Harry Holder – A tribute 

Harry Holder, APAGB, DPAGB, one of the Northern Counties Photographic Federation’s leading figures for more than half a century, died in March aged 85.

He was president of the Northern Counties Photographic Federation from 1978-1980 and twice president of his own Durham Photographic Society where he was a member for around 60 years. Some years ago he was given Honorary Life Vice President status at the society.

The former teacher from Co Durham was an expert lecturer at societies throughout the North, delivering thought-provoking talks backed up with his own excellent prints and sparking interesting debate wherever he went.

As a judge Harry’s comments were always constructive but never intended to flatter.

He was a master photographer whose work dated back to the great days of darkroom craft and quality black and white photos.

But Harry progressed with the times going on to produce great colour slides and prints and latterly embracing modern technology as he took on the challenge of digital photography.

He was supremely technically skilled, pictorially artistic and always had an eye for the offbeat, humorous and poignant picture opportunity.

Like all photographers of his generation he learned his craft in the darkroom and his black and white images were artistically inspiring and technically accomplished. We always looked forward to Harry’s nights at Durham PS because we knew the talk would be provocative, intellectually challenging and above all very interesting.

Robin Wallace, himself a veteran member of Durham PS, says: ‘’I joined Durham PS in 1958 and found a dominant group of black and white printers, one of whom was Harry who had already been in the society for nine years. I looked up to Harry as I was keen to learn. He was very prominent displaying knowledge of good lighting techniques as established by the leading portrait photographers.

A highlight of that first season was a talk by Harry backed up by his excellent prints, many of which displayed his desire not to conform to the rules. He gave the impression that he wished to be controversial and was full of ideas for improvement by widening the scope of our club activities.’’

Robin added: ‘’He was also enthusiastic about the world’s great photographers who produced work with a social conscience.’’

Harry was born at Thornley, Co Durham, the son of the colliery clerk there. During World War 11 he served in India with REME, the Army’s engineering regiment, where he worked on maintaining huge guns known as Long Toms.

By this time he had already become interested in photography and recorded in his diary while sailing out to India on a troop ship that he regretted having no film to document the journey.

After the war he trained as a teacher at Bede College, Durham, and taught technical subjects such as woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing at schools in Wheatley Hill, Bowburn and Coxhoe. Many of Harry’s early photos documented life in the Co Durham pit villages and he leaves a valuable legacy of black and white prints depicting the final years of the coal industry in that area.

Harry married local girl Kath who also saw war service as a driver in the ATS and they had two children, Susan and Martin. Kath predeceased Harry 11 years ago.

On returning home after the war in the late 1940s he was one of the founding members of the newly formed Durham Photographic Society which had succeeded an earlier photo club in the city dating back to 1891.

The esteem in which Harry was held by fellow photographers was evident at his funeral at Durham Crematorium attended by many Durham Photographic Society members and leading figures from the NCPF.

His daughter Susan arranged for a small selection of his prints to be shown at the crematorium and for a larger collection to be exhibited at the function which followed at Bowburn Hall Hotel.

David Trout