Grace Allington pictured in Nature's Pageant (c.1950)
1949-78
Female
Teacher
Madeline Grace (née Browning) Allington known as ‘Grace’ was a founding member of the Stroud and District Film Society. Her work was unearthed by chance when the Women in Focus team made an eBay purchase of a collection of cine films, on the premise that one of the visible notes in the listing indicated female involvement; the handwritten note ‘edited by Judy’ appeared on the external of a film carton. We have since learned that Judy, was in fact Grace’s pet dog, and rather than providing us a false lead, it was Judy’s contribution and how it was recorded that lead to the discovery of Grace Allington and her work. It has since been discovered that a paper archive relating to the work of the Stroud Film Society has been rescued by Cinema For All, Sheffield. Born in Salisbury, Wiltshire to parents A C Browning ‘R.A.SC.’ B (née Bonnor) Browning, Grace had one sister, Margery E J (1919-2012). She married Jack Halvdan George Allington (b.14.01.1920 – d. 25.01.1978) in April 1945. Jack worked as an engineer/scientist at Berkley Nuclear Laboratories on the Severn, and Grace worked as a teacher. It is believed that the couple first began making films together, using 9.5mm film and equipment in around 1949 (the earliest extant film dates from 1949), though it is possible that films produced earlier may have been lost. The extant collection reveals dual authorship; carefully composed titles confirming names of filmmakers and the two sharing the work as they alternate roles in front of and behind the camera, it also provides evidence for interactions with other contributors. Physical inspection of the film reels provides evidence of a home film library and speaks to what was once a larger collection of film, with domestic viewing of commercially produced films forming part of their viewing practices – the majority of the amateur films extant were stored in commercial Pathé cartons. The filmmaker[s] were keen amateurs who composed and edited their work. The presence of off cuts (multiple fragments of film) demonstrates the editorial process, as does the presence of splices in their finished reels. The offcuts are carefully labelled indicating that they may have been earmarked for a future edit. The film content is largely community focused, with some family holiday films (Camelot Capers (1949)) but also includes examples of domestic filmmaking undertaken by the couple showcasing their craft. In particular, Nature’s Pageant (c.1950) shows an innovative use of expensive colour film stock to show the contrast between seasons. The couple also experimented with sound- at least one film is believed to have been produced with a separate soundtrack recorded on Truvox (Pancake Race BL Fete (1955), though the soundtrack has since been lost. [Caption:] Handwritten titles mimicking a British Film Censors card, seen in Camelot Capers (1949) The couple styled their output under the moniker ‘Camelot Films’, a production feature that reoccurs throughout the collection. It is worth noting that the town of Stroud, claims connections to Arthurian legend and at one time Jack and Grace Allington were residents at ‘Camelot’ East Drive’ in Ebley. It is understood that Grace and Jack along with Natalie Savage were founding members of the long running Stroud and District Film Society, founded in 1958. However, earlier work within the collection evidences collaborative working with others including Tom Smith and Clifford Savage (Pancake Race BL Fete (1955)). Grace is thought to also have made other films herself, including Ascension Day in Bisley and Randwick Wap, it is not known if these are extant. There is a tentative connection with a Bristol cine club circa 1959, although this has not been substantiated. Stroud and District Film Society The first mention of a film society in Stroud dates from 1950, with a Mr E H C Driver librarian, credited as having started the group (Gloucester Journal - Saturday 28 October 1950, p.6). However, this group does not seem to have taken off, and there are no further mentions in contemporary press of this iteration. A second iteration of a Stroud film society appeared in 1958 – the records of the present-day society indicate this date as the year the group was founded, and this is corroborated by contemporary publications. The first film screening was held by the Stroud and District Film Society on Saturday 27 September 1958 and the theme was pre-war comedy (Gloucester Citizen - Monday 29 September 1958, p.9). The group met regularly at St Matthew’s Hall, Cainscross Stroud (Gloucester Citizen 25 November 1958 p4). Grace Allington was the secretary of the club, and her husband Jack was the chairman. Other elected members included Tom Smith, Natalie Savage, Clifford Savage, Mr A D Withey, Mr F Luckett, Mr S Hook and Mr S G Finning, Mrs M J Fountain, Mr G A G Hall, Mr J Barlow, Mr H White, Mr J Bellinger, Miss J Porter, Mrs Kirsten Mugford, Mr Tim J Mugford, Mr and Mrs G F Hines (Gloucester Citizen - Monday 26 April 1965, p5.). The club was affiliated with the BFI and was incredibly popular, reporting in 1962 a ‘saturation’ of 210 members (Gloucester Citizen, Monday 30 April 1962, p.9). The organisation seems at first to have been only a film appreciation society, with a production element proposed in 1959 (Bristol Evening Post - Monday 23 March 1959, p.7). Tim Mugford took over as chairman of the club after Jack’s death in 1978 and Kirsten Mugford later took over from Grace as secretary. During the Allington-run period the club won many awards, including Film Society of the Year in 1970 which was presented by local animator by John Halas.
UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists. (1878). Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. (1858). Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2007. www.ancestry.co.uk England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index. (1916). Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010. England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index. (1916). Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010. 60 years of the Stroud Film Society — Stroud Film Festival Stroud Film Society - Home Gloucester Journal 28 October 1950 p6. Stroud Film Society Mr E HC Driver (Gloucester Citizen, Monday 30 April 1962, p.9) Gunn, Judith (2017) ‘Stroud Film Society’ in Good on Paper, issue 33, December 2017. Available at: Good_On_Paper_Issue_33.pdf (squarespace.com)
Amateur Cinema