The Farr Family

This Is the Blog of the Farr family, Sam and Wendy Farr and their Daughters Nichola and Helen plus their husbands Andy Higby and David Mattock. They all live in the Bath Area. Sam works as a freelance photographer after taking voluntary redundancy from The Bath Chronicle after 20 years, Andy is a freelance Manager for various Charities and David a Computer programmer. David and Helen have our two Granddaughters, Tabitha and Lottie they can be seen at www.themattocks.com.

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Teddy Bears Picnic


August the 16th is Lottie's first birthday, at the moment I'm designing the invitation for a teddy bears picnic party.
This is the front page picture taken today.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Riding Centre


The only known picture of Wendy on a horse, taken at my Cousin Kath Lamacraft's place a long-time ago.
Knowle Manor Riding Centre, Timberscombe, Exmoor

Friday, July 28, 2006

Camilla Duchess of Cornwall


Over the years I have photographed most of the royal family, though sadly never Diana.
And like most people I based my feelings on what I read in the papers and watched on TV.
I was pleased to find what a delightful person Camilla Duchess of Cornwall is, when I photographed her at Bowood House dog show last week.
She chatted happily to all, remembering to smile at the cameras regularly, positioning herself to help the photographers.
And she often kept that special eye contact with the camera that makes a great picture.
Picture Copyright Sam Farr/The Bath Chronicle

Thursday, July 27, 2006


I see Boots are moving from Southgate to Stall Street in September, here's a reminder of Boots when it was in Cheap Street (It's Dixons/ Curry's Digital at the moment)

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Fluffy Dice


I suppose the name Rage fits the hells angel image, but where do the fluffy dice fit in?


Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Deck Chairs


Deck chairs in New Bond Street Bath.

Monday, July 24, 2006

Stolen Baby Charlie Waylen

Thursday February 24th 1994 started the way of many on a local paper; I went to the Bath Royal United Hospital to shoot a feature on disposable nappies.
As I was leaving the maternity unit a police officer arrived, and before I got to my car two police cars arrived.
I called the office to see if they could check what was going on, and decided to stay while they checked.
More police turned up and started searching the hospital grounds, and it soon became clear that someone had stolen a baby.
After a couple of hours the hospital set up a press centre and photographers started arriving from agencies and national newspapers.
In the early evening the police announced the baby had been found, a reporter, TV crew and one photographer could photograph the parents Andrew and Louise Waylen with baby Charlie.
Press association photographer Barry Batchelor said “you’ve been here from the start you do it.
When I came out of the hospital, we dashed back to the office and I processed the film.
Our picture editor Kevin Clifford sat and trimmed the film down into lengths of three frames and handed them to the different newspaper wire units set up in the newsroom.
Next day my picture made every paper from the Sun to the Times, while we were doing it Barry’s pager went off telling him that police had started digging in a garden in Cromwell street in Gloucester,
He said “the baby is more important at the moment, I'll do it tomorrow”.
Little did we know it was the start of the Fred West inquiry and how many bodies would be in that garden?
A final strange twist was that a few years after I went to photograph the woman that stole the baby who was appealing for help for others like her.






Sunday, July 23, 2006

Ball Pool


Lottie in the ball pool
Picture Wendy

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Scanning a Colour Negative


Here’s a picture of Wendy changing Nicky’s nappy, the original is a 30-year old colour negative, I’m unable to get a good colour image from it.
I’ve tried the official Kodak digital ROC software, but the results are still poor.
Does anybody have any better thoughts?



Friday, July 21, 2006

Avon Valley Country Park


Nosy Goat

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Nicky is home for a few days before

returning to the RUH for more tests


Tabitha
Little Miss Mischief

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Nicky News

Nick had her tests today, but a camera went wrong.
And part of the test was missed, they may need to do them again.

She should know tomorrow.

Avon Valley Country Park


Ever had one of those days when everything goes wrong, yesterday was dreadful.
Jobs went wrong all day, then the computers crashed at work, the final straw going home after a 11-hour day I found my picture of a Kune Kune pig eating strawberries was planed for a black-and-white page.

Picture Copyright Sam Farr/The Bath Chronicle

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Nicky is starting her tests on Wednesday.


Lottie perfecting the art of banging granny in the face with a green turtle.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Nicky News

Nicky is back on Charlotte ward of the RUH.

She is unable to use her mobile phone on the ward.

Her Patient Line number is 07081 344952


Builders Hi-Fi Marshfield

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Nicky Hospital Update

After a lovely 48 hours being ill in the comfort of my own home, I have to return to the RUH tomorrow as my weekend leave is over. I'll be having tests this week to try and determine what is causing the pain and what we can do about it. It's possible that I have Crohns disease, which has been a "possible" for a long time, it's also possible that my adhesions (scar tissue) are sticking my insides together in a rather unhelpful way. There isn't much they can do to help if that's the case, as more surgery means more adhesions. I am currently on enormous doses of opiates to help with the pain, but am still not very comfortable. Obviously it would be rather difficult if I need this much pain control in the long term as I am already rather tolerant to the drugs and that will only get worse with time. I'm being readmitted to Robin Smith (Surgical Admissions) and will probably be moved on to another ward from there. I'm expecting to be in for the week, but hoping that I'll be allowed out next weekend if they want me to stay longer. I'll keep Dad updated and I'm sure he'll post on the blog if there's any news. Thanks for all of your sweet thoughts and cards, they cheer me up no end, Nicky x

Oldbury Nuclear Power Station


Oldbury nuclear power station photographed, from what was at the time the tallest hydraulic platform in the U.K.
It was brought in to check the cladding on the main building, and was easily tall enough to pass over the roof.
When you looked down to see the size of the lorry it was mounted on, it looked like it would topple over at any moment.

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Spider caught on camera.


I'm not much of an expert on spiders, but when I was going to bed last night this spider was busy wrapping its dead prey in silk on the cistern in the bathroom.
There are 300 different UK spiders I think this is a daddy-long-legs.
I snapped it with a Nikon D2hs with 60mm Micro Nikkor at f22, bounced flash.

Friday, July 14, 2006

Fresh Air


Here's a job with plenty of fresh air, this line worker is standing on the top arm of a transmission tower around 150 feet up.
Yes he is wearing a safety line, but you still need nerves of steel.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Norwood Goats


Tabitha and Helen feeding the goats
at Norwood Farm

Picture Wendy Farr


Wednesday, July 12, 2006


Sam gets his richly deserved award at last.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Princess


Nicky has had a couple of bad days, with a great deal of pain.
Last night she was admitted to the RUH, and is on the maximum dose of painkillers but still feeling pain.
She is in room 8 of Charlotte Ward and now allowed to use her mobile, so why not give her a call to arrange a visit.
It's on the first floor of the Princess Anne wing, and here are some of my snaps of a young Princess Royal Opening it over 20 years ago.



Monday, July 10, 2006

Oldbury Power Station


More pictures from Oldbury Nuclear Power Station open day in 1986.
The queue to visit the pile cap and a view from the pile cap crane of visitors looking into the reactor.

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Great Dog


I spotted a great dog in Timsbury today; he's a cross Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Spaniel.

Saturday, July 08, 2006

James Gray MP


Ive been out to Lackham College in Wiltshire this afternoon to photograph a visit by the Duke of Edinburgh.
While the photographers were waiting for the Duke we were chatting to James Gray the MP for North Wiltshire, when this cricket landed on him.
Couldn't resist a quick snap of it!

Friday, July 07, 2006

World Cup


I think this sums up the World Cup.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Oldbury Nuclear Power Station


Steam rides at Oldbury Nuclear power station open day.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Nuclear Power

With all the interest in Nuclear energy at the moment, I thought it was worth digging this picture out.
It was taken about 25 years ago so I may not have the Facts 100% right.
I took it at Berkeley nuclear laboratories, and it was a mini Lego type of nuclear reactor.
They assembled the graphite blocks in various ways, to try new ideas.
My picture shows one of the scientists with a bulb representing the power output of the nuclear reactor.

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Green Goddess Diana Moran


80's TV star of breakfast TV Diana Moran is a fully qualified teacher of exercise.
In 1993 the Exercise Association of England presented her with their Special Achievement Award for taking on at the impossible task of keeping Sam Thin.

Monday, July 03, 2006

Bath Abbey


Bath Abbey from our old bedroom window in the Abbey Churchyard.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Bishop of Bath and Wells


Early in 1988 I was sent to Wells for the enthronement of Dr George Carey as Bishop on Bath and Wells.
I remember it was a gloomy overcast day and I was dreading the job, as special arrangements had been made for a colour front page (a rare event in 1988).
As the new Bishop came out after the enthronement, the sun came out and the sky turned blue.
Set against the magnificent Bath stone frontage of the cathedral in his gold vestments it made a striking picture.
GOD certainly smiled on both of us that day.



Pictures Copyright Sam Farr/The Bath Chronicle

Saturday, July 01, 2006

New Bathroom


Well it's time for a progress report on out new bathroom upgrade after only 40 years.
This was the state of play on 30th of June.
The Floor in now down and the new window is in, the bath has been removed while Phil tiles the walls.
We picked a corner bath with a seat, as if this one lasts another 40 years I will be a hundred and two and may not be standing in the shower.

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