Bollington, A Town Based on Cotton Production

From the late 18th through to the mid-20th centuries, Bollington was a major centre for cotton-spinning. The high humidity enabled Clarence and other mills to produce the finest cotton in the world, and was sought after by lace makers in Nottingham and Belgium. .Clarence mill was the first in Bollington to be built for steam power.  The raw materials and finished products were transported on the Macclesfield Canal, designed by Thomas Telford. There was also a railway which served the town.

Greenwich and the Thames Path

On Sunday, we visited Greenwich and I retook the view that I had taken on my father's camera in 1953 and repeated in 2017. We then walked along the Thames path to the O2 Dome - so many new building have replaced the derelict factory sites though the Catholic church and Power Station still remain. 

Full panorama 2024

Same view in 1953 and 2017

Charlton London

 I lived in Charlton for the first 18 years of my life and wanted to see how it had changed; the answer is very little as regards Charlton Village and Charlton House and Park. My school, however, was very difficult to equate with the single building in my day and the open access and playgound. The views across London are very different but100 Canberra Road looked almost exactly the same as when I lived there over 60 years ago.

Entering Another Decade of My Life

I was born on this day in 1944 so enter a new decade. Here a selection from those years ending with a birthday shot 5 years ago in the Arctic - it felt almost as cold on the Bird Walk at Paxton Pits today.

CCC London Trip: Morning at King's Cross

Fourteen members of Cambridge Camera Club visited London with the main objective, night-time photography along the Thames staying overnight in Southwark. The morning was free choice but most people visited the Granary Square and Canal area behind King's Cross. Here the light installation in the Square behind the coal Drops Yard with two comparison images of the area back to 5 years ago when they were converting the Gasometers to residential apartments and none of the other buildings were there. Colour coordination was everywhere but this couple with their dog in knitted coat were the best example. The Gasometer Park with its mirrors is always a draw for the camera and otherwise I played around with LiveComposite mode on the Olympus (takes continuous timed exposures in light blend mode) and multiple exposure with the Fuji using Dark mode - I find this technique very compulsive as you can build up Escher-like images where slopes etc lead you through fantasy worlds.

December 2017 - looking towards the buildings on the left in above photo

May 2022 - water feature on the right has gone.