Old Age

Another in my series of high-resolution scanned flowers. I think this was an orchid at one time in its life, but now it is old and withered, a little twisted, and well passed its prime. It is old age. I know what it's like.

The Feel Of History

My negative scanning moves on to a new strip of negatives, one with just three negatives on it. It dates, I think, from the mid to late 1960s, and all three photographs are from the area around Halifax. I am almost certain that the first shows the tower of Coley Church, brooding in the background, … Continue reading The Feel Of History

Grandeur Without Guilt

Yesterday, I went for a socially distanced walk with my son in the grounds of Wortley Hall, Sheffield. This magnificent eighteenth century stately home has, for the past half century, been owned by the British labour and trade union movement, and used for meetings and residential courses, as well as being made available to the … Continue reading Grandeur Without Guilt

One Of The Grandest Views

The final shot in this particular strip of six negatives, and all the climbing and scaling of hillside and stone steps is worthwhile. The view from the top of Godley Bank, when you suddenly catch sight of that carpet of industry and activity that is Halifax, must be one of the grandest views of the … Continue reading One Of The Grandest Views

Godley Bridge

Anyone who has been following the progress of my scans for the last few days will know where I had arrived at by the end of this strip of negatives from the late 1960s. It is Halifax's answer to a triumphal arch: built by the Borough Engineer in 1900 out of stone and cast iron; … Continue reading Godley Bridge

Welsh Poppy

When you've rearranged all the books on your bookshelves, watched all your box sets, re-indexed your memories, and there seems nothing left to do .... you can always scan a Welsh Poppy.

Blue Anchor Bikers

An old family photograph which must date back to the mid 1930s. The man in the photograph is Charlie Pitts, I am not sure about the woman next to him. It was taken in Blue Anchor, a village in Somerset, when my parents were on a motorbike holiday with Charlie and his lady friend.

God And Industry

A hundred yards or so after taking yesterday's photograph, I must have turned again towards Halifax and taken this next one in the series. It captures the old railway sidings at North Bridge particularly well, along with Smith's Wire Works. Monuments to both God and industry vie for control of the skyline.

Castle Hill

Castle Hill in Huddersfield: There have been settlements here for more than 4,000 years and numerous hill forts and castle have stood on top of the hill. The current tower dates only from 1899, when it was erected to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.