What can I say about dear old Laurie G Pearce which will not cause a few to panic. Most of us called him Larry, he had 2 brothers, Bill and Ted, all Willesden lads. Larry spent time as a projectionist at the Granada Willesden in the early 50s shining light into darkness to the thousands seated the auditorium.
Some of us found him a bit of a rascal.
He moved to 1 Bowrons Avenue in Wembley and started up his business dealing with 9.5mm, which did quite well, becoming a dab hand at re-perforating and slitting 16mm to 9.5mm, for use as raw camera stock or for 16mm projection prints.
Larry could often be found over the weekends in the sewers under the old Pathescope labs, as luck would have it right next door Brent laboratories, spending many a happy hour chipping a way at the silver on the wall and floor of the sewers. This was before the days of health and safety and hazards suits.
Pathescope went belly up causing 9.5mm enthusiasts to get hooked on anti-depressants. Larry leaped into action and started loading H & P charges with 9.5 re-perforated stock and also supplied the developing tanks and chemicals to process them. When stock run out, Ferrinia said they would only supply orders of £30,000. Without raising a sweat Larry made out a check and placed an order. Don’t ask questions.
Larry also brought in Ferrinia colour 35mm and 9.5. which could be home processed. the quality was better then Ilford colour, Prinz and Kranz. Eventually Larry brought 107 Ealing Road Wembley and opened up a photo and cine shop. He also took on the wholesale of cameras, tripods, gadget bags etc etc and as a partner in the wholesale, Frank Proctor. The company was called Gemini, the 9.5 and film was always Larry’s.
Larry did a deal with TOE regarding selling the 35mm Zenith single lens reflex and the Lubitel 120 twin lens reflex. (Lubitel was a rip off of the old Viogtlander, Brilliant.)
A number of times Larry used to take some of us chosen ones out on his boat which was moored at Maidenhead. The boat was quiet comfortable, but did not have the luxury Ian O’Really’s 4 berthed, with a heliport.
Larry sold anything which had to do with photography, cine and laboratory. Even used to sell processing tanks and printers to strange businessmen. There was the occasion he sold a processor to somebody just starting out which he claimed would do the job. When he chap got printer up and running found out it only ran at 4ft a minute. The chap need to do 16,000 feet a day. You had to be careful with him, he could be sneaky.
He took over next door as business expanded. Which apart from being a fire hazard, was an Aladdin’s cave!
Those of you that know Ealing Road Wembley will understand why he has not happy there. He spent a lot of time chasing those who kept parking on his forecourt and loading area at back. There was also problem of large rats from large fruit and vegetable shops. He moved home to Hatch End to a large house with swimming pool. Then Larry moved to a larger shop at Rayners Lane. Ian O’Really moved into the basement and Larry brought a load of Walt Disney stuff from Bucks. He was told that was last batch printed and there was no more. Better not say how much he paid but Ian and myself told him not to touch it. Later another last batch from Bucks got sold to Del Boy. (DERANN)
Before Ian could get the lab running got a phone call to to pick up a van and get Larry’s fast. Seems that Larry was about to get a visit from Harrow council and he did not have permission for a lab. Hectic couple of hours filling the van which meant place was clear before council arrived. Nothing was ever that straight with Larry and the van I was given had seen better days. While driving down Alexandra Ave somebody shot out a side street, slammed on breaks and some of load in back crashed through the partition and nearly killed me. Was not happy person and we got stuff unloaded in South Acton.
Larry started to slow down and eventually shut shop and retired. Over the years dementia and Alzheimer’s took its toll and the old Larry was gone.
The funeral was at Breakspeare and a few of his friends turned up, Rob Foxton, Tony Scott, Ian O’Really, Patrick Moules, myself and Dave Wyatt appeared to looking for an Laurel & Hardy negatives there might be. Larry’s wife was a Jehovah’s Witness who was embarrassed by us being there so we did not get invited for nibbles, but Larry’s son was friendly with us and spoke. So another one bites the dust.
Dave Carnegie 2020
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