H. J. Podmore, known as 'John'
or 'Poddy' to his friends was born on the 7th
February 1926 and died on 6th July 1998 in
Jersey. He was educated at Burcot Grange Infant
followed by Versey PreSchool in Sutton Coldfield,
then Warwick prep before finishing at Repton
Public School. John studied further and obtained
a BA in Physics, whilst working for the family
business at the Wiltell Works of the Birmingham
Chemical Company. The firm moved to Lichfield and
then was sold in the middle of the 50's, and John
was packed off to Cornwall to look after the
Podmore interests. When he had returned to Sutton
Coldfield he found employment with Birlec,
Industrial Furnace manufacturers in their Sales
department, John covered the UK for them, his
sales patter for which he was always known earned
him a good living. This was John's last full time
employment, as he retired not long before AEI
Birlec closed the Aldridge Works.
As a young man John had received Violin lessons
from a miss Mema Alcock, they fell in love and
married in September 1947. His other interests
from his youth included swimming at which he
excelled, and golf. Mema gave up a very promising
soloist career to be John's wife, and remained
his constant companion for the rest of her life.
They never moved away from Sutton Coldfield.
John's artistic side started to blossom and he
joined the Sutton Coldfield Photographic Society
at the behest of his friend John Frost. By the
middle fifties he was on the committee first as a
Public Relations/Publicity Officer and became
President for the 1961/1962 season. He helped
Sutton Coldfield PS to set up the Annual
Exhibition of the Midlands Counties Photographic
Federation. This was held in conjunction with
SCPS's Exhibition at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall,
eventually changing it's name to MIDPHOT. John's
main involvement was with the loan and setting up
of the Projection Hall, for the first few years
he persuaded E Leitz Instruments to lend us their
huge projection screen. John by tradition gave a
commentary on the accepted slides on the Saturday
night of the Exhibition, to a hall full with an
audience of 300 photographers, this he did until
1987. John had represented the SCPS at the MCPF
for a number of years and became President in
1967.
John had joined the Royal Photographic Society
and in due course gained his Associateship and
then became of the first to gain a Fellowship in
Audio Visual Presentation, and joined the Panel
for that distinction, John was on the RPS Council
for many years and retired from it whilst
Vice-president. John's general artistic qualities
and skills were now at their greatest height, he
had used a screw thread Leica and then a M3 for
years and was now a sponsored lecturer of E Leitz
Instruments. I can remember him coming along to a
SCPS meeting with the then brand new Leicaflex
plus all the lenses. Although leitz had joined
the SLR fashion late in life it was obvious that
the quality of the product was unapproachable.
The original Leicaflex and it's successor's
suited John's quality of photographs superbly,
the quiet pool, a back lit leaf, damp grasses
etc. John presented a silver Trophy crafted by
Mema to the SCPS, the Society thanked him later
for all his services to it by making him Honorary
Member. John was privileged to be on Foyles list
of lecturers for many years, he also ran
photographic courses at Flatford Mill and at
Portmerion. A publicity AV was made for Jersey,
his involvements were many and varied.
Jack Newton, a mutual friend, who had been one of
the instigators of the leica Historical Society,
died and John put all his energy behind the LHS
along with other members to insure it's survival.
He was variously Treasurer, Secretary, Editor and
finally President, his service to the LHS was
long and unstinting, only the pressure of his
poor health and then Mema's illness caused John
to let go the reins.
John will be remembered by many for his
unbounding enthusiasm, love of beauty, eloquence,
emotive feelings, and many other qualities.
Where-ever you were, if people of like minds
found out you came from Sutton Coldfield, they
asked if you knew John Podmore.
Our condolences go to his mother, his sister
Joyce together with the rest of the family, and
his friend and companion, Lesley.
David R. Grounds
LRPS.