Although not about the same subject, it's an interesting coincidence that this blog should have a connection to the previous one; and that connection is that I've just returned after spending a couple of days in the area where my profile photo was taken and this blog is intended to be a photo-album of that visit.
The main reason for the trip was to attend a concert my elder son, Lloyd, was giving in the region where my wife was born and bred. Unfortunately, however, I had fractured my ankle (see below) ;so, instead of me driving my wife up from our home in the southern counties whilst our younger son, Adam, stayed behind to (amongst other things) look after our parrot, we decided to hire a camper-van and he would dive us north (including the parrot - see below)....
Photos can be enlarged by 'clicking' on them.
The main reason for the trip was to attend a concert my elder son, Lloyd, was giving in the region where my wife was born and bred. Unfortunately, however, I had fractured my ankle (see below) ;so, instead of me driving my wife up from our home in the southern counties whilst our younger son, Adam, stayed behind to (amongst other things) look after our parrot, we decided to hire a camper-van and he would dive us north (including the parrot - see below)....
Photos can be enlarged by 'clicking' on them.
It was a Bank Holiday Monday when we left; so, the roads (in particular the M25) were extremely busy and the experience was made even less enjoyable by atrocious weather conditions throughout the journey.
We had planned for my wife to stay with one of her cousins for the first night whilst another cousin had arranged for us to park behind his local (below - left) which was near the venue (also below). However, Although there was room for four to sleep in the camper-van, Adam was extremely tired after the drive; so, we managed to get him a proper bed in the hotel for the night and I kept the parrot company in the van. Her name's Ellie, by the way.
We had planned for my wife to stay with one of her cousins for the first night whilst another cousin had arranged for us to park behind his local (below - left) which was near the venue (also below). However, Although there was room for four to sleep in the camper-van, Adam was extremely tired after the drive; so, we managed to get him a proper bed in the hotel for the night and I kept the parrot company in the van. Her name's Ellie, by the way.
On the following day, we woke to much nicer weather; and, after satisfying our curiosity by having a look at the rather posh hotel Lloyd was booked into for a couple of nights, Adam and I had breakfast in a wonderful greasy-spoon cafe. Later, we collected my wife and her cousin (below - left) in time to meet up for lunch with Lloyd and another cousin and his family (below - right). On this occasion, the pub car-park was full; so Adam had to park in the car-park outside the local museum (above - right).
Later that evening, after one of the best of his concerts we've ever been to (above - centre), Lloyd joined us and some fans for drinks in 'our' pub. Later still, my wife and her cousin retired to a room we had booked for them and Adam decided he would prefer to spend another night in the comfort of a real bed. So, I hobbled off to join Ellie alone again.
On the following morning, after breakfast, we took my wife's cousin back to her home not far from Oldham town centre; which had changed a lot - not least by the introduction of trams (below - centre).
Something else which had changed since the 1960s was the decline in the indigenous population; and, in this respect, it was somewhat alarming to see a flag flying on a private house (below - left) which bore a striking resemblance to some I have seen frequently on TV, in recent times (below - right).
On the following morning, after breakfast, we took my wife's cousin back to her home not far from Oldham town centre; which had changed a lot - not least by the introduction of trams (below - centre).
Something else which had changed since the 1960s was the decline in the indigenous population; and, in this respect, it was somewhat alarming to see a flag flying on a private house (below - left) which bore a striking resemblance to some I have seen frequently on TV, in recent times (below - right).
After saying, "Goodbye" to my wife's cousin, we headed back to Saddleworth and it was intriguing that the further we drove away from the town centre, the more we seemed to be stepping back in time. Having said that, there were occasional signs of new houses behind the old terraces; however, it was clear some thought had been put into retaining the character of the area.
An interesting - but paradoxical - example of retaining the 'old' can be seen in the canal-side cottages shown below (top left). One of them is currently on the market for a figure approaching £200,000.00 and what is paradoxical about them is that, in 1939, they were declared "unfit for human habitation" and the occupants were re-housed into new properties (bottom centre- below).
An interesting - but paradoxical - example of retaining the 'old' can be seen in the canal-side cottages shown below (top left). One of them is currently on the market for a figure approaching £200,000.00 and what is paradoxical about them is that, in 1939, they were declared "unfit for human habitation" and the occupants were re-housed into new properties (bottom centre- below).
My wife - shown feeding some ducks in the canal (above) - was particularly interested in visiting both of the aforementioned properties because she was born in what were (and still are) known as Wharf Cottages six months before they were condemned and her family was moved to the new house.
Later, we spent some time driving around the area shown above, called on a couple of old friends, and visited a local pub I frequented as a young man in the 1950s (bottom right - above). In those days, by the way, it was unusual for a young lady to go into a public house.
Later, we spent some time driving around the area shown above, called on a couple of old friends, and visited a local pub I frequented as a young man in the 1950s (bottom right - above). In those days, by the way, it was unusual for a young lady to go into a public house.
From Saddleworth, we headed towards The Peak District and had afternoon tea in an appropriately-named cafe on Chapel-en-le-Frith market place; the stocks can be see to the rear of the camper-van (top left - above). Later, whilst I had a look round our old home; now converted into apartments (top right), my wife and Adam visited our old neighbours (bottom left).
By the time we had finished the reunion, it was a little too late to politely call on other friends in the village; so, we headed off for an evening meal at a favourite chippie on Buxton market place. Adam had a double helping (see above); which goes some way towards explaining why he is now somewhat larger than our old neighbours would have remembered him fifty years ago.
Returning to the camper-van after our meal, I tripped and fell quite awkwardly and my ankle swelled quite alarmingly. It soon became obvious that it would make sense to abort our plans to visit a few more friends in The Peak District on the following day; so, we headed for home instead.
By the time we had finished the reunion, it was a little too late to politely call on other friends in the village; so, we headed off for an evening meal at a favourite chippie on Buxton market place. Adam had a double helping (see above); which goes some way towards explaining why he is now somewhat larger than our old neighbours would have remembered him fifty years ago.
Returning to the camper-van after our meal, I tripped and fell quite awkwardly and my ankle swelled quite alarmingly. It soon became obvious that it would make sense to abort our plans to visit a few more friends in The Peak District on the following day; so, we headed for home instead.
On the journey north on Monday, shortly after leaving the M25, we caught sight of a sign for the famous model village in Beaconsfield. During the past quarter of a century or so we had driven past it dozens of times and I had visited it during my first holiday after WW2 in 1948. So, we had (sort of) promised my wife that we would call there on our way back - which we did!
My ankle prevented me from reaching every corner of the village, myself, but I managed to call at the places which mattered (see above); and it was a nice way to bring our adventure to a conclusion - despite the disappointment of having to shorten it by a day or so.
My ankle prevented me from reaching every corner of the village, myself, but I managed to call at the places which mattered (see above); and it was a nice way to bring our adventure to a conclusion - despite the disappointment of having to shorten it by a day or so.
