Have you watched our film clips about childhood?
The first person you see in these clips is little Rosemary Gowlland, whose father went to great lengths to record Rosemary’s early life, along with other family events and activities, particularly during the Second World War. The Gowlland Collection is now deposited with Screen Archive South East
So what happened to Rosemary? How often we ask this question about people we have seen in film or images from long ago, but never have an answer. On this occasion I can tell you that Rosemary is very much alive and well and living in a beautiful part of Kent with her husband Peter. I went to visit Rosemary, Peter and Rosemary’s brother John to film and interview them for the Movies and Memories Project. During the course of the day I discovered what an interesting and creative man their father, Geoffrey, had been. He also had great foresight in recording all sorts of interesting details of day to day life. For example, at the outbreak of war, he filmed the hanging up of the blackout screens, and at the end of the War, filmed their removal and burning.
Rosemary and her brother John are now very much involved in maintaining an ongoing collection of information about the Gowlland family, and many of Geoffrey’s photos can be seen on the Gowlland Family website
While I was there I took the opportunity of interviewing Rosemary’s husband Peter Milton-Thompson, who also had some fascinating stories to tell. He is, in fact, the great great nephew of Elizabeth Fry and the descendent of a line of clergyman who led interesting lives in their own right.
I had a lovely day with them all, including the most delicious lunch. I also came away with some excellent material to add to the project’s final DVD.
John, Peter and Rosemary all very much enjoyed Sara’s visit. We hope that our memories of earlier years will interest other people too. Best wishes from Rosemary
Rosemary, my brother and I were beyond excited to see you all playing round that discharged mine on Middleton beach. It was almost directly in front of our house. We can both tell you what happened to the mine. It gradually got pulled down the beach by the tides, became half submerged and rusty. When we went prawning in our childhood (late 1940s-early1950s, we headed straight for that mine (by now thoroughly rusted and with a great hole in it) as the receding tide trapped loads of prawns in the pool of its bowl and we fished out great heaps of them in our nets. I also have a vague memory of the other barrel lying on the rocks. By the time we were playing there, the scaffolding had gone but interspersed in the shingle were hundreds of rusting clamps, nuts and bolts.
I tried to pinpoint the whereabouts of the house where you were staying but couldn’t. What a treasure trove of film – your father was immensely talented and I also noticed what a keen knitter your mother was. Thanks so much for enabling us to see this precious archive. Best wishes, Jane (nee Richards) Lawrence
Interesting story of Rose Gowlland