Boyd's photo diary. |
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Sun 30 Oct 2016
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In Kathmandu
Diwali is a festival o
light celebrated by millions of people across the world every
Autumn. The festival is observed by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains,
with its main theme the triumph of light over darkness and good
over evil. |
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Sat 29 Oct 2016
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Heading for Kathmandu. This is Abu
Dhabi where I changed from the Manchester plane |
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Thu 27 Oct 2016
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Met my friend Charlie at White Coppice
to try out his new digital back for his Hasselblad camera. I’ve
had a Hasselblad camera system since the 1980s but it uses 120
roll film and since I went digital I’ve not needed to use it.
Today was a chance to use the digital back on my old Hasselblad
500C and I was impressed with its ease of use. It creates huge
files of astonishing quality but you need to be making very
large prints to justify its capabilities. |
My old Hasselblad 500C
& digital back |
Hasselblad 500C in use |
The Goit at White Coppice photographed on my Nikon Dslr
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The same shot on the Hasselblad.
The difference shows up when
I zoom in. These shots don't illustrated the difference |
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Factory Lane Whittle-le-Woods seen on
my morning walk. |
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Tue 25 Oct 2016
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I was fortunate to get a
conducted tour of the inside of the old Chorley Odeon Cinema
which is now Gala Bingo. It’s the first time I’ve been inside
since it was a cinema and I was impressed how large it looked
and tastefully converted to a bingo hall. |
Reception |
It is still obvious what
its previous use was and the higher seats seemed unchanged.
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Odeon Cinema seats |
Gala Bingo |
Gala Bingo |
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Mon 24 Oct 2016
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Interesting street lighting on the
access gate to the
Whittle & Clayton-le-Woods War Memorial |
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Sat 22 Oct 2016
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Sunrise on my morning walk above
Strathconon |
I drove along the A96 through Nairn
and on towards Elgin. Before the town I turned off towards
Duffus and down the lane to Gordonstoun School. I wanted to
visit here and take some photos as it was the school where
Freddy S Chapman was a master in the 1930s. |
Gordonstoun |
Founded in 1934 by
German educator
Kurt Hahn (1886–1974)
More about
Kurt Hahn and Prince Philip
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Fri 21 Oct 2016
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Seen on todays walk. It is
the Strathconon Church of Scotland Parish Church dating from
1830 and designed by Thomas Telford to a standard design.
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One of the estate buildings
in Strathconon.
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Thu 20 Oct 2016
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I drove to the the end of
the Strathconon (Scotland) road where there is a large parking
area by Loch Bennacharain. About a mile further on the map
showed a monument so I set off to investigate. There were two
men sat by the loch with tripods, cameras and very long lenses.
I couldn’t see what they were photographing. |
Autumn colours across the loch |
More autumn colours across
the loch |
I followed the road then
track towards some houses. I could see the stone monument on a
hill nearby but also noticed something on a further hill behind.
I came to a gate and through it climbed up the steeply sided
hill. On the summit was a cylindrical stone structure with 3
inserts in the side. Two were crests and the third was
overlooking the loch and said John Frederick Boyce Comb Major
General Colonel ?? Hussars Pau 1 Aug 1895 - 12 July 1967.
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Memorial to
John Frederick Boyce Combe |
I descended the far side and
walked across to the next small hill with a slender granite
column with a bronze osprey on the top.
On the column were the names
of 1925-1987 Peter Combe Whose singular magic presence enhanced
the lives of those who knew him.
Carola Anne Combe
5.1.1955-23.3.2000 Still ain't misbehaving.
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The second monument |
The second monument Osprey |
I descended to a rough track
and headed to some buildings. In the large barn adjacent was a
man who I asked about the monuments. He said the family were the
original Estate owners. Retracing my way back along the track I
saw the sign saying Scardroy Estate.
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This is the first time I've seen
a
Gunnera Plant |
Scardroy Lodge |
A flash flood in July 2016
blocked this part of the road with stone rubble washed off the
mountain. |
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Wed 19 Oct 2016
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The Leeds and Liverpool
Canal was finally completed in Oct 1816 with the completion of
the length from Blackburn to Whittle Springs. I have come across
two different dates for the full length opening, the 19th or the
22nd Oct. I’ve assumed today (Wed 19 Oct 2016) to be the 200th
anniversary of the opening so I went for a pre-dawn morning walk
to the locks at Johnson’s Hillock, Whittle-le-Woods to take a
couple of birthday snaps.
==
These newspaper extracts
throw some light on the opening date.
From the
Liverpool Mercury Friday 25 Oct 1816
On Saturday
morning, about seven o'clock, the Canal Company's barges, with a
train of vessels, set off from Leeds to Heapy, near Blackburn,
in order to open the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, now so happily
completed. The aquatic procession was accompanies by every
demonstration of joy, and was witnessed by a great crowd of
spectators, who added to the effect produced by firing cannon,
the display of flags, and the merry ringing of bells. The
procession arrived in this town yesterday afternoon.
From
the Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser - Friday 25
October 1816
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal was
opened on Saturday last with a grand aquatic procession of
19
Oct 1816 was a Saturday.
This implies the barges arrived in
Liverpool on Thu 24 Oct 1816.. |
The bottom lock at Whittle Springs |
Looking towards Town Lane bridge |
I
returned at lunchtime to re-take the earlier photo of the bottom
lock gate |
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Tue 18 Oct 2016
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There was rain on my morning walk but
it certainly makes the roads look more attractive under the
street lights. |
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Mon 17 Oct 2016
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This evening at the Chorley
Photographic Society Annual Awards evening. I don't enter
competitions anymore but my name is on some of them awards from
many years ago.
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Sun 16 Oct 2016
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Afternoon caught bus to
Blackburn then to King George’s Hall for 3pm to buy £7.50
(concession) ticket for the 4pm performance of ‘Super Slow Way’
Super Slow Way: A Rhapsody to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. |
Blackburn Bus Station |
A specially commissioned
Rhapsody by composer Ian Stephens and words by Ian McMillan.
A musical celebration of the canal’s Bicentenary.
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Blackburn King George's Hall |
Ian McMillan was there
to tell the story of the country’s longest waterway that took
almost half a century to build.
A new choral piece, Hundreds
of Blackburn’s voices was heard from the stage, including
Blackburn People’s Choir accompanied by school children from
Ashleigh, Cedars, Lower Darwen, St Silas and Intack Primary
Schools. The local talent was joined by international soprano
Amanda Roocroft, while music provided by the Brighouse &
Rastrick Brass Band, Bhangra pioneer and tabla player Kuljit
Bhamra and cellist Jonathan Aasgaard to form a unique musical
celebration of the canal’s bicentenary.
Afterwards I caught
the bus part way home but got off at Higher Wheelton and walked
the last few miles home along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in
the dark and rain. |
At Blackburn King George's Hall |
King George's Hall. Ian McMillan
seated on the left |
King George's Hall. Amanda Roocroft
(Soprano)
Jonathan Aasgaard (Solo Cello) |
Ian McMillan by Des Willie |
Amanda Roocroft
by
Anthony Roocroft |
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Sat 15 Oct 2016
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Two views of the setting Hunter's
Moon this morning.
The full moon is tonight |
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Thu 13 Oct 2016
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The Quakers Meeting House on
Co-Operation Street.
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Wed 12 Oct 2016
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The photo display of Chorley
Hygienic Laundry over 100 years ago is now on display at Bowen
Pie Shop. The shop is on the site of the Laundry which was
closed & demolished 10 years ago.
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Mon 10 Oct 2016
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Cycling home from Preston Railway
Station this is the view of the River Ribble from the tramway
bridge |
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Fri 07 Oct 2016
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I'm back at Tweedbank Railway Station
in Scotland to start another cycle ride across the country. This
time to Ayr. |
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Tue 04 Oct 2016
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Drove to Hoghton Church for 14:00 for funeral of Valerie Birtill
(14 Apr 1943 – 23 Sep 2016), wife of David of Withnell Fold.
Funeral Director Chris Livesey. After wards to Pleasington
crematorium then reception at Gold Club off Bury Lane. |
Hoghton Church
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Valerie Birtill |
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Evening drive to
Browsholme Hall for talk by Dr Fiona Edmonds titled
“Scandinavians and the Celts” early medieval history of Bowland
area amongst other things. |
Dr
Fiona Edmonds on the right |
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Sun 02 Oct 2016
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Junction of the Lancaster Canal and
Leeds & Liverpool canal
at Whittle Springs. Soon to be 200
years old |
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Sat 01 Oct 2016
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I spend an interesting
afternoon in Whitworth between Rochdale and Bacup. I was
visiting the
Whitworth Historical Society Museum and an art
exhibition in St Bartholomew’s Church. The church is very
impressive but looks out of proportion with the tower. That is
because it suffered fire damage in 1988 and the restored
building is much smaller. |
St Bartholomew's Church |
The Historical Society
Museum is very interesting and I was fortunate that Alan Gale,
one of their members, was there and told me about a memorial
‘blue plaque’ on a terraced house a couple of miles towards
Bacup.
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St Bartholomew's Church |
St Bartholomew's Church |
St Bartholomew's
Church c1870 |
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On 9th July 1913 King George
V and Queen Mary were on a tour of Lancashire Towns. They were
on their way to Rochdale when the Queen needed a pee (too many
tea receptions) and their car stopped at 43, Market Street. The
Queen went inside to do the necessary and the King stood on the
pavement chatting to the residents, though the plaque makes no
reference to this. |
Whitworth Historical Society
Museum |
Whitworth Historical Society
Museum |
Whitworth Historical Society
Museum |
Whitworth Historical Society
Museum |
Queen Mary (1867-1953)
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Royal loo break at 43,
Market Street |
43, Market Street |
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