Head boy

1961

     I found myself a Saturday job at the shop I bought my chemicals from 'Head Photo' of Gateshead, and upon Ieaving school at the age of fifteen, I was offered a full-time job as a trainee photographer. The shop got its name from its owner – Tommy Head – a truly lovely, charismatic individual with a great sense of humour. 

His brother Dick also worked there and, believe it or not, in those days no one so much as sniggered at the mention of his name!

Dick Head was in charge of collecting films from shops whilst Tommy worked partly in the shop and partly in the darkroom - developing and printing people's black and white photographs. Tommy Head was funny, controlled and relaxed whereas Dick Head always seemed a bit stressed and worried about something or other.

     In the shop Tommy behaved more like the compare of a TV variety show rather than a shop owner. He made everyone laugh and ensured they enjoyed their visit.

Something I loved to see him do was when he would give stuff away – which was quite outrageous really. An elderly woman, maybe in a pink hat, would come to the counter and present a birthday card she wanted to buy. And, with a charming smile on his face, Tommy would pop it into a brown paper bag and, handing it back to her would say "congratulations madam, you're the first lady in a pink hat today - which means your card is free"!

I once watched a man buy a not inexpensive camera from him. The price was agreed, and the deal was almost complete when Tommy, glancing at the clock said "oh, I'm forgetting, up until two o'clock (it was ten to two) all men over six feet get an eighty percent discount on cameras"! What! His sales strategy was unfathomable, but people loved him and I enjoyed working for him right up until my dad persuaded me that "photography is alright as a hobby, but you need to get a "proper job". So, I assended to Hebburn… he place my dad worked.