Thursday 27 October 2016

October 2016 Photo Treasure Hunt

This October I  have spent many hours putting old slides, some dating back to 1959, onto my computer, then having started this I am now tackling all my mother's old photograph albums which have included many pictures going back to pre WWI, even some pictures of her and my father as babies, beautiful studio photographs.  So this month I will be using some of these old photographs as well as some from more recent ones I found in her old albums. 



1.  Something Beginning with A.....Aerial

This lovely photographs was taken many  years ago in Hawthorn's garden where she had a bouncy castle for the boys birthday party.  This is Youngest taking it all very seriously!!









2.  Lunch

Whenever we go to Northumberland on holiday we just  have to go to our favourite seafood restaurant in Seahouses for fish and chips...............my mouth is watering just thinking about it!  



3.  11 O'clock 

Elevenses .....who can resist a mug of coffee on a bench in the sun out in the garden.  (Jak gloves a gift from a good friend. Thanks M) 









4. Black and White

I have been spoilt for choice with this title as I had so many black and white photographs to choose from as well as pictures of black and white cats and dogs but I have chosen this very old photograph of my grandfather Valentine taken in South Africa during the Boer War.  That is him seated second from the left. What a stern gentleman he looks to be but then that was the style of photograph in those Victorian days.





5.  Looking up

I love looking up at the contrails in the sky and wondering where the planes are going to; whether the passengers are holiday makers, business executives, people leaving the UK to live in a new country............bon voyage.









6.  Something beginning with T


T is for Two Tonkenese........two evil sisters who spent their days plotting about the best way to catch birds............though they got that wrong as they never worked out that they would never catch a bird sitting in the bird feeder!!  If you look closely at the post they have their beady eyes on a gecko.  This photograph was taken in our garden in South Africa some years ago.





7.  Landscape 


Not all landscape views are breathtakingly beautiful, some are stark but still amazing.  This picture was taken at the beginning of the steep descent after passing the Honister Slate Mine on top of the  Honister Pass in the Lake District, Cumbria.   This narrow road wound down and down - after a hairy narrow ascent from Borrowdale - until it reached Buttermere and Crummock Water.  It was a very memorable drive.  









8.  Two 

Two doves sitting on a branch outside our lounge window.  Sadly the local council have cut down the tree and we no longer have birds and squirrels so close.  Picture taken on ordinary lens only slightly zoomed in.






9.  Swing 

Another from the family archives.  This is me having fun on a swing in about 1946.  Sorry about the what looks like tomato sauce on the picture.  I tried to remove it then tried to be clever and clone the skin colours but gave up in frustration.  






10.  My Own Choice 

This photograph is one of family legend, often talked about and just recently rediscovered. It is Hawthorn aged about 7 with her younger but now very much taller brother aged about 3 walking around our garden in Salisbury, Rhodesia (present day Harare, Zimbabwe).  The train being so reverently carried is actually their tent!!   The colour on many of the old slides is not good any more, especially the Kodak ones, so I am glad we are rescuing them before they deteriorate any further. 







12 comments:

  1. Wow! Talk about a blast from (several) pasts! Photos and memories that I'd forgotten. Thank you for sharing and for me -reminding- so many lovely images☺ don't forget to link up, don't want your excellent pictures not to be seen xx

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    1. Thank you. We are busy preparing all old pictures so we can have a family evening of laughs and memories sometime soon when Eldest is home from Uni. xx

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  2. Wow, great set of photos; you have been thinking outside the box! Love the old photos, certainly from a different generation or two. Which is your grandfather as there are 4 seated?!!! Second from the left? Are you telling me you ate all that fish etc for your lunch?? My favourite is you on the swing and the 'tomato' ketchup on your leg is perfect! Don't remove it.

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    1. He is second from the left in the Railway Police uniform. Did not make it clear in my description. He was awarded a medal for his services in the Boer war which I now have. Yes, that lunch looks enormous but if you asked for hake you always got two pieces each so we would take one piece each home in a 'doggy bag' and have it cold with mayo and salad for supper the next day. Delicious. x

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    2. You are making me feel so hungry!!! Forgot about a 'doggy bag' which I sometimes do when I am out and can't eat it all! Glad to know my guess at your grandfather was a good one!

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  3. Great photos. Your interpretation of looking up is my favourite.
    Arilx

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    1. Thank you. It was taken from our lounge window. We live between Manchester and Leeds Bradford airports so have wonderful criss cross patterns on clear days.

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  4. What a superb mixture! I have only been to Seahouses once, on our way back from driving to Annick, we did the searoute rather than on the A1. Sadly, we haven't been back since, despite the fact we are in Northumberland at leaast 3 times a year if not more!

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  5. We took the Coastal Route once but were disappointed as it went inland too often, not much 'coast'. We have tried a few different restaurants in Seahouses and now always go to Lewis.

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  6. Another WOW! I've just looked at one lot of great photos and yours are just as stunning. Love them all, but the one does standout is the road from Honister, probably because it's only been a month since we traveled it. Maybe I should look out some really "old" photos from my childhood. Thanks & take care.

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  7. Love your photos especially the the archived ones, the historical Boer War and the last ones are my favourite

    Julie xxxxxxx

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  8. Thank you, that last one will always be one of our favourites. I am so sorry it has lost its true colours. I just love the earnest expression on the page boy's face! xx

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