BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BDPC

ESTABLISHED OVER 50 YEARS AGO

Although a Photographic Club was formed in Brentwood in 1946 just after the 2nd World War, it only lasted just over a year and was reformed in 1952 by Tom Hyde. It first met at the Lindrum Studios shop on the 1st floor in the Ongar Road with a membership of no more than 10. As the membership grew the Club moved to larger premises, the first being the "Church House" in Coptfold Road, within a year it moved to a reception room at the "Castle" public house in the Ongar Road, then within the year of that it moved to the "Toc H Hut" in Moores Place off of the High Street and membership continued to increase. The site was purchased for redevelopment and the club moved on once again to the Friends Meeting House in Shenfield, where it has been resident for over 30 years.

Current membership is between 60 and 70.

We cater for all ages and abilities and meet every Friday from 8 pm to 10 pm with 50 meetings a year.

In the early years, the Club's patron was Brigadier Gilbertson-Smith, one of Brentwood's well known citizens, whose generosity put the Club on a sound footing.

As in the past, the Club bases it's activities around lectures by visitors and Club members and competitions.

Print and Colour Slide competitions are appraised by Judges recognised by the "East Anglian Federation of Photographic Societies", to which the Club belongs.