ONCE IN A LIFETIME: TURN LEFT - THE RIFFS HAVE RISEN

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Re: ONCE IN A LIFETIME: TURN LEFT - THE RIFFS HAVE RISEN

Post by Ian Grace »

Progress! At last we have a completion date for the recovery of these films! They should all be scanned and restored by the first of July. Stand by for an update at that time.
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Re: ONCE IN A LIFETIME: TURN LEFT - THE RIFFS HAVE RISEN

Post by Ian Grace »

And now they are done:

The following just in from Alan Gilg. I will be working with Alan to make the films available to members once we have worked out any editing, voiceover, etc. possibilities. But the great news of course is that these priceless films, which were lost back in 1974 have been found, saved and transferred to permanent media before they deteriorated too far to be viewable.

"At long last my father's Liverpool to Cape Town films have processed and the original black case that Alan had at Westhide has been delivered with the following items:

1) Seven 400 foot Kodak 16mm Cine films (four in the original cardboard boxes) and three just in a tin can. All tin cans (except one) labelled with a Yorkshire Television logo (Archive 1-8)
2) Two 100 foot Kodak 16 mm Cine films in the original cardboard boxes
3) One empty reel Kodak 100 foot 16 mm Cine film in its original cardboard box
4) Three empty Kodak 100 foot 16 mm Cine film cardboard boxes

Then, per my order in February 2015, the studios have supplied:

1) Four presumably identical DVD disks (The one disk which Joyce and I have watched lasts about one hour 40 minutes and appears to be in sequence from Tangier to Johannesburg. The quality in black and white is very good with good clarity albeit with fine vertical lines. There is no sound nor any indication of which reels the images come from nor an index at the beginning of the DVD;
2) A Blue ray disk which we have not seen as we do not have a Blue Ray player
3) A Hard disk which contains the compressed files of the seven reels which were processed by Alive Studios. I have not yet found a way of playing them even with e-mail help from Alive Studios, but I sent a copy of one file to Alastair and he played it with no problem. I have downloaded latest software etc but maybe my PC software is too old?

The cost was as follows:

1) Transfer of the reels to electronic media £385
2) Four DVDs at £15.00 £60
3) Hard disk £60
4) Editing to ProRes 422 (Proxy) £70
TOTAL £575

Now that we have got to this stage, time to think about what to do with the media:

1) One very big task would be to edit the DVDS/reel files by:
a. Adding an index
b. Adding subtitles for each sequence
c. Relating each sequence to the diary and Alan’s book
d. Adding voice-overs
e. Any other ideas welcome…..

2) Storage of the reels- Not so important now that they have been processed, but it might be best eventually to deposit them with a film archive

3) Further work:
a. I intend to approach the RGS to see if they have an archive of 1930s media to which these media could be added, and maybe form the basis of a Ph.D thesis as there is some remarkable footage of lifestyles of both native Africans and the colonials (Nicola would you be interested in working up a proposal?)
b. Work with Ian Grace (Vintage Minor Society) as per the mechanical aspects of the trip revealed by the reels
c. Generally research the media for the period to write a follow up book to Alan’s book placing the reels in their historical perspective, notably with regard to how many of the places Alan ravelled through are now so much more dangerous
d. A variant to © could be a film using sequences to make some of the points alluded to above juxtaposing the 1933 footage to contemporary footage of the same places and peoples.

I think I have covered most aspects but if there is anything you can think off as to what could be done with these reels please let me know.

In the meantime I still have quite a bit to do finishing of the diary work and collating the diary entries with the hard media (eg hotel bills) into one big file which I would like to print out as a memento book in due course."
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Re: ONCE IN A LIFETIME: TURN LEFT - THE RIFFS HAVE RISEN

Post by Ian Grace »

As mentioned on the website, at long last we now have the original 8 mm cine films, and we can now offer the complete set of films on seven DVD's. If you would like to order a set, please contact the Register.

Apart from the obvious Morris Minor interest, the films offer an extremely rare insight into the Dark Continent in the pre-war days. Some of the train shots are almost identical to those incredible shots in 'Out of Africa'.

The files are in .mov format so play on a PC with the appropriate media player software, but I am investigating converting them to other formats that might make them playable on a TV through a regular DVD player.

Here are a few screenshots:

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Re: ONCE IN A LIFETIME: TURN LEFT - THE RIFFS HAVE RISEN

Post by Ian Grace »

More tremendous news! I have just been contacted by Chris Kay, the nephew of Walter Kay, who writes:

"Walter Kay was my uncle and I have his original album with many photographs of the trip and a later trip to the Cape in a pair of Hillman cars. For several years now I have been giving a talk about the trip. This was spurred on by the programme on Yorkshire TV and is entitled “Once in a lifetime – Turn left the Rifts (sic) have risen”.

It was an amazing trip and was the final part of my uncle’s claim to be the first person by land sea and air. By sea aged 21 to be apprenticed as a tobacco farmer in Rhodesia, then flying a Puss Moth filming the first Imperial Airways flight to the Cape and then the trip with Alan. I had visions of repeating the trip myself but Walter once said to me “Yes OK in a Land Rover but when I did it a British passport opened the way for you.” So I have only done a bit of the route including getting bogged down on the same track as them in Kenya. Sorry to ramble on but you can tell I am passionate about it."

I shall be calling Chris shortly and will have much more to report. There was no contact between Gilg and Kay between 1933 and 1978 when the Granada TV programme was made, and then it appears that they and their families lost contact again (no Facebook in those days :wink: ) That was 38 years ago, so I'm hoping very much to arrange a reunion of both families at our Summer Rally in July.

Watch this space for more news.
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Re: ONCE IN A LIFETIME: TURN LEFT - THE RIFFS HAVE RISEN

Post by Ian Grace »

Just had a long and delightful conversation with Chris Kay, a sprightly 78 year old. He has also sent me his PowerPoint presentation on the expedition which includes many great photos that I have not seen before.

Chris was able to answer many questions, including why it was that Gilg and Kay never kept in touch. The reason is that Kay went to live in Rhodesia after the trip where he worked on a tobacco farm. Subsequent to that, each thought the other had died during the war. In fact Kay flew for the RAF during the war and crashed his Dakota over Turkey after an engine failure. His navigator received the DFC for rescuing him from the wreckage and carrying him for miles on his back, as he had received a broken leg in the crash.

But why was it that the families didn't keep in touch after the 1978 Granada TV reunion. This was because Alan Gilg died before the programme aired and so the families never connected - until now. That reunion was 38 years ago now, so it will be tremendous to organize a second reunion in 2016. Chris has some sailing events during the summer that he is committed to, so he is checking the dates to see if he will be free over the Summer Rally. If so, he would be delighted to join us and meet the Gilg family.

As in many areas of historical research, one discovery begs another. Gilg flew his Puss Moth G-ABSA from England to the Cape in 1932 in order to film the very first Imperial Airways flight from Croydon to the Cape. The trip took seven Imperial Airways aircraft to complete, but Gilg completed the entire trip in his tiny Puss Moth, carrying a film cameraman (Roy Tucker) with him. The film was titled 'Wings Over Africa', and guess what? The film has gone to ground. So a new archive search is about to commence! (Walter’s brothers came to see him off, and according to the newspaper reports, “Wore mourning clothes as they didn’t expect to see him again”.)

Incidentally, we learn that Kay soloed on a Gipsy Moth in May 1930 at what is now John Lennon airport, Speke. And five months after the Gilg and Kay expedition, Kay's Puss Moth came to an abrupt end when Kay crashed it while trying to land at Lourenco Marques and wrote it off. Gilg ended up in hospital but survived.

My records for his Puss Moth are as follows:

Regd G-ABSA [CofR 3479] 12.11.31 to Walter Kay, Liverpool (based Stag Lane). (Fitted with Gipsy III #3283). CofA 3262 issued 19.11.31. Flown out to Johannesburg by owner. The aircraft flown by Kay on flight to Portuguese East Africa which struck radio mast in thunderstorm and crashed; seriously injuring pilot. Regn cld 10.32 as crashed.

Much more to come as this fascinating microcosm of British Empire history continues to unfold.
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Re: ONCE IN A LIFETIME: TURN LEFT - THE RIFFS HAVE RISEN

Post by Ian Grace »

More great news! Chris Kay as confirmed that he will be joining us at Prescott in July where a reunion with the Gilg family will take place - 38 years after Alan Gilg and Walter Kay last met!

Also, Chris has generously allowed us to include an additional disk, containing his PowerPoint presentation of his uncle's fascinating life and the 1933 expedition, in our sets of cine reel DVD's that are about to be posted to those who ordered sets. Do let me know if you would like a set. The set comprises the seven rescued cine reels, the original Granada TV progamme, Gilg's diary and now Chris Kay's presentation. Ten disks in all.
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Re: ONCE IN A LIFETIME: TURN LEFT - THE RIFFS HAVE RISEN

Post by Ian Grace »

Snippet on the Endurance Rally Association website:

http://www.londoncapetownrally.com/history.html#agwk

Not a Morris Eight, not the Rifs or the Rifts, and the New Year's Eve party would have been 1932. Otherwise not a bad summary! :o
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Re: ONCE IN A LIFETIME: TURN LEFT - THE RIFFS HAVE RISEN

Post by Ian Grace »

After weeks of disk burning, labeling, etc., the DVD sets are ready to post on Monday to those who have ordered them. This 'ultimate' set now comprises ten disks - the original Granada TV Programme 'Once in a Lifetime', the seven rescued cine reels, Gilg's diary with accompanying images and now Chris Kay's PowerPoint presentation detailing his father's life and his part in the expedition. Sets are GBP 40 including worldwide postage if you would like a set. The TV programme is in PAL format, the reels are .mov files.

Regarding the Gilg & Kay reunion at Prescott in July, both families have eagerly accepted. An invitation has gone out to Jane Young (Philip Young's widow) to bring the 1933 tourer ANO 17, and to Tim Williams to bring his de Havilland Puss Moth from Hungerford to display for us. (Kay flew his Puss Moth G-ABSA to the Cape in 1932 to film the inaugural Imperial Airways flight from Croydon to the Cape. Five months later, his Moth sadly came to an abrupt end when he crashed into a telegraph pole whilst trying to land at Lourenco Marques.)

A invitation has also gone out to ERA - the Endurance Rally Association, which Philip Young founded, in case they would like to mount a display of their own in the Paddock.

Those of you familiar with 'Out of Africa' may recall that Finch-Hatton's friend, Berkeley Cole (played by Michael Kitchen) died of black water fever - a complication of malaria. Walter Kay got engaged during the war and married in December 1949. He was preparing to set up the family home back in Rhodesia when he went down with black water fever. Unlike Cole, he survived, but it put an end to his adventuring days. The couple settled in Liverpool, where he helped his wife run a small local school, and passed on in April 1987, Alan having passed away before the airing of the Granada TV programme in 1978.

Two great characters, adventurers and explorers, and I'm so pleased that the Register has been able to play such a central role in recording their exploits for posterity, as well as encouraging so many to use their Minors in the same adventuring spirit.
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Re: ONCE IN A LIFETIME: TURN LEFT - THE RIFFS HAVE RISEN

Post by Ian Grace »

Just a reminder that the original Granada TV programme and several of the saved 8 mm cine films are available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0rviM ... BsuhoLaDVw.

Looking forward to meeting up with the Gilg family at Prescott again in July.
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Re: ONCE IN A LIFETIME: TURN LEFT - THE RIFFS HAVE RISEN

Post by Ian Grace »

Pleased to announce that there will be a large Gilg family reunion at Pre-War Prescott this year.

I have invited Andrew to present the Gilg Long Distance award again. This is awarded to the Morris Minor driven the furthest to our Summer Rally. The award is an exact half scale replica of a Hispano Suiza 'Serpent' radiator mascot. One of these mascots graced the Gilg and Kay Minor on its Cape expedition.

If Halbe drives his fabric saloon from Holland, I suspect I know who will win it this year!
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