Boyd's photo diary. |
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Wed 31 Jul 2024
Morning bike ride to Pleasington Crematorium to visit the Book
of Remembrance. Mum died 14 years ago. |
Pleasington Crematorium. |
Pleasington Crematorium. |
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Cycling home from Pleasington stopped to photograph the boundary
stone on Moulden Brow. Leyland Hundred 7 Blackburn Hundred. |
Balloons above my house this evening. |
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Thu 25 Jul 2024
Camp above Drinkwater's ruin & Anglezarke Round Load on
horizon. |
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Tue 23 Jul 2024
Copy photo of Whittle Springs Brewery. |
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Sat 20 Jul 2024
This morning I cycled up to the Royal Observer Corps Bunker
on Denham Hill, Brindle.
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Bolton Wireless Club were running a ‘Bunkers on the Air’ event
and after setting up the aerials, cables and equipment were able
to transmit / receive from a ground level unit and also from the
restored Cold War Bunker 5m underground. There were many
conversations from other stations all over the UK and as far as
Germany. |
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Setting up the aerials. |
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Refurbished. |
Refurbished. |
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Mark on the radio in the bunker. |
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Tue 16 Jul 2024
Drove back to car park at Old Blair and walked to St Bride's
Kirk to take some drone aerial photos. On way back climbed to
Balvenie Pillar was erected in 1755 on the summit of what is now
a densely wooded hill. The pillar is hidden from view but
previously the hill or ‘Hangman's Knoll’. It was the site of the
last Public Hanging on the Atholl estate in 1630.
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St Bride's Kirk. |
St Bride's Kirk. |
Burial place of Bonnie Dundee.
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St Bride's Kirk The fabric of the existing structure is
believed to date from the 16th century but its origins are
rooted in Celtic times. It stands on a raised circular mound
which probably formed the site of an earlier building, and the
dedication to St Bride or Bridget further suggests Celtic
origins. Surviving record show that in 1275/6 when Scottish
churches were required to finance the crusades by the payment of
Tenths (Teinds or Tithes), St Bride's made payments of 32
shillings (normally equivalent to £1.60 but a significant sum of
money in those early times). In about 1475, Argus of Islay
(son of the MacDonald Lord of the Isles) raided Blair Atholl. |
St Bride's Kirk. |
The Earl and Countess took refuge in the kirk but were captured
and taken prisoner. On his return to Islay, Angus experienced a
fierce storm which he interpreted as a punishment for his
actions. He returned to Blair Atholl and it is reported that he
rebuilt the kirk as a penance. The arms of the 4th Stewart Earl
of Atholl and his 2nd wife were mounted externally in 1579. On
27 July 1689 Viscount Dundee (John Graham of Claverhouse known
as 'Bonnie Dundee') led his troops against General Hugh McKay's
government forces in the battle of Killiecrankie. Amongst the
many casualties, Dundee himself was mortally wounded. On his
death he was buried in the vault at St Bride's three days after
the battle. The burial vault was opened in the 1790s, Dundee's
armour was removed and sold to tinkers from whom it was never
recovered. The breastplate is now displayed in Blair Castle.
In 1824, the new village of Blair Atholl with its own Parish
Church was built along the new road to the South of Old Blair
and its castle. St Bride's gradually fell into disrepair. The
6th Duke of Atholl was buried here in 1864, as was his widow,
Duchess Anne in 1897. The remains of other family members were
reinterred to the West of the kirk from an earlier family
cemetery near the main drive in 1953/4. On the death of the 10th
Duke in 1996 he was buried at St Bride's. In 1953/4 the 9th
Duke arranged a programme of restoration by the Ministry of
Works (now the Department of the Environment) and those efforts
have recently been consolidated by further work to establish the
historic structure by Atholl Estates. |
Within the vault beneath are interred the remains of
John Graham of Claverhouse Viscount Dundee who fell at the
Battle of Killiecrankie 27th July 1689 aged 46. This memorial is
placed here by John 7th Duke of Atholl K.T. 1889
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John Graham of Claverhouse Bonnie Dundee |
John Graham of Claverhouse |
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Balvenie Pillar.
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Sat 13 Jul 2024
Chorley Town Hall was the venue for the annual Lancashire Local
History Federation At Home Day. The event was hosted by Chorley
Heritage Centre Group and we were treated to some great lectures
and an afternoon of various visits and tours.
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Chorley Town Hall. |
Dr Bill Walker presented “Myles Standish: Man of Mystery” and
our guest historian was Alan Davies B.A (Hons) presenting “The
Pit Brow Women of The Lancashire Coalfield”. I have seen
Alan’s excellent presentations about our lost coal mines and
workers but the Pit Brow Lasses is a new one. |
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Sir Lindsay Hoyle M.P.
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Alan Davies. |
Pit Brow Lasses. |
Mayor & High Sheriff |
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Astley Hall. |
Signing over Astley Hall. |
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Thu 11 Jul 2024
Several members of CHAS (Chorley Historical & Archaeological
Society) met at 11am, Leigh Town Hall for a tour of the Wigan
Archives and a general tour of the fascinating Town Hall
building that was completed in 1907 and is now a grade II listed
building. The architect was James Caldwell Prestwich (1852-1950)
who also designed many other buildings in the area. Our guide
was Helen Kavanagh.
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Leigh Town Hall. |
Leigh Town Hall. |
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Architect, James Caldwell Prestwich (1852-1950) |
Georgie Fame
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Thomas Tyldesley (1612 – 1651) Killed at the Civil War
Battle of Wigan Lane, 25 August 1651. |
Pete Shelley - Buzzcocks, |
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Tue 09 Jul 2024
Late morning walked to Whittle Village Hall for 11am to
Vintage and Collectables Roadshow. Took 4 old Nikon bodies and
was given £40 for them.
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Nikon camera. |
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Mon 08 Jul 2024
It was great to re-visit my old school, Withnell Fold Primary
School, near Chorley, this morning. I was there to talk to the
students about the history of the school, Withnell Fold village,
adjacent Paper Mill & the Parke family who made it all possible.
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Withnell Fold Primary School |
Withnell Fold Primary School |
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Fri 05 Jul 2024
Walked to St Bede’s School, Clayton-le-Woods for 08:45am.
Did a brief introduction to Year 3, 33 pupils age 7 to 8. Then
walked to Lower Kem Mill ruins with students and staff to give
history presentation then walked back to school to arrive at
11:50 just in time for lunch.
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St Bede's School, Clayton-le-Woods, |
St Bede's pupils. |
St Bede's pupils.
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Woke at 03:45 and went down to turn TV on to see progress of the
General Election 2024 voting and results. I thought the Channel
4 coverage with Rory Stewart & Alastair Campbel was the best.
Sunak is out and Keir Starmer is in as our new prime Minister.
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Keir & Victoria.
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Thu 04 Jul 2024
Whittle-le-Woods Village Hall. |
Voting.
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Early evening out on bike and called at the Village Hall to vote
in the General Election 2024. |
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