In the 1990's, the author, Mike Deane met Charles' son Carel several times and Carel borrowed Mike's archive of his own father's work for some of his lectures - On asking, Carel also personally gave a potted history of his father's life for this archive, and it is shown below.
1919 Demobilised September
1920 Linotype course at Linotype School, London
1928 Ceased regular lino operating
1930 Started half-tone & line block making after a course in London
1933 Taking photographs for weekly Press
1940-45 Block making etc also made plates for postage stamps & currency notes
1957 died August 21st
PHOTOGRAPHY
Started age 13 with a 5 shilling 1/4 plate box camera and a 2 shillings and 6 pence developing and printing outfit. Bought a half-plate stand camera in 1906; changed back to quarter plate in 1911.
Entered first photo competition in 1912 and won a prize for lantern slides. Busiest time as amateur; 1920 -1935. During this period won 168 prizes, including prix d'honneur Eisteddfod 18 times. Wrote articles for photographic press. Became member of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain in 1929 and elected Associate of that body in 1931 'for distinguished ability in photography'.
Certain circles do not approve of the colouring of black and white images even if done well, but it has been practised since the beginning of photography especially in japan and on some early stereo views. Charles Toms also liked to experiment with the colouring of his images and used to make magic lantern slides from selected views. In Charles' time it was a laborious task with a paint brush - some of his coloured work is shown here. In the spirit of this, the author has experimented himself also with some of his charles' images which are also shown here.
Enhanced image
A sketch copying this photograph was made by Charles' son Carel on the inside page page of 'Guernsey6's Forgotten Past'. If you have a copy of this, go and have a look! Published in 1992
The wording accompanying the sketch says:-
'There was once a boatyard at Perelle called La Tablette, which was between a cottage of that name and the Perelle boat building slip. It looked like this in 1925, before the ramshackle building made of rough tarred planks was pulled down. This clapboard building attached to a cottage now known as La Colline, was the home of John Savident and his wife Lydia. It was here that all the Perelle fishing boats were hauled up for the winter on land owned by John Paint. Each boat-owner's place was staked out with stones. The area was strewn with old willow crabpots, store boxes for shellfish, oars, flat-bottomed boats and all the paraphernalia which added to the chaotic charm of such places. Among the boats kept in this yard until after the last war were: Mermaid (Wm Jehan): Watch (Alfred Brehaut): Two Brothers (WM. Queripel): Alice (Alfred Savident):'
Ref: 2025-02-16-0007-enhanced
Location: Perelle St Peters
Photographer: Charles H Toms
