I'm not sure how Huddersfield got a Piazza - it might have been near the end of a too-long Planning Committee meeting, it might have been a joke, and it was probably wishful thinking. But why shouldn't the town have a piazza if it wants one? Let it be filled with shops, and people, and … Continue reading Huddersfield Piazza
Month: May 2025
Letter To My Brother
Dear Rog, I think this is you, but I know from experience that you will be quick to correct me if I get the wrong place, the wrong year, or - heaven help us - the wrong person. My guess is that this is you on holiday in New Brighton around 1951. Let me know … Continue reading Letter To My Brother
Gog Hill
A photograph of the delightfully named Gog Hill in Elland from 45 years ago. Even then, it was a shadow of its former self, cleared of the layer after layer of houses that used to cling to this hillside. Generations of my wife's family had lived on or around Gog Hill, their stories woven into … Continue reading Gog Hill
On The Beach
The wonderful thing about collecting old and unwanted photographs is that they offer a form of pictorial archaeology. Scan them, enlarge them, and then you can start digging. Zoom in on the clothes, the figures, and the hats. Discover twenty different stories and thirty different images. Ask questions without the need to find answers. It … Continue reading On The Beach
Snicket In Halifax
No photographer worth his (or her) silver salts can pass this pathway off Old Lane in Halifax without taking a photograph like this as a tribute to the great photographer, Bill Brandt. Brandt's 1937 version of the scene ended up in New York's Museum of Modern Art. My 1980 version ended up as my calendar … Continue reading Snicket In Halifax
Dicka Smith
There's a name scribbled on the reverse of this early 20th century portrait from the Clark Studio of Blyth: "Dicka Smith." Given the time and place, there is a fair chance that Dicka was a miner. The strange object that seems to be supporting him was just one of the studio props that were popular … Continue reading Dicka Smith
That’s Progress For You
I have a vague memory of taking this photo somewhere around Luddenden some 45 years ago. Back then, it would have been unthinkable that I could make up for my lack of record keeping by tracking down similar buildings using on-line street-view maps. But that's progress for you - and, if I'm right, the mill … Continue reading That’s Progress For You
Kinlochleven
My photograph dates from the early 1960s when we spent a holiday at Kinlochleven in Scotland. Clearly visible is the aluminium smelter, which was still operational at the time - it was eventually closed in June 2000. The dam and hydro-electric power plant, which were built to power the smelter, still exist and provide power … Continue reading Kinlochleven
Girl In A Wicker Bed
This rather poignant photograph is from a collection of family photos, but I can't recognise any of the three subjects. Needing a caption for it, I came up with "Girl In A Wicker Invalid Bed," which sound rather like the title of a Scandi-noir crime novel. I can't decide whether I should try and research … Continue reading Girl In A Wicker Bed
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