Patrick George Callaghan

  I always find this shot I took of my cousin Shelia back in 1964 as somewhat intriguing and quite engaging. Taken in the style of American photographer Peter Gowland it’s been a firm favourite of mine all these years. Pictured outside in a Bedfordshire meadow, now long built over, and just before Shelia took off for a successful career in London. She celebrates a birthday this week. Happy Birthday!

The Bargee 1963 is a gorgeous romp around the canals of England and features Harry H. Corbett as The Casanova of the Canals with ‘a bird in every lock’ Harry plays Hemel Pike a narrow boat trader who won’t give-up his way of life on the water until one of his women becomes pregnant and he is forced by her drunk of a father to try and find work on land. A colourful film created by the writing team of Galton and Simpson, it also finds room for the talents of Ronnie Barker, Hugh Griffith and Eric Sykes. A very funny film that is both wonderfully nostalgic and beautifully shot in the sunshine of an English summer.