Snakes And Branches

This view of Elland is taken from an old picture postcard, published more than 120 years ago. Of course, Elland has changed; most of those mill chimneys have gone, and blocks of flats stand where back-to-back houses once clung to the hillside. The river remains, and those roads that either snake along the valley bottom … Continue reading Snakes And Branches

The Walkway

I took this photo of Elland sometime in the early 1970s. It has all the ingredients: kids running across concrete walkways between soulless housing blocks and Elland power station fading away into a memory. Those kids will be in their 50s or 60s now, and the power station's long gone. The walkway is still there.

Bridges, Mills And Dreams

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Britannia Amongst The Chimney Pots

There are some scenes I return to again and again: photographs I have been taking for fifty years. One such is the statue of Britannia which overlooks Elland Bridge from her elevated position on the roof of the former premises of the Halifax and Huddersfield Banking Company. Sometimes I try and capture her in an … Continue reading Britannia Amongst The Chimney Pots

Christmas Cheer

The sight of a grand sunset with the addition of some Christmas cheer is difficult to beat. However, the sight of a grand sunset with the addition of some Christmas cheer seen through the window of a warm and friendly 17th century pub just about manages it.

Long Wall, Elland : It’s The Trees

This photograph of Elland from Long Wall dates back well over 100 years, but it is still a view that most people familiar with the town will recognise. The tramlines are long gone and the mills are long abandoned. The biggest change, however, is the one that is always noticeable when you compare old photographs … Continue reading Long Wall, Elland : It’s The Trees

The Greens

Sometime, you can be going about your day's business, walking the dog or buying a bag of pork pies, and suddenly you have to stop in your tracks, look around and say "what a magnificent place I am lucky enough to live in!"

From Elland To Cleethorpes, With Love

The front of this vintage postcard illustrates The Cross in Elland, that part of the town where roads from here, there and everywhere came together. The few words on the reverse of the card provide clues to the movement of ordinary folk - to here, there, and everywhere - that was a common feature in … Continue reading From Elland To Cleethorpes, With Love