It is with great sadness that I have to report that Mel Stallworthy LRPS passed away in hospital on 2nd March 2020 aged 94. Mel and I started our AV careers around the same time in the early 1980s. Together with his wife, Margaret, he was to be seen at many AV events around the UK, such as the RPS National AV Championship and the RPS International AV Festival, as well as numerous AV Days.
Mel worked in the insurance business for many years and on retirement took up a career in wedding photography, setting up his own business which he called Cameo Photography. He also enjoyed teaching photography and for many years ran a part time photography class in the local arts centre, where he made many friends. Mel was very particular about his photography equipment and was nearly always seen with the latest Canon camera.
With Margaret, he regularly attended the AV courses held at Dyffryn House in the Vale of Glamorgan and Urchfont Manor in Wiltshire, run by Richard Tucker FRPS. Until Mel’s mobility became a problem a couple of years ago he never missed a South Wales RPS AV Group meeting and was always keen to participate in Member’s evenings. One memorable event was when Mel organised a day out for the Group on a minibus trip to the Severn Valley Railway, finishing up with a very sociable evening meal in Ross-on-Wye.
The AV Mel will be most remembered for, was a collaboration with Gwyn Morgans FRPS, which was called ‘Out of Sight Out of Mines’. The AV was a portrait of the miners and what it was like working underground in a private drift mine in South Wales. Mel toured the clubs regularly with his AV presentation called “Into The Dissolve”, was an active member of the RPS Digital Imaging Group (DIG) and a founder member of the Cardiff DIG. He was persuaded by Glenys Taylor to organise a very successful first RPS Digital Day in Cardiff which took place on 10th January 1998.
Mel leaves behind his wife of 74 years, Margaret, who was a professional florist. She is now very frail and is in a care home. After she retired Margaret continued flower arranging at home and Mel enjoyed taking many photographs of her arrangements.
There may be a memorial service some time in the future when circumstances allow. Mel will be sadly missed by all those that knew him, particularly in the South Wales AV and photography community.
Edgar Gibbs FRPS MPAGB AV-AFIAP
