Following the death of Lord Lichfield earlier this month, Remember When recalled his visits to the region.
We featured his visit to Killingworth Camera Club back in 1983 when more than 400 people crammed into the Communicare Centre to hear the society photographer give a talk. It marked the first time Lord Lichfield had spoken about his work in the region.
Organisers, we reported, paid more than £1,000 to entice him to give the memorable talk.
And we are delighted that one of those organisers, Brian Pearson, the then competition secretary of the Camera Club, sent in a picture of himself and Lord Lichfield taken on the night.
"It gave me great satisfaction to actually attract such a high-profile figure to our camera club," says Brian, now 57, who runs Image Makers, the gallery and picture framing shop in Saville Street.
He recalled: "We'd arranged for a bookseller for the evening selling Lord Lichfield's books, which he wanted to sign for people. Not only did he sign them, I remember him saying at the interval that he'd continue signing after the show and no-one should go away disappointed. And, sure enough, he signed every book and posed for photographs."
But our story did rather shake Brian: "I didn't realise it was 22 years ago, I would've said it was 16 or 17 years ago. He was a real gentleman. We all had a great night and he'll be sadly missed."
If you have any pictures or stories to tell Remember When, email Ray Marshall or write to him at: Remember When, Evening Chronicle, Groat Market, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1ED. You can also phone him on 0191 201 6239.
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