The Musical Boy Scouts

This trio of musicians appears on the front of a vintage post card which was sent to a Mr E A Hopkins in Cardiff in October 1913. The message on the reverse is as follows:- Lydney, 18/10/13 Dearest,  These are poor cards. The boy at the back is the cleverest, he plays cello alright. Best … Continue reading The Musical Boy Scouts

The King, The Prince And The Prestwich Photographer

I would guess that this little Carte de Visite from the studio of W H Martin of Prestwich, Lancashire is Edwardian rather than Victorian. I know nothing about the subject of the photograph other than he seems a bright young fellow with a rather distinctive horseshoe pattern necktie. I don't know much more about W … Continue reading The King, The Prince And The Prestwich Photographer

Manchester With A Shiny Surface

I was in Manchester last week with a group of friends - the famous Old Gits Luncheon Club - and we were walking along the Rochdale Canal en-route to a splendid public house called The Briton's Protection, when I spotted two buildings, separated by a few hundred yards and a few hundred years in economic … Continue reading Manchester With A Shiny Surface

Faces In The Snake Pit

Looking at this old photograph - which is one of my lost and found collection of unknown and unwanted old photographs - I was initially fascinated by the obvious narrative. It is clearly a demonstration of the venom being removed from poisonous snakes in either Africa or India, and it would appear too date from … Continue reading Faces In The Snake Pit

Contours In The Snow

Outside, the snow is thick on the ground and the wind has the bite of a Rottweiler with a hang-over. Even Lucy the Dog refuses to set paw outside the door. The enforced incarceration means that I have to turn to that list of jobs I have been putting off - and in particular the … Continue reading Contours In The Snow

A Grazed Knee And An Open Sea

History Preserved

History Preserved, Like A Moth In An Encyclopaedia

First Class Apparatus In Halifax

Kate From Keighley