What is it about West Yorkshire that I miss when I'm away? It's not so much the hills and the valleys; other places have hills and valleys. It must be those palaces of industry, the mills, and the shapes they create. Throw in a concrete road and a graphite sky, and you get something that, … Continue reading Concrete And Graphite
Tag: Halifax
Sunny Bunces
By the 1960s, all that was left of the once magnificent Sunny Vale Pleasure Gardens was a Go-Kart track, a rubbish-filled lake and a host of memories. There were two lakes - Victoria and Alexandra - and I am not sure which this one was. It is hard to imagine that this forgotten little valley, … Continue reading Sunny Bunces
Messing About
There is a great deal of satisfaction to be gained from messing about with old photographs (I use the phrase "messing about" in its technical sense - the experimental algorithmic application of miscellaneous digital filters). Here is what became of a 1960s photo of mine of one of the quarries in Northowram - I forget … Continue reading Messing About
Minster Memories
Sorting through some old photographs of mine from half a century or more ago, I came across this one of the then Halifax Parish Church (now, Halifax Minster). Dating the photograph is tricky - the fabric of the church itself hasn't changed all that much in centuries. The real time-stamp is, of course, Beacon Hill … Continue reading Minster Memories
A Pint In Paris
Although I took this photograph over forty years ago, not all that much has changed in the intervening years. The signage on the Shears Inn has changed, along with the chimney pots, and there is a good deal more vegetation around these days. It is, however, still worth wandering down from Halifax town centre to … Continue reading A Pint In Paris
Plastic Skittle
Ask me for one of my most endearing visual memories of Halifax in the 1960s and 70s and I’d say the 14 foot high plastic bowling pin that graced the top of the Halifax Bowl at the junction of Broad Street and Orange Street. It seems like it was one of the most permanent features … Continue reading Plastic Skittle
Remember?
I may well remember, remember the fifth of November, but, for the life of me, I can't quite remember where I took this photograph. In my defence, I could add that it was almost sixty years ago and the building was on its last legs then. I have a feeling it was on the hillside … Continue reading Remember?
Conspiracy In Stone
Far be it from me to start a conspiracy theory; I don't like conspiracy theories..... but has anyone else noticed the similarity between the stone cherub carved into the side of Halifax Town Hall and the 47th President of the United States? There is something about that look which makes you wonder whether Calderdale is … Continue reading Conspiracy In Stone
Reflections On Bull Green
I walked up to Bull Green roundabout the other day to pass the time of day only to discover it wasn't there anymore. One gets used to this kind of thing as one gets older, but even so, it was a bit of a shock. To mark its passing - and the end of October … Continue reading Reflections On Bull Green
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