HOW TO SURVIVE THE LOCKDOWN : No 34 IN A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS SERIES GLENGOYNE 18 YEAR OLD HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT WHISKY The nose was supposed to be "awash with red apples and ripe melon" I got that, but I also got the slightest hint of a freshly opened bottle of Tippex as well. After a … Continue reading Long, Warm And Dry
Burdock Way Wasn’t But Mack’s Offices Were
As with all of my old photographs of Halifax, the two questions that arose as soon as I scanned this old negative were time and place. Place, in the broadest sense, is relatively easy: that is clearly Halifax in the background, and using a similar approach to the way forensic scientists track a bullet's trajectory, … Continue reading Burdock Way Wasn’t But Mack’s Offices Were
Pin OK Oh!
The origins of large-scale public sculpture in Halifax go back even further than the magnificent Striding Concrete Man (aka Burdock Way). Who can forget the monumental plastic bowling pin of a decade earlier? Built on a scale to rival Charles Barry's town hall, for much of the sixties it stood like a beacon to cultural imperialism in … Continue reading Pin OK Oh!
Photo-Me, Victoria
Some people say that photographs today are as cheap as chips. This is untrue, as anyone who has been to a fish and chip shop recently will know: a bag of chips can set you back the best part of £2. Photographs, captured on smart phones and shared with friends are essentially free goods, and … Continue reading Photo-Me, Victoria
We Called It Burdock Way
Burdock Way Flyover Under Construction (c. 1971) (Alan Burnett) In recent years, large scale outdoor public sculptures which create enduring landmarks have become popular. Examples are Antony Gormley's Angel of the North in Gateshead and Andy Scott's The Kelpies in Grangemouth, Scotland. Few people realise that Halifax was a pioneer of this artistic movement, with … Continue reading We Called It Burdock Way
Beer Speaks. People Mumble.
In these strange and difficult times, we are all in search of a meaning to life; an explanation and a guiding principle that we can chalk up on a banner and carry it forward with pride and the hope of a better future. We can find inspiration in all manner of places: the smile of … Continue reading Beer Speaks. People Mumble.
A Different Time, A Different Place
I can't quite pin down the exact location of this photograph I took back in 1974. It is Halifax, without a doubt; that is Beacon Hill, more than likely: but the scene must have changed over the decades, and I can't pinpoint it on Google Earth. It might be that I have scanned the photograph … Continue reading A Different Time, A Different Place
Quality Street
JOHN MACKINTOSH & SON, ALBION MILLS, HALIFAX (c1974) My father worked at Mackintosh's in Halifax. Every so often, he would bring a bag of what were known as "Throw-Outs" home; misshapen chocolates which were sold off cheap to the factory workers. Whilst this meant a plentiful supply of chocolates for me as a child, you … Continue reading Quality Street
Neon Memories
GEORGE SQUARE, HALIFAX (1960s) This is a photograph of George Square in Halifax, taken - as far as I can remember - in the mid 1960s. You don't get to see much, just a few neon signs and fuzzy shop windows, but you don't need to see much to spark a memory. This is Halifax's … Continue reading Neon Memories
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