Halifax does stone well. The railway viaduct could be part of a Roman amphitheatre, and the mill could be the business end of a Gothic cathedral. The wall could be an early stone version of Tetris, and the chimney part of a Gormley sculpture. And there, in the background, is the source of it all … Continue reading Stone
Category: Scanned Negatives
Happy Birthday
Making the love of my life the subject of my daily calendar on her birthday fulfils two important objectives. It reminds me not to forget her birthday, which, after more than half a century together, I'm still capable of doing. It also provides me with a birthday card I can print off and hand to … Continue reading Happy Birthday
Bus Stops
Bus stops are the punctuation marks of life, the points at which you pause, draw breath, and see what comes around the corner. It might be the bus you want, it might be a new direction in life. The bus stop in this case was at the top of Oxford Street in Crookesmoor, Sheffield. The … Continue reading Bus Stops
Memory
How many memories can you squeeze into a photograph? I crossed the road here each day on my way to junior school, and I caught the bus here each day on my way to secondary school. I bought bags of chips at the corner and comics across the road. I pumped petrol at the filling … Continue reading Memory
Old And New In Halifax
Better photographers than me have clicked a shutter up Old Lane in Halifax, although the great Bill Brandt was facing in the opposite direction. Had he turned round he would have got a nice composition in sooty stone, cast iron and gritstone rock. And if he had returned to Halifax in the 80s he would … Continue reading Old And New In Halifax
Commercial Street
From the mid nineteenth century onwards, every northern town worth its weight in brass had a Commercial Street. To these streets the new generation of drapers, bakers and umbrella makers were drawn. I took this photograph of Brighouse's Commercial Street over half a century ago. It was busy then and, I'm glad to say, it's … Continue reading Commercial Street
Tunnel End
Photographs don't have to be "good" photographs to be memorable. Sometimes all they need to do is to capture a moment in time, seize a memory, transport you back to your youth. In this case I think it was Tunnel End in Marsden, but I can't be sure. Wherever it was, we're all at the … Continue reading Tunnel End
Seated In The Sun
35/1001 : My quest to find 1001 half decent photographs before I "clicked my shutter" finds me in Sheffield in 1980, walking through the park and discovering a strange geometric pattern created by empty seats in search of an audience.
Municipal Muck
34/1001 : I took this photo of Halifax Town Hall 50 years ago whilst the stonework was being cleaned. I can understand the viewpoint of those who think it's right to preserve the industrial legacy of layers of soot and grime, but, to me, that's just like leaving an old master mucky!
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