The front of this vintage postcard illustrates The Cross in Elland, that part of the town where roads from here, there and everywhere came together. The few words on the reverse of the card provide clues to the movement of ordinary folk - to here, there, and everywhere - that was a common feature in … Continue reading From Elland To Cleethorpes, With Love
Author: Alan Burnett
25 Prints (1)
Whilst I was at the pub bar buying a round of drinks, it appears that I was volunteered to create some prints to sell at a Church Arts And Crafts Fair in June. On sober reflection, I decided on a series of five small A5 prints, but which of my various photographs should I choose? … Continue reading 25 Prints (1)
Conversations With My Grandfather
I've always found that the march of technological innovation has been faster than anything I could reasonably predict. I remember in the very early days of computers, speculating that one day - in the distant future - it would be possible to have all the knowledge stored in the full Encyclopaedia Brittanica, available on a … Continue reading Conversations With My Grandfather
Water Is Best
An article in the Illustrated London News of the 13th August 1859 reminds us of the gift of a water fountain to the people of Halifax by Joseph Thorp. The fountain was erected in People's Park, where it stands to this day. Whilst such a gift, two or three centuries earlier, might have been mainly … Continue reading Water Is Best
Nuts And Sweets And A Trip To The Dentist
Here is another of those wonderful old picture postcards of Halifax from the turn of the twentieth century, which provides an insight into both the public persona of the town and, at the same time, the private persona of its citizens. The public persona is provided by the front of the card, posted in May … Continue reading Nuts And Sweets And A Trip To The Dentist
Mad Dogs And Englishmen Go Out In The Midday Snow
This is a familiar scene to anyone who knows Halifax, and many of the buildings remain little changed to this day. The clothes are different, the shops are different, and the buildings at the bottom of the street are long gone, but the fine looking neo-gothic building on the right of the photograph is still … Continue reading Mad Dogs And Englishmen Go Out In The Midday Snow
Wilson And Clara Ann Go To Totnes
There was a danger yesterday that I might have been heading in the direction of order and structure in my pointless daily jottings, so I have taken swift action today to avoid such a lamentable conclusion. The swift action comes in the form of two of my favourite people, Wilson and Clara Ann Fieldhouse. Wilson … Continue reading Wilson And Clara Ann Go To Totnes
Wainhouse Tower And The Sea Of Truth
Jacob D Saddleworth in his seminal book "The Principles And Practices Of Pointlessness" stated that the abandonment of objectives need not necessarily lead to the rejection of purpose; especially in the context of linear progression. He used the memorable example of a river in its progress towards the ocean - an example I couldn't help … Continue reading Wainhouse Tower And The Sea Of Truth
Colouring My Memory
This old photograph of mine from 52 years ago is not particularly inspiring. Unlike others on the same strip of negatives, it does not illustrate changes in landscape or architecture. It does, however, unleash a floodgate of personal memories, and it also illustrates a degree of technological change. The technology in question sits centre-stage on … Continue reading Colouring My Memory
