20th Century
Nostalgia Album, Seine Bridges
As we reach the end of our 1952 Nostalgia Album adventure to Gibraltar and back, my father and his parents remain at the top of the Eiffel Tower gazing at the more distant of the [more…]
Photography
20th Century
Nostalgia Album, The Trocadero
On their Nostalgia Album 1952 road trip, my father and his parents have reached the top of the Eiffel Tower en route to Carlisle after visiting Aunty Lil in Gibraltar and taking in the healing [more…]
20th Century
Nostalgia Album, Paris
This week’s first picture is of the unmistakable Eiffel tower. In 1952, without a phone mast, the landmark was 984 ft high with a viewing area 906 ft from the ground. We shall assume my [more…]
20th Century
Nostalgia Album, Orléans
In the old photo above we observe Orléans cathedral at the end of a wide cobbled street with a row of cars parked on the right hand side. Not its real name (Basilique Cathédrale Sainte-Croix [more…]
Democracy
A View From The Greenhouse: We’re All “Far Right” Now, Innit?
Two weeks ago, when I commenced to writing my last episode about the trials and tribulations of a lazy, often reluctant veg grower and half hearted forager, I had no idea there’d be a new [more…]
20th Century
Nostalgia Album, Lourdes
Unlike my father, grandparents and daughter, I’ve never been to Lourdes. Given the proliferation of places of worship that have sprung up around the Pyrenean town since the visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to [more…]
20th Century
Nostalgia Album, Admired From Nevers to Carlisle
Admired from Nevers to Carlisle As my grandfather’s Ford 8 made its intrepid conquest of the 7,000ft high Pyrenean pass of Col de Tourmalet during the return trip from Gibraltar to Carlisle, we fell upon [more…]
Diary
A View From The Greenhouse; (The Shabbiness Of Public Service)
Autumn is upon us, misty mornings, shorter days and cool breezes from the west herald its arrival. In our tiny corner of North West England, little changes. Sheep get moved from field to field, taking [more…]
20th Century
Nostalgia Album, Nature’s Colosseum
Descending Tourmalet Having conquered the 7,000ft Col du Tourmalet for England, our pugnacious Ford 8 trundles down the other side nonchalantly taking for granted the now over-familiar spectacle of Pyerean mountain passes. The cycling data [more…]