Amateur Photographer

Like father, like sons

On the morning of 13 February 1982, Fred and Arthur Gandolfi opened up their camera-making workshop in Peckham, south London, as usual. The brothers had been following the same routine since 1928, when their father, Louis, passed the business onto them. But this morning was to be different, as they were due to cope with the demands of an energetic team of young film-makers, as committed to creating a significant film about the workshop as the brothers were to fashioning their cameras. At the head of them as director was Ken Griffiths, a well-known commercial photographer, known for his stylish work in advertising.

Ken had put together a group of friends, including his brother David as cinematographer, and David’s wife Pam as producer. All were variously involved in the professional photographic industry, and the aim of the venture was to chronicle the final days of the very last remnant of what had once been a flourishing Victorian manufacturing industry. L Gandolfi & Sons had commenced making their cameras in 1885, and after Louis’ death in 1932 this business had devolved onto his family, principally the sons Thomas, Frederick, and Arthur. After Thomas’ death in 1965, Fred and Arthur brought in Thomas’ son, also called Tom, to make up their numbers, and the family carried on towards the goal of

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