Wednesday 11 January 2012

Guest Speaker:  Born and bred Plymothian Graeme Spink shows footage from the South West Film & TV Archive to rekindle boyhood memories of growing up in the city in post-war years.  The South West Film archive holds the entire surviving back catalogue of Westward and TSW programmes together with archive material from BBC South West.  Film maker Graeme has been a member of the staff since 1992. Display:  Sitcom Memories - TV Comedy Quiz (PPCC)

Visiting Dealers:  John Purves (Topsham); Jim Fisher (Par)

Wednesday 8 February

Guest Speaker:  Long-serving Club member Janet Cowlard uses her specialist knowledge to unravel an intriguing royal mystery through postcards and photographs of royalty, staff and people and places with royal connections.  Janet’s research into five unsigned letters written on headed notepaper from royal residences leads to an exciting conclusion. 

Display:  Fleet Review featuring Abrahams of Devonport – official photographers to the Royal Navy (Graham Brooks)

Visiting Dealers:  John Brown (Ilfracombe); Richard & Claire Jones (Quethiock)

Wednesday 14 March

Guest Speaker:  Paul Davies from Kingsbridge marks the 100th anniversary of Captain Scott’s death by describing the role played by many fellow Devonians on the Plymouth-born explorer’s ill-fated Antarctic expedition.  Paul also discovered enough local links with Ernest Shackleton’s adventures to compile a recently-published book entitled From South Devon to the South Pole and base a talk on the same theme.  Paul is secretary of the Devon & Cornwall Polar Society and will be broadening the appeal of his Powerpoint presentation for our Club by including several important postcards. 

Display: Towns and Villages of Dartmoor (John Walling)

Visiting Dealers:  Barrie Rollinson (Bridgwater); Tony Lucas (Saltash)

Wednesday 11 April

Guest Speaker:  Tony Moss draws on his extensive Paignton postcard collection and local knowledge to illustrate how the popular South Devon resort developed from its early beginnings.  Tony – known as ‘Mr Paignton’ by fellow members of Torbay Postcard Club – is Chairman of the local History Society, a keen preservationist and proud of his town’s enduring appeal to generations of holidaymakers

Display:  Nearer My God To Thee – a special PPCC exhibition of Titanic ephemera and rare postcards to mark this week’s 100th anniversary of the liner’s doomed maiden voyage

Visiting Dealers:  John & Vivien Forster (Crediton)

Wednesday 9 May

Guest Speaker:  Debbie Kaye, who was forced to postpone a previous visit to us due to the icy conditions, is keeping a promise to recount her experiences training horses for the film and TV industry.  In her 30-year career Debbie has worked alongside many famous actors and actresses and has prepared horses for scores of major films and TV series.  Debbie won a coveted BAFTA award for her work with Emma Thompson in Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.  Her many other credits include Mrs Brown with Judi Dench and Billy Connolly, The Madness of King George, Braveheart, Shakespeare in Love and Phantom of the Opera.  Her TV credits include Mr Tom and Lark Rise to Candleford.  She has also appeared in several period films driving her own horse and carriage. 

Display:  Life with the Stars – photo gallery (Debbie Kaye)

Visiting Dealers:  Steve Prescott (St Ives); Doug Luxford (St Just)

Wednesday 13 June

Guest Speaker:  This should be a controversial evening as Brian Lund, Editor of Picture Postcard Monthly, promises to deliver an expose of the postcard world as he sees it!  Brian, accompanied by his wife Mary, will also be discussing their joint role editing and publishing PPM and its 30-year history serving postcard collecting and selling interests so effectively.  This will be the couple’s first visit to one of our meetings and provides members with an opportunity to have a chat with two of the most influential figures in our hobby

Display:  Royal Postcard Fanfare to mark Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee (Janet Cowlard)

Visiting Dealers:  David Walker (Wellington); Peter Bray (St Austell)

Wednesday 27 June

ANNUAL SUMMER WALKABOUT

Venue: Kingsbridge, Devon – conducted tour led by Nicola Fox of the Cookworthy Museum followed by buffet supper at The Seven Stars

Wednesday 11 July

Guest Speaker:  The contents of a chemist’s shop from more than 50 years ago take centre stage as Kingsley Rickard sets the scene for his popular Pharmacy of Yesteryear show.  Kingsley will be dispensing a large dose of pharmaceutical nostalgia.  The celebrated steam engine enthusiast is vice-chairman of the Trevithick Society and, as chairman of Trevithick Day, is the man who always leads the parade of vintage steam engines through Camborne.  This talk will also be of special interest for the keen bottle collectors among our ranks. 

Display:  The Old Pharmacy Shop (Kingsley Rickard)

Visiting Dealer:  Peter Johnson (Taunton)

Wednesday 12 September

Guest Speaker:  Crime, both the factual and fictional, will be on the agenda when Simon Hall addresses our September meeting.  Simon is BBC Spotlight’s crime correspondent and has also carved out a successful separate career as a crime writer.  He created the TV Detective in which a television reporter and a detective work together to solve a series of crimes.  The TV Detective was so well received that Simon featured his lead character in three more novels all based in the Plymouth area. 

Display:  Scenic South Hams – the postcard charms of Newton Ferrers, Noss Mayo & Yealm Estuary (Ron Furzeland)

Visiting Dealers:  Bill Whelan (Kenn); Alan Nethercott (Exeter) for hospice charities

Wednesday 10 October

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING  

Members’ Bring & Buy Sale  

BUFFET SUPPER

Wednesday 14 November

Guest Speaker:  No sign of Captain Mainwaring or Corporal Jones here but the role of ‘Dad’s Army’ during the last war is fondly recalled by Arthur Cook.  The Exmouth historian and entertainer dedicates a special Remembrance Week tribute to the Home Guard through his Blitz and Peaces living history company aimed at groups and schools throughout Devon. 

Display:  Lad’s Army – Pictorial roll call of PPCC National Service conscripts (photos wearing uniform obligatory - subject to response!)

Visiting Dealers:  Dean Warren (Bridgwater); David Taylor (St Austell)

Wednesday 12 December

Guest Speaker:  Plymouth historian Chris Robinson returns by popular request with new archival images showing how Plymouth’s blitzed city rose from the ashes and developed through the 1940s, 50s and 60s.  Moving from all the wartime devastation to the completion of Royal Parade, Chris highlights the historic structures that survived the aerial bombardment only to be sacrificed to create the new 72-acre City Centre. 

FESTIVE BUFFET

FREE PRIZE DRAW

Visiting Dealers:  Peter Andrews (Saltash); David Hutchinson (Plymouth)