The Club is now over fifty years old. It was all started by the co-owners of a photographic shop in St Mary's Lane. The shop had been established for some years and together with the owner of a chemists in Station Road the idea of a camera club was seen as a good business opportunity.

The first meeting took place in an upstairs room above the chemists with about 20 plus members. Other clubs were already in existence in the area with the Upminster founder member belonging to them all. The potential for a nice little earner!

Most photography then was black and white with practitioners beavering away in their darkrooms printing their mostly medium format negs on a variety of different papers. A far cry from todays almost exclusive use of 35mm cameras when people deign to use film and compact flash cards when they don’t!

Club meetings were originally fortnightly but as the club grew the space ran out and a move was made away from the chemist shop to a private room in The Bell public house. That must have solved the problem of what to do in the break! A move was made to the Clock House in St Mary's Lane and then the Hacton Lane Social Centre. Finally we ended up in the meeting room above Hornchurch library.
In October 2007 following extensive refurbishment to Hornchurch Library, Havering Council decided to increase the meeting room rent by 120% So Upminster Camera Club returned to Upminster and currently hold their weekly meetings at the Cranham Community Centre

Features of the Club programme have not changed much over the years. Photographic days out together with lectures and competitions still seem to be enjoyed by all. We have twice as many meetings as originally and in excess of 80 members on average so we must be doing something right!