Faces in the Crowd 1956/1957

Spot yourself in the crowd and win Ten Bob promised the regular column in the Official Programme of Derby County Football Club during the course of the 1956/57 Season. 

Following previous posts in May 2013 and May 2014 about 'Faces in the Crowd', I've discovered this earlier example of the tradition which this time printed a square white box (as opposed to the circular varieties) around the winning face. Back then, photographs were sparingly used in these publications, and they offer up a rare glimpse into the faces of football fans of this era standing on the terraces dressed in jackets and ties, often topped with a flat cap.

Seen out of context, photos of a crowd of people with a highlighted figure makes for rather uncomfortable viewing - like something out of a creepy dystopian book or film. But in this case, almost sixty years ago, it's nice to think that the individual who had been picked out of the crowd went home with an unexpected prize of a 10/- note.

Published in the Derby County v Hull City programme, 15th September 1956. Too bad the chap in front missed out on the chance of a 10 shillings prize by hoping to spot himself instead...

Derby v Bradford City programme, 13th October 1956. Check the bow-tie. Could those mop-tops in the front be sisters or even twins?

Lady with white necklace captured in the white box, 10th November 1956

Here's a reminder of the previous Faces in the Crowd: 

From Leyton Orient's promotion season to the 1st Division in 1961/1962, and in blue and white print, taken at Millwall's former ground, the Den, during the tail end of the 1960s...

Jolly faces at Brisbane Road, three white hand-drawn circles

Caps still in fashion for the older Millwall fan

*10/- Reward* appeared on Page 5 of the matchday programme. This group shot is awash with grey - coats, caps and jackets

Note that in the information accompanying the photograph, it is stated that the person is "ringed" - however the ring is not a ring. It is drawn as a square.

Incidentally, Derby County would continue to play their home fixtures at the Baseball Ground for another forty-one years following the moment in time when these '10/- Reward' photographs were taken. The stadium was indeed first used to watch the sport of baseball, which had been introduced to Britain by the industrialist Francis Ley in 1890.

Were there attempts of the 'Face in the Crowd' promotion preceding these Derby County examples? Can anyone help me spot other versions published over the years?

One Hundred

This is my one hundredth post for 'After You've Gone'. I thought that it would be appropriate for '100' to riff on the very first blog entry back in April 2013. 

Big thanks for your support, and looking forward to the next hundred...

Penguin Books, 1954

Editions Gallimard, 1983

Diana-Reihe, 1964

Signet Books, 1956

Penguin Books, 2003

X - RAY

Scanned from MORSE CODE FOR AIRMEN LP record sleeve, 1969

Airtour Products, Elstree, Hertfordshire

It's DAWK

This hairy little toy - a Gonk-like figure of a protesting beatnik - is a DAWK. A bizarre creation that actually used to make an appearance on Lloyd Thaxton's hugely popular 1960's music programme in the United States. DAWK was marketed by a major toy manufacturer, the Transogram Company of New York.

I've never seen a real DAWK, or even heard of one, until spotting this full-colour advert on the back page of a Comic book called 'FALLING in LOVE' #81 published by DC, dated February 1966.

I wonder how many of these marvelous objects were sold at the time? How many can still be found standing in silent protest half a century on?

DAWK iT UP!

Moptop,dark glasses, and kit of inter-changeable signs of protest that fit in the sign held in its hand:
DOWN WITH NEAT, UP WITH BEAT / LIVE ALONE AND LOOK IT! / DOWN WITH THE ZIP CODE / ALL DAWKS ARE DAWKS

He stands in silent protest - in GREEN

SAVE GERMS

Original Real Cool Loser

FREAKS AGAINST SUPERMEN

The Go Ahead Year

It's twelve days to go until the 2015 United Kingdom General Election. Back in March 1966, The Labour Party were aiming to get re-elected with a far greater majority following Prime Minister Harold Wilson's narrow win by just four seats in the 1964 Election. 

For the sum of three shillings and sixpence, the public could buy a slim paperback written anonymously by 'DEMOS' that highlighted the Labour Party's record over the past two years - covering 14 areas inluding the Economy, Agriculture, Housing and the National Health Service. 

I picked up the 150 page book during the 1980s simply because I liked its punchy and optimistic cover - which was back then a refreshingly far cry from the depressing graphics churned out by the Thatcherite media.

THE GO AHEAD YEAR was published by Book Distributors Leicester (BDL). The cover designer was uncredited. But such bold mid-60s imagery may well have helped The Labour Party to return to Parliament that year with a hugely bigger majority of 96 seats. 

By the way, the turnout was then almost 76% of the electorate. I wonder how many will be voting in under two weeks time?

PHOTO Kodak CINE

Spotted last week!

'introduisez vos films ICI' printed on the flap of this sturdy old postbox designed to drop off your films outside the business hours of a camera shop. This one was in Eymet, France. Can't image that it gets much use these days, but it's so good to see that it hasn't been removed - either by the proprietor or a scavenging dealer of 'vintage' objects...

shame the postcards were not of a similar vintage though...

Takes me back to my cine-days - both as a youngster with my family watching home movies projected onto a screen in the front room, and later on in my twenties when I used to make short experimental documentary films shot on Super 8. Inspired by seeing this little piece of social history, I've dug deep into my collection of Kodachrome film envelopes, boxes, cartridges and reels for examples of our PHOTO CINE past...

envelope posted to the Kodak lab in Hemel Hempstead in the early 1960s

folding instructions...and where to write your address using your trusty ink pen!

the processed reel with its Kodak-branded yellow cover

Box hails from Toronto, Ontario.Postage rates: Parcel 5c, Letter - Local 8c, Other Points 11c

Improved. Dated 1962

Type A Film, 8mm. 1962

Bullfight on Standard 8, August 1961. PROCESS BEFORE FEB 1962

Unused Tri-X 50ft reversal film 7278 still sealed in packet

Photographic Material Exposed and Processed Safety Film

Sporting the slogan within: "They come out best on Kodak film"

Telephone Exchange: GLAdstone 5314, Cricklewood, London NW2

Printed inside wallet: 'Enlargements turn Snapshots into Pictures'

Verichrome on the back of print/negative wallet

I wonder how many films and photos have passed through the flap on this yellow painted metal dropbox?