Le Havre, Easter, 1968: Café des Amis stood just a few yards from my school penfriend Philippe’s house in Le Havre.
I was in my first year at art school but Philippe was still attending school.
The Lemaires lived on Rue Roger Salengro, not far from a small park overlooking the town and port of Le Havre, so these long flights of steps were a feature of any walk into town.
I haven’t added any sepia toning to these photographs, that’s down to my poor skills at developing and printing the 35 mm film. They still have a whiff of fixative about them.
In sepia my room at the Lemaire’s has a nineteenth century look to it.
On the homeward journey, after a sleepless night on the ferry, I explored Southampton.
I was met at the station by Mother and Father and the Deacon’s in their new car. We had a Soirée in the evening with Dave on the Guitar, Party games, a Sing-Song and Mrs Odo Ardi singing and Uncle Jack hid father’s Pyjamas* and left his glasses and I went to bed under the kitchen table it being 41½ hours since I got up.”
*My dad once appeared in pyjamas and dressing gown winding up an alarm clock as a gentle hint that it was time to wind up the party.