My mother always kept a photograph of her cousin George. By the time I inherited it, it had seen better days, having gathered almost a century's worth of scratches, dust marks, faded patches, and creases. If there is one thing I enjoy, however, it is bringing such old photographs back to life. So welcome back, … Continue reading Cousin George
Wharf Tale
This photograph dates from the mid 1970s when I was living in London. I was particularly fond of the little back streets that lined the south bank of the Thames which, at the time, were full of old warehouses and abandoned wharves. Now they are full of bistros, outrageously expensive apartments and, in the case … Continue reading Wharf Tale
Mondrian In Monochrome
I'm not sure where this is; it has a lot in common with West Yorkshire, but some of the buildings don't seem to fit in, and I have a vague memory of being in South Yorkshire when I took the photo. It doesn't matter precisely where it is - it's the shapes that are captivating … Continue reading Mondrian In Monochrome
Putting On The Ritz
The building that was known by everyone as Brighouse Ritz was destroyed by fire on Saturday. It was a building full of history and a building full of memories. It had seen films, dancing, organ recitals, cabaret, and visits from some of the greats of twentieth-century popular music. It's a sad loss to the town.
Rainy Day, Halifax, 2018
Rain on flagstones, reflections on granite sets, Streetlights stood out like silhouettes. Rainy day in Halifax, 2018.
Uncle Harry
Many families have an Uncle Harry. He's the one who doesn't fit in, the one who dares to be different. He's the one they tut-tut about and probably feel slightly jealous of. My Uncle Harry longed for a life on the stage, and in his twenties, he toured the country as part of a Concert … Continue reading Uncle Harry
A Taste Of Honey
I suppose there were days when the sun shone and the sky had an Axminster Blue tint, times when the leaves were still green and the stone slabs looked like honeyed layers. But I still see the 1970s and 80s as black and white and fifty shades of rain-washed grey. I didn't even have a … Continue reading A Taste Of Honey
Joe’s Cafe And The Search For Artificial Intelligence
I took the photograph back in the early 1980s, and I think it was in Sheffield. I decided to use the very latest AI-driven location identification programmes to confirm this, and I can now announce that today's picture features Joe's Cafe which is in Sheffield .... or Bournemouth, or Pontypool, Wales, or Skibbereen, Ireland, or, … Continue reading Joe’s Cafe And The Search For Artificial Intelligence
The Shape Of History
The raw shape of this scene is not all that different now to what it was when this postcard was first published more than a hundred years ago. Most of these buildings in this corner of Halifax are still in place: there's more traffic these days, of course, and those elaborate tram poles are long … Continue reading The Shape Of History
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