- MAN OF THE WORLD
Personal Recollections by Peter Cargin
Some of you who have attended the awards at National Viewing Sessions over recent years will probably have seen and maybe met an elderly gentleman, who although not involved with the administration nor belonging to a film society always displayed great enthusiasm for the movement and was eager to talk with society representatives and learn how they were getting on. This was Ronald Shields who sadly died at the end of January at the age of 82.
For more than forty years Ronald was involved with the film society movement in this country - indeed it was Ronald who in 1963 when the legendary Margaret Hancock retired as Honorary Secretary of the Federation of Film Societies , took over the post for two years. This was a difficult time for the Federation which realised that with over 400 film societies in membership, something had to be done and some form of full-time staff was required. Together with others, Ronald helped negotiate an agreement with the British Film Institute, which became know as the Andover Agreement by which the BFI provided offices and a Film Society Liaison Officer who also acted as Secretary of the Federation. Ronald of course continued in work on committees for the Federation over the years and was one of the four Vice Presidents of the BFFS at the time of his death.
I first met Ronald in the early seventies at the Grasshopper Appreciation Film Society which used to operate in some wonderfully rickety premises along Endell St in London. Although it could now be regarded as the golden age of cinemas for foreign films, with the Academy, the Cinephone, the Continentale, Berkely, Cameo Poly and Cameo Royal all providing a wide range of cinema, Ronald believed that there was an even wider world of movies out there. So on Sunday afternoons he presented at the Grasshopper society, a rolling programme of films from throughout the world, starting at Albania and on through the film alphabet. Material came generally from embassies plus other sources and all were of course on 16mm, mostly in black and white!
Ronald's interest in the wider world of cinema found its fullest expression in the international film society movement. Thanks to his job working in training for the then British Rail, Ronald was able to travel around Europe - he also had a great knowledge of the European train system ! Again Ronald played an important role in the International Federation of Film Societies, particularly with all the detailed work necessary in committees, in preparing minutes and agendas and running meetings. These were not always easy and his equable manner, plus a good knowledge of French, (even if with a very British accent) guided the IFFS through many stormy waters. It was only on the occasion when the IFFS held its General Assembly in Cuba that Ronald did not make the journey, since as far as I know he never flew. He kept a meticulous record of all meeting both on the national and international front and donated much of his 'archive' to the library in La Chaux de Fonds in Switzerland where the IFFS was able to establish its own archive after many years.
In recent years he moved near to Kings Lynn with his wife and had his daughter and granddaughter for company - despite the distance and awkwardness of travel he continued to come to the BFFS Awards at the National Viewing Sessions and only missed the last BFFS AGM in Carlisle. I shall miss my telephone conversations with him, when I would try and bring him up to date on international matters, a subject he retained a keen interest in to the end - truly a man of the film world whose legacy lives on both nationally and internationally.
- MAN OF LETTERS
Personal Recollections by Dave Watterson
In this email age there is a special pleasure in receiving the well-crafted letter. Ronald loved to write, to share his knowledge and ideas but above all his experiences of travel. Not for him polite trivia but glimpses of history seen through his research, insight from his personal investigation and a mind which stayed sharp until the end.
When I first knew him his regular correspondent was Charles Roebuck, then the BFFS Treasurer. After Charles's death he asked if he could write to me. Receiving his letters was an honour and a pleasure I enjoyed right up to his last one at Christmas.
When I joined BFFS Ronald was already a fixture. Quietly spoken, yet often intense, some found his manner difficult. I quickly came to value his experience and wisdom.
Among other qualities he was a hotel buff.Having helped train many of the managers for British Rail hotels and through a carefully planned exploration of interesting hotels and tourist shows he came to know many more.Often he and Margaret, his wife, would pop off for a couple of days to try one or other of them. For the Federation this paid off handsomely when planning events. Not only did Ronald invariably know of a suitable hotel, he could usually negotiate a very favourable rate.
Over the years Ronald had done most jobs in BFFS and was always willing to help. In my first year I was away from the office for a period, visiting societies and Arts Officers. On my return a mountain of mail awaited and I started to panic. Ronald asked if he could help ... then went through the pile sorting it into degrees of urgency. That single kindness was a huge relief to me. Little did I know then that Ronald was diffident about it because of a row with a previous General Secretary who thought him interfering. That was never my experience of him.
What he never managed was to persuade me to take part in his overseas film society interests. Peter Cargin worked with him in that area to such good effect that Peter became involved in running IFFS. Ronald was rather amused that I have taken to travel only in recent years.
Apart from his family, travel and film society interests Ronald was a leading member of the Round Towers Association devoted to church architecture, a devotee of literature - especially Arnold Bennett, and very proud of his own roots in the Black Country.
He loved film society people but latterly became disenchanted with the grittier side of modern cinema. The language inGlengarry Glen Ross was a turning point for him and he rarely attended a viewing session screening of an English language film after that.
I miss the man and will miss his letters.
