I think I would like a full time job photographing people who have been around for a long time. There is something very special about being with older folk. Its something to do with a lack of pretence, nothing to prove/at peace with the world, a calmness, honesty and wisdom.
And how often does this come around? The opportunity to photograph someone on their 100th birthday?
Derek was born on January 20th 1912 at the tail end of the Edwardian era. To put his arrival into the world in context, a few days before his birth, Scott and his companions reached the South Pole. In that same month the African National Congress was founded and Sun Yat Sen established the Republic of China. In the same year New Mexico and Arizona were added as states in the US, the Titanic sank, the First Balkan War broke out, and Eva Braun, Gene Kelly, Woody Guthrie, Jackson Pollack and Kathleen Ferrier were born.
In the first few years after Derek’s birth leading to the first World War the following were invented: the first motorized movie camera replacing hand cranked cameras, the crossword puzzle, the bra, pyrex, the zip, radio tuners, gas masks and stainless steel.
My list could go on, and into each of the 10 decade that have spanned Derek’s life, but enough to say that during his lifetime he has witnessed more changes than in any other century including two world wars, man reaching space, rapid and dramatic changes in communications, transportation and medical advancement not to mention the birth of the computers and digitization which yes, he has luckily and wisely rejected.
Some facts about Derek:
His father was a civil engineer and Personal Advisor to Winston Churchill before the war. He also just missed being killed in the famous R101 airship crash when he was pulled out at the last minute.
Derek followed in his father’s footsteps and became a civil engineer designing and building bridges, dams, airports and factories
At the age of 8 he met his future wife Pat at a tea party in Eastbourne. They remained friends throughout childhood and beyond to Derek’s years as an undergraduate at Trinity College Cambridge. They were married when Derek was 27 and every morning from then onwards he brought her her breakfast in bed until 1996 when she passed away age 95. They were together for 70 years.
Derek’s accomplishments are too long to list but over his life he produced and sold countless paintings, been a framer, designer and carpenter - in fact the maker of numerous things from porches to exquisite pieces of furniture and from bird tables to beautiful wooden toys for children…. and all this in his spare time.
He loves Clangers and gardens and flowers and rituals like walking Daisy dog, framing pictures and making useful, and not so useful, but lovely things and drinking tea and wine with friends and helping people and making people laugh - a lot.
It was an honour to spend that hour with Derek on his 100th birthday not least for that famous sense of humour as quick and spontaneous as ever.
When I mentioned that the bra was invented the year he was born, he replied: “Oh really? I haven’t seen one of those for a long while”.
And his response to that inevitable question: ‘What is your secret to a long life?’:
‘Work. And helping others who are troubled to be cheerful. To be happy yourself you need to help others.’
Reading congratulations card from the Queen:
and numerous other cards from the very many people past and present whose lives he has touched:
With daughter Sally remembering the birth of both daughters: Derek’s other daughter Barbie was soon to arrive from Italy with Grandaughter Gemma:
Remembering Pat, love of his life and wife for 70 years:
With his best friend and mascot, Clanger:
Quiet time and siesta before family celebrations begin:
