Jim Marsden, who sadly died just after Christmas, made an outstanding contribution to Bristol PS for some 60 years. He contributed both with his outstanding photography and also in his willingness to take on various administrative roles which helped the club to function so effectively.
When I joined the club in the late seventies, Jim was one of the most able slide workers of the period and had already obtained his ARPS. He was supportive both to me and several other newcomers and encouraged us to develop our photography and participate in the various competitions that existed.
During the eighties Jim formed the ' Colour Group' which met once a month to share images and ideas and to select images to represent the club in external competitions. He organised a stimulating programme and enthused all who attended. With the forming of the RPS Creative Group, Jim regularly attended national meetings held at Smethwick PS as well as regional meetings in the southwest.
As far as his own photography was concerned, Jim was successful both in the club competitions, where he was a frequent winner, and also in gaining awards and acceptances in International Salons. He was always willing to experiment and try new techniques and in particular enjoyed producing pictorial montages. He lectured and judged at many clubs in the region and beyond and did so with great enthusiasm and commitment.
Around 1990 he was delighted when he was awarded the Fellowship of the RPS with panel of 'tree images' submitted in the Applied section. His success in International Salons led to his being awarded an EFIAP and for his overall contribution to club photography he was made an associate of the PAGB.
Following the death of Fred Matthews, he willingly took over the running of the Bristol Salon which he chaired for a number of years ably assisted by his wife Elizabeth. It was a very successful period for the Salon and much of this was due to the efforts and enthusiasm of Jim. Over the years Jim also took on other roles within the society, serving as a competition secretary and also as club Chairman before serving as President for five years. Whenever he took on a task, he did so both with pride and great dedication. This was recognised when he was made a Life Member.
When Jim retired, he and his wife moved to Atworth near Melksham where he was able to indulge in his love of gardening. I, along with others, wondered how much we would see of Jim at the club given the drive involved but Jim was a regular attendee right up to the time when meetings were shown via zoom. Until the last few weeks he also joined the weekly zoom meetings still very much enjoying the images that he saw.
I will always remember Jim as the person who encouraged me in my early photographic years and whose enthusiasm for photography remained right to the end. He was a kind, considerate man, very humble about his own talents but when there was a job to be done you knew that if Jim took it on it would be done both efficiently and without fuss.
