21 replies to this topic

[Auroraf1]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings.
But Oulton regulars from the 1970's & 80's will I am sure remember Frank Hall.
He sadly passed away today.

[Stephen W]

Sad news indeed. I met him on many occasions at Harewood, Baitings Dam, Scammonden and Oulton. I always took the time to have a chat and I found him a great character.

[Alan Cox]

Sad news for those of us brought up at Oulton Park in the sixties and seventies. Frank was ex-Navy, I believe, and was a proud member of the NUJ, in the days when such things were of importance. He never regarded anyone to be a serious journalist or photographer unless they, too, had a union card. He was a regular attender at events as photographer for, IIRC, the Manchester Evening News, and his photos appeared in Oulton programmes for many years.

He eventually rose to the lofty position of Press Officer and he and his wife, Peggy, manned the old shack that passed for a press office above the pits. It was difficult to get on the good side of Frank and I'm sure those other TNF members of the Oulton press corps will agree that he could be both irascible and rude, and friendly and helpful, in fairly equal measure depending on which side of the bed he had got out of, and how many people had crossed him, that morning.

I know that the death of Peggy was quite a blow, and, latterly, various people had discussed with him the possible purchase of his negative collection without success, as I think he appeared to have lost interest in just how important it might have been and, apparently, had said that he just wanted them thrown on the tip when had gone. That, indeed, would be a sad epitaph.

[Phil Rainford]

Frank’s untimely death has brought the memories flooding back……

In my teenage years wherever I went in the North of England to watch motor racing Frank and Peggy would be there, selling pictures from the back of Frank’s yellow estate car.

When he became the Oulton Park Press Officer and I began work for “Motoring News” I came into constant contact with Frank. As Alan quite rightly points out Frank could come across as rude and somewhat cold. However you had to earn Frank’s respect, once he saw you were both keen and willing to learn he was a different man and would take you under his wing, giving you snippets of news and making sure that a full set of results was always saved for you.

He lived in Sale, near where I lived with my parents and on one occasion he gave me a wonderful picture he took of Fangio driving the Mercedes at Donington during the Gunnar Nilsson Memorial Meeting.

After Frank had signed everybody on in the Press Box he used to take a number of start line shots and then stroll down towards Old Hall. The marshals would suddenly tense up as things always seemed to happen when Frank was taking pictures. The new recruits were then introduced to Frank and they were told that he was so old and spend so many years taking pictures at the corner that they named it “Old Hall” in honour of him

Phil

[MCS]

Sad to read this. I was thinking of him only the other week - perhaps as a result of the number of Oulton Park related posts and threads we've seen recently.

I liked Frank. He was certainly a character.

In the early eighties as I was ending my involvement in the sport I did some marketing work which required some photographs. I asked Frank if he could assist and he invited me round to his house in Sale where he proudly showed me some of his pictures from the sixties and seventies.

He was especially pleased that some of his portrait shots of Jim Clark had been chosen for the Duns Museum. Regrettably - as far as I can remember - it was the last time I ever saw him.

RIP Frank and Peggy.

[Simon Arron]

Can't remember whether it was 1979 or 1980 when I first met Frank. I found him an awkward soul at first - the Altrincham Guardian began using random shots I sent them, and he felt I was a) treading on his toes and b) public enemy number one because I wasn't a member of the NUJ (see above). I always seemed to get on OK with Peggy, though, and Frank eventually became more hospitable once he realised I wasn't on a mission to deprive him of the occasional £3.50 from the Cheshire Guardian Group, but actually wanted to make a career out of what I was doing (if career it can be called). I suppose it took about six months for him to warm to me and after that I always considered him a valuable ally. Subsequently, it was also quite fun watching him get cross with people who weren't me.

Like Phil, I recall the yellow Cortina Mk3 estate that seemed to be present everywhere we went. At hillclimbs, autocross meetings and the like (when he wasn't on press office duty, basically), the tailgate would be raised and he'd have a handsome display of prints available for perusal and/or purchase.

I hadn't seen him for about 15 years, I suppose, and never got the chance to tell him I finally joined the NUJ, but I'm desperately sorry to hear of his passing.

RIP, old friend.

SA

[Phil Rainford]

Just been attempting to restore some order to my office and found under my desk an Oulton race programme from the Midsummer Championship Car Races ( Saturday 20th June 1987 ) . The programme was open on the features page which is headed with a picture from Cascades of the 1275 GT Howley Racing Series field streaming through the corner. Photo: Frank Hall..............................

Kind regards

Phil

[simonlewisbooks]

I met Frank at Oulton in the late 80s when we ran our bookstall at the then-2 day VSCC event. I bought a lot of photos from him over the years and one, of Clark in a Cortina at Old Hall, was one of our best-ever sellers. Like everyone else on here I found him difficult at times and he once tore me off a strip for not paying him a royalty for using the afore mentioned Cortina photo in an AUTOSPORT advert....which advertised his own photo! I couldn't get through to him that in order to sell his his photos I really needed to advertise them and the better that worked the more I'd be buying them off him anyway, so it was actually to his advantage!
At that time he had very strong ideas om the commercial value of his negative collection...

The last time I saw him was mid 90s. He said he'd been out of circulation for a while after a near fatal heart attack. I didn't hear anything from him after that and in fact I thought the heart problems had done for him many years ago.

[Lotus 45]

When I began taking photographs at Oulton Park for Autosport in 1968, Frank was already doing likewise for MN.

I don't really recognise the irrascible, sometimes even rude person described here but maybe I was lucky. Frank certainly had strongly held views on a number of matters and was not shy in expressing them. I got on well with him, I think. When I was out of the UK for a couple of years, he took over covering Oulton for Autosport and when I returned in 1973, expecting to have to start from the "beginning" again, he very generously stepped aside and let me have my "job" back. And bearing in mind that Autosport paid two shillings for each photograph used while MN only paid one and sixpence, it was a truly generous act!

I had not seen Frank since about 1983 and so never saw him when he and Peggy were in charge of the Press Office. But whenever I am working with my photographs from those days I'm often reminded of him as he and I often seemed to be working on opposite sides of the track so he appears in the background in many of my shots.

With his passing, those days at Oulton - and Aintree and Longridge as well - seem even further away. Sad indeed but happy memories nevertheless.

Peter McFadyen

[pressman]

Sad news indeed

Being the current press officer at Oulton it hard to see how we managed in the old days , the old office being rather cramped .


Frank took an instant dislike to me in 87 when I signed in for the first time because I was filming for Sport Seen, David Winstanley`s company , I don`t think they were the best of mates,

Still , water under the bridge.

Roll on the new season

Steve.

[delboy59]

I was told about Frank when I started researching my first Oulton book and was warned that he could be quite irrascible and downright rude; but on meeting him I found him quite the opposite. He said it was because he could tell at a glance that I was keen to do what he had wanted someone to do for years but before me the people who had said they would, weren't so believable.

Before our first meeting I told my wife I'd be out a couple of hours and left the house at 2pm. At 7.30pm she called to ask where I was. Where was I? Still looking at volume 2 of Frank's 5 or 6 volume scrapbook and talking about Oulton Park and ringing some of Frank's old contacts from the Cheshire racing 'set'! Needless to say my first visit wasn't my last and we became good mates. He provided a lot of the pictures I used in both of my Oulton books and only ever asked that I pay for the printing, he never asked for any money for the stories that came with them. Both were fantastic stuff and I hope that I managed to do him justice with my efforts.

I went to see him the day before the fall that saw him taken into hospital just before Christmas gone and he was the same as ever, pleased to share a few yarns about Oulton now and then. I also visited him in hospital a week past Friday and he asked about my plans for the new season and regretted that he didn't feel up to going anymore. My plans to see him again last week though weren't able to come to be, after his sister called me with the sad news.

I'll miss you Frank, thank you mate, goodnight and God bless - R.I.P

[Stephen W]

Any news on Frank's back catalogue? I have had a couple of enquiries about meetings which I feel sure Frank would have covered.

[alansart]

Originally posted by Phil Rainford

After Frank had signed everybody on in the Press Box he used to take a number of start line shots and then stroll down towards Old Hall. The marshals would suddenly tense up as things always seemed to happen when Frank was taking pictures. The new recruits were then introduced to Frank and they were told that he was so old and spend so many years taking pictures at the corner that they named it “Old Hall” in honour of him

Phil

A Frank Hall "Old Hall" picture. Andrew Whitehouse in our PRS in front of Scott Stringfellow.



I only met Frank a few times but I think Andrew knew him quite well being a resident of Sale.

He may have been a grumpy old soul, but sometimes interesting people are!

[delboy59]

:

Sad to say that Frank's negatives went 'missing' although I rather think that he took my advice and gave them to Lancs & Cheshire Car Club. If you know Graham Winstanley, he might be able to help....

Cheers

D

PS I still have a few prints, what are you looking for?

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by delboy59
PS I still have a few prints, what are you looking for?

The latest requirement is a photograph of a Pelland Steam Car at Harewood hillclimb 18th August 1991; it was probably a demo run up the hill as I doubt it would have been competing.

[delboy59]

I don't have a pic of that I'm afraid and I doubt whether there'd be one amongst Frank's negs. He'd largely given up by then as he lost a lot of interest after his beloved wife had passed away. Sorry!

[Giraffe]

Frank bequeathed his archive to long time friend and associate (& accomplished timekeeper at hillclimb & sprint events) Chris Winstanley. Chris has now provided me with a matrix of races covered by Frank from 1961 upto 1981 (more due to be added) although this does not cover a variety of other motor sport related occasions which he attended.
If anyone would like a copy of this, and / or would like to contact Chris directly with an enquiry, please do not hesitate to PM me.

[E1pix]

I don't know of Frank, but with all sincerity find everyone's comments quite touching.

We in the art world often think we haven't left much impact behind, so this is really nice of all of you.

[Giraffe]

Frank bequeathed his archive to long time friend and associate (& accomplished timekeeper at hillclimb & sprint events) Chris Winstanley. Chris has now provided me with a matrix of races covered by Frank from 1961 upto 1981 (more due to be added) although this does not cover a variety of other motor sport related occasions which he attended.
If anyone would like a copy of this, and / or would like to contact Chris directly with an enquiry, please do not hesitate to PM me.

Chris Winstanley is plugging away with this project and has now got upto 1984 or thereabouts. I have already directed several TNFers to Chris, and I have unearthed some never before seen gems for my own project.
It amazes me that Frank would generally only use one roll of film per meeting (sometimes two for an International) and yet still manage to obtain some stunning imagery. Apparently this was the norm with photographers at the time until Frank took the hint from Patrick Lichfield, the first photographer to start delivering bagfulls of film to prospective publishers, his theory being that the film was the cheapest & least time consuming part of the process.

Edited by Giraffe, 01 March 2012 - 20:33.

[Phil Rainford]

It amazes me that Frank would generally only use one roll of film per meeting (sometimes two for an International) and yet still manage to obtain some stunning imagery.

As Oulton's press officer Frank's morning would be taken up with vetting and then signing on the those who turned up wishing for press accreditation

He could only venture out in the afternoon and then not far from the press box........... which will be one of the reasons why he only took a limited umber of pictures and of course why the rumour started that Old Hall was named after him


PAR

[Giraffe]

As Oulton's press officer Frank's morning would be taken up with vetting and then signing on the those who turned up wishing for press accreditation

He could only venture out in the afternoon and then not far from the press box........... which will be one of the reasons why he only took a limited umber of pictures and of course why the rumour started that Old Hall was named after him


PAR

Whenever I request the contact sheet from any particular meeting covered by Frank over the years, it almost always consists of one roll. The Patrick Lichfield story is straight from the horse's mouth as Chris was essentially Frank's surrogate son.
I recall reversing into Frank, flag in hand at Old Hall on one occasion. Me being a marshal and he being a photographer, he should of made it his business to keep out of my way operationally, but the famous withering look that Frank gave me will stay with me forever.... For all that, he was a lovely bloke, an enthusiast to the core, and an Oulton Park icon. John Ruston and the currently resting Bauble would have appreciated Frank too, as he loved cycle racing and covered many events of that discipline.

[Stephen W]

It amazes me that Frank would generally only use one roll of film per meeting (sometimes two for an International) and yet still manage to obtain some stunning imagery. Apparently this was the norm with photographers at the time.

For me it was the cost as my chosen media was colour slide rather than print film.

Frank took the hint from Patrick Lichfield, the first photographer to start delivering bagfulls of film to prospective publishers, his theory being that the film was the cheapest & least time consuming part of the process.

It was only when I switched to print film in the mid 90s that I started to be more expansive with my photography. I have to agree with Paddy Lichfield however the final nail in the coffin for print film with Haymarket came when a certain 'snapper' sent in 42 roles of film from a single day at Silverstone and didn't bother to identify which rolls covered the paddock, the race starts etc. The photo editor was so upset that he ordered a switch to digital which came in at the begining of the following season.