Between the wars and into the early 1940s Mr Fanstone was the sacristan of Romsey Abbey and his role included showing many visitors around the church.

Born in 1895, he was the son of a saddler and harness maker who carried on business in The Hundred. The business closed – cars having no need of either saddles or harnesses, so that presumably is why young Robert took up employment at Romsey Abbey.

However his hobby, photography, increasingly played a larger role in his life. He gave up being the abbey sacristan in 1940 and soon after he and his wife moved to Wellow mill. Subsequently they moved to Marsh Farm, Cadnam where he died in 1955 by which time he had been an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society for many years.

He played an active part in Romsey life, which included serving on the Council for a few years during the war. He was very popular as a speaker to local societies, particularly Women’s Institute branches. His most popular talk was “Highways and Byways of Hampshire”, although he also covered other topics. His talks were always illustrated slide shows at a time when this took a good deal of organisation. Examples of his work are available to view on the web.

Not only did he give talks in Hampshire, but was in demand all over the country, going to Manchester in 1940 amongst other visits there. He also gave lectures in the USA on occasion. By the mid-1940s he was working for specialist photographic businesses which necessitated his being away from home during the week. In 1945, he was appointed a lecturer for Messrs. Dufay-Caromel Ltd, the Frenchman Louis Dufay having invented a colour process for photography which became available in Britain in the 1930s.

Fanstone’s publications included a number of specialist works particularly about colour photography many of which were translated into French. There was one on miniature cameras. He also published books on particular subjects, such as how to photograph cathedrals and another on architectural photography.

Many of his works are available to buy via the web a are some of his prints. The list shows his wide and deep range of photography, both technical and artistic. His work is held in such high regard that some of his books have been republished recently by a specialist firm devoted to photographic classics.

Phoebe Merrick

Romsey Local History Society