History of Fairey Surveys Ltd
This cutting from the Maidenhead Advertiser was sent in by Adrian Workman. He won a Kodak prize in the 1980s, and the presentation was made in the office by the Kodak sales representative. Adrian worked in the Reprographic Department, so photography really was his life then!
Ulrich (Uli) came to Fairey Surveys for survey experience during two summers – June to September of 1967 and July to September of 1968, and lodged with Eddie Holmes during his time here.
He is now Dr Ulrich Münzer of LMU University in Munich, Faculty of Geosciences, with a speciality in subglacial volcanoes in Iceland. Details and even a photograph here: www.isviews.geo.lmu.de
He spends summers in Iceland, so can’t get to the reunions, but has sent in some photographs of his time at Fairey Surveys, and his reference from Lawrence Scott when he left in 1968.
Click on the photographs to enlarge.
Len Sellwood sent these photographs of Burma from when he was surveying there.
Len sent a few notes with the photographs:
“The Burmese village pictured – in the dry season these were rice farmers, in the Monsoon they were fishermen – note the houses are built on stilts. The palms are toddy palms, from which they get palm wine. One of my labourers could spot them miles away and always edged over to them ..”
“At the camp in Myo Chaung one of the soldiers caught a King Cobra and cut off its head as it was going into a hole. Somewhere I photographed it against a levelling staff – it was over 14 ft without the head or hood. Dennis Shearing skinned, salted and wrapped it up. Not sure if he still has it!!”
“Leveling through cane fields was very hot and very dirty.”
“The village (river) of Myo Chaung we were supposed to survey for a Dam site, the evening before a full company of soldiers went out to secure the area (usual practice). In less than an hour a tremendous fire fight erupted lasting some time with rifle, machine gun and mortar fire. We deliberated for a couple of days and were in contact with FSK via HF radio, our decision was to level up the wider part of the river but not to go too deep into the jungle – we also settled on an extra £1 a day danger money. Google Earth now shows a dam along the river.”
“The Reclining Buddha is the largest reclining Buddha in the world, we were told.”
“Burmese New Year (Water Festival) in Rangoon was great fun, as can be seen by the joy on people’s faces, wash away the sins of the old year and start the new one clean!”
Len Sellwood has sent these photographs of the survey in Enugu, Nigeria in 1974, soon after the end of the Biafran civil war.
Click on the individual pictures to enlarge and see the titles.
These are photographs of the road survey Faireys carried out in 1972-73 from the Gulf of Sirte to Sebha, about 650 kms. Many thanks to Len for sending them.
“Besides being cold and sand blasted, one memory sticks out. On Christmas morning when we came out of the mess tent after breakfast all the Drivers and helpers were lined up to shake hands and wish us a Happy Christmas – very touching.”
Click on the individual photographs for the description.
We know the date and most of the people in the photographs, but not what the presentations were for. Attendance? Good behaviour?
Left picture, L-R: ?, ?, Ken Pinkney, Bob Embleton, Rex Ackland, Peter Challis, Dave Parker
Right picture, L-R: ?, ?, Bob Embleton, Ken Pinkney, Peter Challis, Dave Parker
This turned up with a batch of brochures – seemed a pity not to preserve it. Can’t help feeling it should have a black line round it …
Top left, L-R: Dave Shave, John Keay, Ken McKenzie, Peter Challis Top right: Peter Challis
Bottom left: L-R: Eddie Holmes, John Marshall Bottom Right: Eddie Holmes
This came from the Maidenhead Advertiser in 2003, but if the archives are still kept, someone might be able to fill in the information for them.
Photographs from a press report. The pilot was Jimmy Hazard. He was seriously injured sustaining leg, head and pelvic breaks.
