Boyd's photo diary. |
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Fri 31 Oct 2014
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Wed 29 Oct 2014
| Had some repairs
done to the roof. When the house was build the roofing felt
wasn't fitted correctly so Simon put that right. Properly fitted
felt, new battens and fascia soffits fitted. |
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Tue 28 Oct 2014
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I'm not a fan
of this type of security lighting burning through the night.
There are few properties nearby and I don't expect the person
who turned them on is paying the electricity bill |
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Sun 26 Oct 2014
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Sunday 26 Oct 2014 was the Withnell Fold Sports Club monthly
walk. The walk set off from the cricket field then via Brandwood
Fold to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. There were lovely autumn
colours as we walked along the towpath to the Top Lock Pub and
Copthurst Lane. One of the nicest paths in the area is the route
over South Hill to Blackburn Road. |
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On the path over South Hill |
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Unfortunately
the length behind St Chad’s Primary School is fenced in and is
very wet and boggy. Up Chapel Lane we came to St Barnabas Heapey
Church where in the graveyard is the massive stone slab over the
grave of Alfred Ephraim Eccles (1830 - 1913) who ran the Cotton
Mill in White Coppice. Following the track and path past Eagle
Tower we came to the magnificent stone arch where the old
Chorley – Blackburn railway used to pass over the track. The
stonework is still in magnificent condition. |
Magnificent stone arch |
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Magnificent stone arch where the
railway used to pass over |
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At Higher House
Lane we left the road and followed the path past three
reservoirs and into White Coppice. Passing Brookside Cottages we
looked over the wall to the right where the Horse Shoe Inn used
to be. There was nothing to indicate it ever existed. Further
along on the left we came to the site of White Coppice Cotton
Mill. Only a few stones remain but 1835 it was the White Coppice
Cotton and Muslin mill. Later the mill was managed by Alfred
Ephraim Eccles (1830 - 1913) who’s grave we saw at Heapey
Church. |
Heapey Reservoir No 1 |
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He became a
local reformer and eventually closed down most of the local beer
houses, including the Horse Shoe Inn. At White Coppice Cricket
Field we could see Rose Cottage across the field. In the 1920s
it was the home of the Whitehead family. Margaret Whitehead was
the headmistress at the local school and her daughter Elsie
travelled to Chorley Grammar school each day on the train and
was head girl in the late 20s. She qualified as a teacher and
eventually became headmistress at Withnell Fold primary school
in the 1930s. |
Brookside Cootages |
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We crossed the
bridge over the Goit waterway and could see the remains of
William Waring’s Quarries on the hillside. In the 1920s they
supplies stone for new works being carried out along Blackpool
Promenade. Following the path towards Brinscall we rejoined the
goit path and followed it to Dick Lane and over Pike Lowe. Down
Oakmere Avenue we passed the old reservoirs that used to feed
Withnell Fold Paper Mill until it closed in 1967. Back at the
Withnell Fold Sports Club tea and cakes were waiting. |
The Goit path |
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Sat 25 Oct 2014
Today Jack Bruce
(1943 – 2014) died. He was a member of Cream, the first super
group.
Cream (Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton) were very
influential and I was a great fan. Jack’s vocals help to make
their sound unique. After Cream split Jack released ‘Songs for a
Tailor’ which took him back to his love of blues and jazz. I
still have the vinyl. There was a BBC documentary about him many
years ago. I hope they show it again. |
Jack Bruce |
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Songs for a Tailor - 1969 |
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While on a cycle ride to Sawley I saw this sign in Waddington. |
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Fri 24 Oct 2014
| My plan was to
leave Iona on Saturday but with increasing winds I though I'd
better got off today. |
Windy crossing to Oban |
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Man made split in a rock by Fionnphort ferry terminal |
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Thu 23 Oct 2014
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Wed 22 Oct 2014
| Drove to Oban,
Scotland then walked to the Calmac Office to buy a £9.30 return
ticket to Craignure, Isle of Mull. I cought the 14:00 ferry then
the 16:55 bus to Fionnphort where I caught the last ferry to
Iona. It had been wet and windy and the crossing was rather
rough. |
The last ferry of the day |
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Tue 21 Oct 2014
Members of
Chorley Historical and Archaeological Society were treated to a
special presentation at
Ribchester Museum to cover the Museum's centenary and also
the return to Ribchester of the magnificent
Ribchester Parade Helmet which was found in Ribchester in 1796. After
passing through local ownership it was purchased by the British
Museum where it has been on display since 1814.
The visit was organised in collaboration with the Friends of
Ribchester Roman Museum.
Patrick Tostevin, the Museum Curator, gave us a potted history
of the Museum, the Roman Fort and the return of the Parade
Helmet.
The mask is on temporary loan and returns to London in early
November 2014. |
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The earliest
Roman fort in Ribchester was established in the early 70s AD as
part of a network of defensive forts across northern Britannia.
Originally of turf and timber construction, the fort was rebuilt
in stone in the mid to first century AD.
The fort accommodated a garrison of cavalry troops whose purpose
it was to patrol the surrounding area and keep the local
inhabitants under control. It was occupied into the fourth
century.
The helmet was discovered in 1796 by John Walton a local man,
along with about 30 other items which are still at the British
Museum. To maintain the security of the helmet a special case
had to be made and imported from Belgium. There were no suitable
cases available for loan in the UK. The cost was over £11,000.
After the presentation were able to view the helmet in its
secure case. A duplicate copy of the helmet was made about 100
years ago and this has been on display in the museum since then. |
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Thu 23 Oct 2014
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Tue 21 Oct 2014
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| My morning walk
was wet, windy and lots of leaves blowing around. We were being
affected by the fizzled out remains of Hurricane Gonzalo. |
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Sat 18 Oct 2014
| 1914 Commemorative
Exhibition: Antarctic Witness at the South Ribble Museum.
It is Frank Hurley’s remarkable
photographic record of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated
Imperial Antarctic Expedition of 1914-16. This is a centrepiece
of the Borough’s commemoration of Britain’s declaration of war,
which broke out on August 4th 1914 as the expedition ship –
Endurance – was making her way out into the English Channel. |
The Endurance |
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The exhibition
of Hurley’s work is on loan from the Royal Geographical Society.
It has been seen in New York and Edinburgh and is also an
important contribution to the national celebration of the
centenary of the expedition itself. |
Photo by Frank Hurleyl |
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There
was a showing of the film 'South' the film record of Sir Ernest
Shackleton's heroic but ill-starred attempt to cross Antarctica
in 1914-16.
This restored version of the film has been constructed by the
BFI National Archive from a wide range of materials. The BFI
National Archive has applied its own tinting and toning to match
the original prints, and has produced this handsome and richly
coloured testament to a remarkable episode in the history of
exploration. |
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My evening walk
was along Birchin Lane and Copthurst Bottoms. I illuminated the
scenes with my Cree bike lamp. |
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Fri 17 Oct 2014
| The Astley
Farmhouse renovation was officially opened by The Mayor of
Chorley Councillor Roy Lees on as a dedicated space for
Chorley's Heritage and Cultural Community. |
New exhibition space |
Downstairs is a
joint exhibition between Chorley Lodge Artists and Chorley
Photographic Society.
Upstairs will is '75 Years of Royal Ordnance Chorley' |
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The Mayor Cllr Roy Lees
and Cllr Beverley Murray. |
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| While
at Astley to photograph the Farmhouse exhibition rooms I had a
look in the walled garden. This is the 100 year old Magnolia
tree. |
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Thu 16 Oct 2014
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An enjoyable,
though misty, walk on the fells above Wastwater Reservoir in
Cumbria. Contrary to recent news reports the low water level has
not revealed the flooded ruins of the village of Mardale.
However, it was possible to see the old walls in the valley
bottom. |
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Wed 15 Oct 2014
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The Community
Archives and Heritage Group North West Conference for 2014
“Better Together” took place this week on 15th October at the
Lancastrian Suite, Chorley Town Hall. Special thanks goes to
Greenhalgh's Bakery who kindly provided a magnificent supply of
our local gastronomique, the Chorley Cake.
The event was hosted by
Chorley Heritage Centre Support Group. |
Intro by Lincoln Shields |
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CHORLEY CAKE
Chorley’s eponymous cake is a flattened, fruit-filled pastry
cake. Not to be confused with its rival cousin the Eccles Cake
which is sweeter and made of flaky pastry, the Chorley
Cake is made of short crust pastry. It was often made as a means
of using up ingredients left from baking days. The filling is
usually of currants, so that it has been called Fly Pie!
However, it’s not unusual for sweeter fruits such as raisins or
sultanas to be used, or for sugar to be added to the currants.
Variants are almost as numerous as households in the town, so we
can forget about European Union protected-brand status! The
cakes sold in shops are usually 3-4 inches in diameter, but they
can be plate-sized. It is usually eaten with a liberal layer of
butter on top. Enjoy! |
Chorley Cakes |
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Sun 12 Oct 2014
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Bob Harris |
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What on earth
are the BBC playing at? Listening to a recording of last nights
Bob Harris Radio 2 music programme it was announced that it was
to be move from its midnight to 3am slot Saturday night Sunday
morning to 3am to 6am Sunday morning. I can’t see any reason for
this. It is to be replaced with ‘After Midnight with Alex
Lester’ How about ‘After 3am with Alex Lester’ and leave Bob
alone. The new arrangement starts next weekend. |
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Fri 10 Oct 2014
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| Camping north of
Middlesbrough I had this industrial view from the tent. |
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Thu 09 Oct 2014
| Riding though York
I couldn't resist having a look at Clifford's Tower but it
wasn't open yet. |
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| Being on a bike I
could ride by the front of York Minster Cathedral with impunity. |
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Wed 08 Oct 2014
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| Caught the train
to Leeds with bike then set off towards Selby and York. The
bridge is colour coordinated with my bike. |
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Sun 05 Oct 2014
Early afternoon
decided to drive with son Steve to Hunters Hill, Wrightington to
have a look at the Windmill at Harrock Hill. I’ve never visited
it before and had no idea what remained. We parked at the car
park for Hunters Hill near the summit of the Bannister Lane
climb.
On the way back called at the Eccleston Delph Dive Centre to
have a brew in the café.
A map of the underwater Delph showed many things to see for a
van to jet provost. When I dived there over 40 years ago there
was just a flooded cabin. |
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Underwater layout of Eccleston Delph. |
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Fri 03 Oct 2014
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Thu 02 Oct 2014
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Wed 01 Oct 2014
| I was walking in
the area around Reeth, North Yorkshire when I needed to take
another look at the Black Bull sign. |
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