Singapore Prints

This morning we drove Elizabeth to The Coastal Gallery in Lymington, where we admired good art works at, for us, prohibitive prices. On our return, my sister and I completed the task of printing Mr. Boyle’s black and white negatives from 1950s Singapore for Frances.

Patricia 003

Here Patricia enjoys the swimming pool,

Patricia and friend 002

and in the garden with a local friend.

Frances 012

The artistic photographer pictured Frances gazing out to sea.

Frances, her Mum, and others 004

Perhaps mother and daughters are loading this van, or maybe making a purchase.

Frances's Dad 026

Here the sisters’ father sits reading.

Frances, Catherine and Patricia 007

He photographed them together,

Francis 020

and separately Frances,

Catherine 022

Catherine,

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and Patricia.

Clouds and seaSilhouettes on shore

Danni and Andy joined us for lunch, after which we all drove to Barton on Sea, where the threatening clouds did not drop their precipitation, as they were penetrated by Jesus beams.

Danni and Andy

The young couple sat a bit closer to the edge of the clifftop than would have suited me. We ambled down to the shore so that Danni could dip her toes in the water.

Back at home we played Scrabble, until it was time for us all to dine at The Smugglers Inn at Milford on Sea. The service was friendly and efficient, the ambience convivial, and the food excellent. My choice was beef and horseradish pie, new potatoes and vegetables. I drank Doom Bar. None of us had room for a sweet.

Singapore ’50s Ex-Pats

Poppy sculpture

Elizabeth joined us this afternoon for a few days. She brought us a Poppy for the garden.

Our sister-in-law Frances’s father was an excellent photographer. I was therefore very pleased when Elizabeth also brought a 7 x 5 cm. packet of medium format black and white negatives from the 1950s. The envelope bears the stamp of Lim Photo Studio, 235 East Coast Road, Singapore. My sister came with a joint project for us. This was to produce a set of prints of family photographs taken during the years in Singapore. We scanned 30 images today, and will make the prints tomorrow. Here are a few:

Frances's Mum, Patricia, Catherine and Frances 011

From left to right, this family portrait features Frances’s Mum, sisters Patricia and Catherine, and Frances herself,

Frances 006

who here stands alone, perhaps in their garden.

Frances and Patricia 025

Frances and Patricia enjoy the swimming pool recognised by Elizabeth’s friend Paul, who also grew up in Singapore,

Frances and Vauxhall 018

and whose father also owned a similar Vauxhall car, here seen under its corrugated iron shelter.

Rickshaw bike 010

Perhaps the family travelled on one of these rickshaw bikes,

Frances's Mum reflected 015

or shopped here, where Mrs. Boyle, Frances’s Mum, is reflected in the windows.

Frances, Patricia, and their Dad 024

Socks and sandals worn by her husband, were clearly quite acceptable at the time.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s flavoursome chilli con carne (recipe) and pilau rice with green beans. Elizabeth and I drank more of the cotes du Rhone.