The Film Team

I must have been aged 16 when I joined the "Film Team". I know that I was not aged 17 because joining this elite band gave me the opportunity to drive the old Morris between The Shooting Lodge and the W.I Hall - it must have been all of 200 yards, if that!!! But, the equipment was heavy and, after all, any excuse to drive!
Paul Atkins was I/C at the time with Page Clowser as No. 2, and John King making up the third member of the team, if my memory serves me correctly. I was very much the junior, as was apparent from all the fetching and carrying I had to do. It was a requirement of such juniors and I did it willingly. What was the draw, the appeal, the raison d'etre? Was it the learning ability to work a projector or provide sound for Sports Day? Was it status? Well, maybe a bit of those, however, it surely was more of being able to escape lessons on occasions! It certainly was a free ticket to Sunday Night Socials at the W.I Hall - and later at the Heacham Church Hall in the village.
I remember one occasion when Mr Pott had apparently forgotten that he was to provide the equipment for a film to be shown in the Hall for a gathering in another Parish. For some reason no one, apart from me, was available to assist Paul on this occasion and we duly arrived, a little late, set up and showed the film. Afterwards, we loaded everything back into the Morris (CRO 94) and even though the projector screen would never quite fit completely inside the car, we set off back to Ingoldisthorpe. It was a sunny afternoon and Paul was well pleased that everything had gone so well. At a certain point I detected, for some reason, that Paul had not noticed the sharp bend we were approaching. It was too late to warn him as we shot straight into a field. Thankfully the field had already been cut and there was a reasonable ungated entrance, albeit a bit rutted! At the time Paul made me promise never to tell anyone about this incident. Sorry, Paul.
I was not exempt. On another occasion I was suppose to be in charge of showing the Saturday Night Feature Film. (Remember those Feature Films') Similar to dance music we were never allowed to choose any of the good ones! However, once the film was running I preferred to be in the Company of Mr & Mrs Richardson (Ricky & Billy) watching her television with another. Unfortunately the film broke and I was summoned by another lad, namely Peter Lawrence, back to the Hall while John Brogden tried to mend the film. I arrived via the back door to the Hall offering a feeble excuse for my absence that.... "just answering a call of nature, Sir'". Whether he believed me I will never know, and apart from the usual bellow that I should be where I was needed, no further action was taken. Phew!!
I also remember receiving a powerful electrical shock from the equipment during an event at The Shooting Lodge. Clearly the equipment was never earthed, and a decision was taken, (in which I had no say), to use me as the grounding vehicle. A rubber mat was brought out and all was well for the remainder of the afternoon
How we all got away with events at the time, I will never know. "Plugs'? What are they'? Oh, just stick the wires m the socket with a couple of matchsticks, that will do« " Quite makes me shudder to think about it all now.
If the "Film Team" was our escapism then we in turn provided that service for others as well. Many were grateful for being shown films or having amplified sound for Dances, Socials at many events in various parts of West Norfolk.

Clifford Wallington