When my friend Craig Fraser called me to ask if he could show me some of his Uncle Terry’s cameras, I had no idea that he would also turn up with boxes of beautiful photographs from Terry’ Rice’s archive. As a photographer myself, I can remember seeing Terry Rice on various photoshoots over the years, but I had little idea that he was such a fine photographer and the variety of subjects that he has covered.
Choosing my favourite photographs from the many hundreds in the archive is almost impossible, but I managed to find these and I have written a short piece about each one and the reason I like them so much. Do let us know if you recognise anyone in the photographs, or can add any memories of that you have of Terry. I know Craig and his family would be delighted to hear from you.
This is my favourite photograph, simply because I love the vulnerability of the little boy and the loving hug he is giving his Mother. Incidentally, the little boy is probably the same age as me now - 60 years old!
This is such a great photograph because Terry has managed to capture wonderful expressions from everyone in the frame. I really like the joy on the little boy’s face as he attempts to move the hoop without touching the wire, while holding his bottle of pop in the other hand.
The Beatles played two concerts at the ABC cinema in 1963 and I think this was taken on Wednesday the 6th of November 1963, being the 5th stop on their tour of England. They performed 10 songs: I Saw Her Standing There, From Me To You, All My Loving, You Really Got A Hold On Me, Roll Over Beethoven, Boys, Till There Was You, She Loves You, Money (That's What I Want) and Twist And Shout. I wonder which song they a performing here and I really like the way John Lennon is looking straight into Terry’s camera.
For anyone using the buses during the 60’s, this conductor’s ticket machine will be instantly recognisable. It brings back many happy memories.
One of Terry’s commercial photoshoots with models. Looking at the way they are displaying their shoes to camera and I suspect this may have been for one of the local shoe companies - probably Saxone. Great lighting, posing and composition.
I grew up on a farm and can remember my father harvesting with a Massey Harris combine just like this one in the photograph. Father would be covered in dust and chaff and we would ride on the back of the trailer, letting the tractor driver know when it was full of corn. A fabulous photograph that sums up 1960’s harvesting beautifully.
Just look at Terry bouncing on the trampoline, with his huge plate camera and flash on one hand. You can just imagine him telling his subject to bounce higher, before he pulls the camera in front of him and fires a single frame. No autofocus or motor drive - Terry has probable set his aperture, shutter and the output on his flash to ensure his single shot captures the perfect image.
My parents would take me to Wellingborough Zoo during the 1960’s and this lion would often visit the pub over the road for a pint of beer. Can you imagine this being allowed these days!
Without mobile phones and social media, my childhood was mostly spent around the river Nene in Northamptonshire, re-enacting ‘Swallow and Amazons’, building rafts and catching sticklebacks in wine bottles. Terry’s photograph of these little boys playing by the river is probably staged for the camera, but is still a lovely image and beautifully composed.
Terry has been despatched by the local newspaper to photograph this young lady with her collection of film stars adorning her bedroom wall.
I guess Terry has asked an assistant to help him take this fun photograph of his climbing a ladder to the open window. Was he trying to play one of the characters from a Carry On film? The three elements that make this photograph work are Terry’s smile, the bucket and the hand on the window.
Terry’s photograph of the Queen is simply superb. Imagine crowding around the official car with a pack of photographers trying to find a space in the window that you can take your photograph. You need to balance your flash and angle your camera to ensure any reflection is minimised, while trying to manually focus on the Queen’s face. The result is perfection and Terry has even caught the Royal wave!
Another press photograph and this time Terry is covering a very dramatic crash involving a local brewery lorry that has shed its load. It’s obviously a dull day, because Terry has used fill in flash to brighten up the scene and timed his photograph perfectly - look at the driver of the Padbury lorry peering out of his window.
This is a really unusual photograph involving a single man balloon that appears to have landed on snow covered farm fields. The farmer has turned up with his tractor to act as an anchor, while his colleagues assist the pilot from the basket. Terry may have been driving past and grabbed his camera just at the right moment. I especially like the way the light is reflecting off the foil balloon.
This is not a slight that we see very often these days, but this couple seem very happy living within their shelter in the woods. It might look rough and ready, but look into the photograph and you will see teacups and saucers ready for the the tea to brew and their relatively smart clothing.
Here we see Terry covering a local election, this time with Harold Macmillan supporting a local Conservative candidate called Hamilton. I like the way Terry has caught Macmillan with his finger in the air, while Hamilton listens with a look of mild satisfaction on his face.
Here we see him photographing climbers on their way to the ice face (not the ice picks in hand) Challenging conditions to operate a plate camera, but Terry has framed them nicely.
Looking through Terry’s archive of negatives, it seems that he flew with the air force on a number of occasions and visited Germany with the US Air Force. I like the way Terry has photographed these men in the control tower, while capturing a reflection of his Dakota DC3 in the glass (Terry arrived in this aircraft for his visit)
A great industrial photograph of the steel mills at Corby, with the chimneys billowing smoke into darkened skies. Although a little ‘soft’, I still like this photograph as it captures local industry perfectly.
For anyone of my own age, we all grew up with Mrs 'T’ and whether or not you were a fan (I was a huge admirer of Mrs Thatcher), you can’t deny she was one of the most influential politicians of our age. Having entered politics in the late 50’s, her see see a young Mrs T, supporting Soames. I believe this must be Nicholas Soames (Winston Churchill’s grandson), but I don’t think Mrs Thatcher’s appearance did him much good, because he didn’t become an MP until 1983. I like the way Terry has caught this resident in ‘full flow’ and with fist clenched … I do wonder what she is saying?
A press photograph of a local builders merchants that has has caught fire. Again, superb composition of the fireman, the water jet and the blackened columns. Terry must have really felt the heat in getting so close to the action to gain this photograph.
Simply a lovely photograph of Mother and child. Terry has a way with people and I can imagine him pulling funny faces to gain the little boy’s attention.
As we have seen in the earlier trampolining photograph, Terry always joins the action to ensure he is perfectly placed to take the best photograph and his chair must have spun at just the right moment to capture these girl’s expressions.
Who is this famous person? Is she an actress? She is obviously signing autographs and Terry has asked he to look at this camera at just the right moment.
Talking of timing - it doesn’t get much better than this. Again Terry wouldn’t have the benefit of a motordrive and has timed his single frame to perfection, just has the runner touches the finishing line! Notice the low angle and the people framed to the right to add drama annd to tell a story with just one photograph.
I think this must be an ‘away day’ trip for local councillors on a couple of narrow boats, because they don’t look as if they live on them. Taken on the river Nene in Wellingborough with Whitworths Mills in the background. Again, look at the way Terry has position them carefully and then gained their attention.
A cycle road race an only one person wearing a helmet - how times change. Terry has positioned himself on a bend to photograph the cyclists as their bikes are leaning at the perfect angle.
This photograph really does take me back to my childhood, because this could easily be my front room, with my brother and sister. Notice the black and white TV on the table and the coal fire - essential items in any 60’s living room.
I think Terry is photographing US Air Force crew removing an aerial surveillance camera from the front of this aircraft (however, someone will probably tell me differently!) A great action picture, with a dash of fill in flash to make the perfect exposure and probably taken on Terry’s trip to Germany.
Although the goal keeper is clearly out of focus, I think this adds to the photograph and gives it more ‘depth’ It’s an incredible action shot, with his body distorted and the other players looking on expectantly. Perhaps, a match at Wellingborough or Kettering Town?
Back to Terry’s trip to photograph the Beatles and like any good photographer, he has ensured that he has captured the reactions of the crowd Wouldn’t is be great to find the girl in the jumper? Great picture T.
Clear round? Perfectly framed to catch the horse in mid air and the rider looking back to check to see if the fence is still in one place.
Storytelling at the local fairground. I can remember using airguns just like this.
My final picture is of Terry himself using his beautiful Hasselblad 500C. Craig still has this camera and I have told him to keep it as a memory of his uncle.
By Charlie Ward.