response. The lack of enthusiasm prompted the President to complain of the poor support for the Monthly Print Competitions with as few as four prints in the Intermediate Section - and this from a Club with over 170 members.