Langley Camera Club History

The Langley Camera Club was established circa 1961, in Langley BC, a rapidly growing community located about 40 km east of Vancouver. The exact month and actual year of its inception is unknown.

The year 1961 is as far back as any of our long term members have been able to confirm. There was some thought that the club may have actually started in the late 50’s but records with proof of that sailed to England along with one of the founding members and cannot be confirmed.

The ‘Langleys’

Langley is comprised of historic Fort Langley, the Township of Langley, and the City of Langley.  The area’s motto is “Where city meets country”. The bustling urban centre snuggles up to valley green belts of rich farmland and ranches, earning the reputation of being the “horse capital of BC”, and offers unlimited photo opportunities, from picturesque pastoral scenes set against a backdrop of rugged mountains, to beautiful forested parks, and includes the mighty Fraser River, as well as vignettes of sophisticated city life and urban recreation.

Founding Members

In the beginning, a group of five keen photographers, Peggy Price, Pele Swenson, Barbara Watt, and two others (whose names are unknown to those assembling our history at this time) founded the club. Although most were slide makers, Pele Swenson was an avid print maker, with international renown.

At first meetings were held in their various homes and evolved from there to the basement of the Municipal Hall, and a local Church meeting room. Past meeting locations include Douglas Park Recreation Centre, the Fraser River Art School which was located in Fort Langley, and the Langley Airport’s DC-3 Building.

Over the decades, the venues have changed and improved. In September of 2006, LCC moved to the Fort Langley Community Hall heritage building on Glover Road. The club currently meets in the Langley Lions Society West Langley Hall.

Lifetime Members

Any individual who has been a member in good standing of the Langley Camera Club for 25 years will be  declared by Executive motion to be a Lifetime Member. Annual membership fees for Lifetime Members are waived.

Current Lifetime Members are Diane Nichol, who resides in Vancouver and keeps in touch with the club, Lionel Adams lives in Langley, Detlef Klahm, a past president,  who resides in Fort Langley and is still active in the club and Doreen Willushaw also resides in Langley.  Sadly we lost two Lifetime Members this past year, Jean Davis, who joined the club in it’s founding year and Charlie Mills, who was a past president.  These members were instrumental in providing much of the information we have about the history of the Langley Camera Club.

10 and 20 Year Members

Any individual who has been a member in good standing of the Langley Camera Club for 10 years or 20 years will be declared by Executive motion to be a 10 or 20 Year Member.  A certificate that recognizes their 10 or 20 years of membership will be awarded to 10 and 20 Year Members.

President History

LCC is more than 50 years old, it takes many passionate people to make our club work; Unfortunately we can’t name them all.  According to Charlie Mills and Jean Davis, our first few presidents of records are lost. Apparently a member of the executive, keeping the records, went to England and never came back.

It is possible that our first president was Barb Watt or Pele Swenson. Early presidents may have included Stan Robinson, Mrs Eva Markois and Mr Bill Cain