Author: Alan Burnett

Shelves Of Memories

Flicking through a copy of the Halifax Courier of the 13th December 1913, as one does, my attention is captured by an advert from Greenwoods, the Halifax booksellers. It's partly the design of the advert - the illustration and the typeface in finest art nouveau style. It's partly the tag-line "Established 1890 - Therefore in … Continue reading Shelves Of Memories

Faded Impressions Of Halifax

Over time, photographs fade and turn themselves into impressions. I took this photograph from the car park on top of the Halifax Bowl getting on for 60 years ago. The Brunswick Bowl is long gone, as, I am sure, is the car.  The photograph dates back to the mid 1960s: a time when Halifax was … Continue reading Faded Impressions Of Halifax

An Arctic Refuge

I've always followed the general rule in life that states that if something looks like it won't be there for long, take a photograph of it. It is a lot easier to follow such a rule in the era of digital photography than it was in the days when films, not to mention developing and … Continue reading An Arctic Refuge

The Theatre Will Be Well Aired

Christmas is a time for good cheer, festive gatherings, and seasonal entertainment treats: and what better Christmas treat could you imagine than a concert by the Lancashire Bell Ringers! This is the prospect that was on offer to the citizens of Halifax back in 1843, when "lovers of music and novelty" were "earnestly solicited to … Continue reading The Theatre Will Be Well Aired

A Pocket Exhibition Of Elland

One hundred years ago, picture postcards were the equivalent of Facebook, Twitter or the like. If you had a quick message or greeting to send to a friend, pick up a postcard, string together a couple of sentences, and pop a penny stamp on the back.Because some of these postcards have been saved - kept … Continue reading A Pocket Exhibition Of Elland

Berlin, 1983 (I Think)

I hid from the rain today by delving into the endless files of unsorted and unscanned photographs I have amassed in some 65 years of photography. The strip of four 35mm colour negatives that found itself on the top of the pile provided an entertaining diversion and a pleasant trip down memory lane, although it … Continue reading Berlin, 1983 (I Think)

Here Comes Christmas – Spend-Tide Is At Hand

There is a common cry you hear at this time of the year, a nostalgic-fuelled bemoaning of the ever-increasing commercialisation of Christmas. So often this goes hand-in-hand with the observation that 21st century retail conglomerates launch their seasonal grab of our scarce resources earlier and earlier each year. It is worth spending a moment or … Continue reading Here Comes Christmas – Spend-Tide Is At Hand

A Faded Version Of A Faded Memory

The provenance of this picture of Commercial Street in Halifax is interesting. It started life as one of the "real photograph" postcards from the golden age of picture postcards in the years leading up to the First World War, Fifty or sixty years later it was republished by the Halifax Courier as part of a … Continue reading A Faded Version Of A Faded Memory

Fruit Inflation And Silhouettes

This is a “Cabinet Card” - a pasteboard-backed Victorian photograph - of an unknown woman sat reading under a tree. I suspect it might be from an amateur photographer - clues being the outdoor location and the lack of studio details on the rear of the card. Halifax Borough Market. Not sure exactly when I … Continue reading Fruit Inflation And Silhouettes