Summer appeared yesterday out of the blue (or rather out of the murky grey that had been the norm for the last couple of months). Man, wife and dog went for a walk up Greetland and then stopped for refreshments at the recently re-opened Star Pub. What a grand day. There is even a suggestion … Continue reading Desktop Calendar : Summer View Rhapsody

Back in 1973 my new job with the GLC meant that I was anxiously watching river levels in London, but that was not the case for 50 years ago today. On that day I was travelling north on a train along with many of my London-based friends, back to Halifax, and back to a rather … Continue reading The Event

I’m not sure if this was exactly 50 years ago, but the photograph dates from around that time. One clue is that I have lost the beard (it was never a very good beard) I had in the earlier part of the year. Three months earlier I had left University and moved down to London … Continue reading The Lead Up

“There can be no reason why man should not make towns liveable and healthy …. Just as much subject to the beneficent influence of bright sunshine, fresh air, flowers and plants as the country”William Hesketh Lever “Land For Houses, 1897” A grand day out at Port Sunlight on the Wirral Peninsula which included a walking … Continue reading Desktop Calendar : 9-11 August 2023

It's quite rare for early photographs to feature people in their working clothes. Whilst working people had their photographs taken, visits to photographers' studios were occasions when you wore you "Sunday best". I don't know what the origin of this particular photograph was (other than it was taken in the Oxford Electric Studios in Cardiff) … Continue reading Desktop Calendar : 6 – 8 August 2023

You can never be sure with found photographs. The only thing we can be sure about with this old photograph is that it comes from the photographic studio of Alfred Joslin of Bank Street, Carlisle. Joslin was active around the time of the First World War, and the clothing of this young lady suggests that … Continue reading Desktop Calendar : 3 – 5 August 2023

This somewhat bizarre photographs dates back to September 2012 when I was involved in a deep discussion about the contending vales of randomness and organisation on my News From Nowhere blog. It took me quite a time to remember that each line of the poem was based on the title of each of my blog … Continue reading Desktop Calendar : 31 July – 2 August 2023

We took a walk around the Yorkshire Sculpture Park on Wednesday and I spotted this delightful scene. You never know when you visit the park whether things are exhibits or merely chance objects - which is part of the enjoyment of a day out there. I spent some time trying to spot how they had … Continue reading Desktop Calendar : 28-30 July 2023

I have no idea who took this photograph. Usually it was me taking photographs of my brother, or him taking photographs of me, and thus pictures of us together are rare. It was taken in the late 1960s: Roger was living on a barge and about to sail it to Europe, making a living by … Continue reading Desktop Calendar : 25-27 July 2023