Diamond Family Christmas

It's Christmas in Sidcup in 1963 and the Diamond family - including dancing Nan - open presents, tuck into the turkey and raise a glass – or three

This delightful film shows the Diamond family at Christmas in 1963. Daughter Gillian examines the tree and the turkey while Mum, helped by Nan, starts cooking. On opening their presents - Mum gets talc and soap, son Roger gets a record rack and £1 10 shillings and Nan dances a racy jig before they all sit down for Christmas dinner. As they tuck into the turkey the table wine starts flowing. Ted, the Dad who is filming, pans around the decorated room and waves to himself in a mirror.

Edward 'Ted' Diamond was born in 1908. His grandfather, Thomas Hicks, was a professional photographer and Ted acquired a love of photography. He married Grace, who appears throughout this film, in 1936. During World War 2, Ted presented film shows, including feature films and Ministry of Information shorts, to the troops. He also served in the British Army in India. Ted processed all his own photographs in the family kitchen, using a homemade enlarger that had lenses taken from an RAF bomb-sight. Ted eventually purchased a 8mm cine-camera and, during family holidays, filmed extensively around Herne Bay and Canterbury. His films include family celebrations, many seaside scenes and cricket.