FAMILY FILMS 1942-2002

Over the years several members of the Ough family recorded family holidays and other events on 8 mm and super 8mm movie films. They also bought commercial movies in the same format including original Disney cartoons and a very old Pathe film taken in Torquay in the 1920's. The latter was an all too short record of high diving from a local cliff top.
Almost forgotten. these once much viewed films were left to gather dust. We tried various ways of converting them to digital format, but it was not until we found a machine that scanned each frame and converted that to digital that we were able to produce an acceptable result. The following five videos have been added to the site as a trial We hope you enjoy them . If you have any suggestions for improvement please say, but bear in mind that the quality is limited to that of the old original 8 mm fils that have been gathering dust for many years.

This page shows some initial results, the first being a record of the Rainbow Bell Ringers of Howick ( New Zealand) who played hand bells so preserving a very old form of music making. Minnie Ough Dealy was a member of that group which was led by that inspirational woman Freda Plumber

RAINBOW BELL RINGERS OF HOWICK NZ

The next video is a collection of films that record family holidays in Acapulco Mexico. They were taken during the period 1942 to 1944.
Acapulco in those days was just a small village on the southern end of the harbour that had been used for maritime trade from the early days of the Spanish Conquest to the present day. Spanish trading ships and Galleons voyaged as far afield as Manila in the Philippines and Japan.in those days. At the time the films were made the locality was still relatively undeveloped but was becoming a favourite holiday destination.
The Ough family joined with the Tuckers and the Rules for R&R holidays in the summer months to recuperate from the high altitudes of Pachuca which was home and the hard work of the mines. The journey started at 4 in the morning via Mexico City, Taxco, Chilpancingo and El Canon de los Zopilotes ( Canion of the Vultutes). The families travelled for mutual safety and support in two sedan Chevrolets, Walter owned one built in 1939 and Winston Tucker owned the slightly older model dating from 1937. The last part of the journer was a climb over the mountains that backed onto the harbour. It was alwways a contest as to who spotted the sea first as we climbed over the top. From then on we descended down to the coast and through the village to arrive at La Cordoba hotel which was built on one end of Caleta Beach. that formed a figure like a 3 with the next beach called Calletilla. In the middle was a small rocky island which in those days was pristine. Later on a hideus mansion was built on it which belonged to one of Mexico's many politicians who had enriched themselves in public"service".

HOLIDAYS IN ACAPULCO 1942-22

The next series of films are all to do with family activities mainly in Mexico but also of visits to the USA in the North and Guatemala in the South. Most were talen by Walter and Margaret Ough over period 1942-71 when they finally retired to New Zealand from their long years in Mexico.

TRIP TO CHAPALA AND MAZATLAN 1957

The following series of films were taken by Martin and Minnie Ough Dealy as they wandered through various places the Army had sent them to and then after Martin had retired from Army life and took up a career as a management and industrial engineering consultant. The first period covered the years 1952 to 1971 and the latter 1971 to 2001.

TRIP TO SARAWAK 1960

HAPPPY DAYS IN MALAYA 1960-61

Ough Family Memories
Family Albums