Month: September 2014

Heritage Open Day 5: Out and about in Lynn on the big day

The combination of the fact that King’s Lynn is not huge and that I live plumb in the centre of it meant that for me at least my sole method of locomotion would be Shanks’ Pony. Some of the things that I saw while walking between official sites could have been seen on any day, others only this day but the picture of the day (pardon the pun) would be incomplete without reference to the in-between bits as the whole town was decked out for the day – and the weather gods lent their support by providing a lovely warm day for the occasion.

In terms of distances of greater than a few yards my itinerary was planned (with scenic routes taking priority at every turn) as follows: Flat – Tuesday Market Place – Great Ouse – Southgates via Hardings Pits – Red Mount Chapel via parkland – Flat and with the addition at the end of a couple of places on King Street which looked interesting that is the route I followed. Not many others opted for scenic routes – I was all but alone for the walk to Southgates.

My next post takes you underground once more, to the cellars of the Bank Hotel, before resurfacing for the rest of the journey – meantime enjoy an eclectic collection of pictures…

No - I did not drink from this barrel!
No – I did not drink from this barrel!
This longboat was an inventive idea.
This longboat was an inventive idea.
This plaque is on a stretch of road I do not usually walk down
This plaque is on a stretch of road I do not usually walk down

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These birds are not among the kinds I usually see here at the Nar Outflow
These birds are not among the kinds I usually see here at the Nar Outflow

Sea Scouts building

Bus
I travel in so many buses that not even a free ride tempted me to actually board this one!
Ferry
To adapt a Sherlock Holmes line seeing the Lynn Ferry travel in this direction is like seeing a tram on a country lane!
The statue atop the Bank Hotel
The statue atop the Bank Hotel

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Boats of this sort are not common on the Great Ouse
Boats of this sort are not common on the Great Ouse

Heritage Open Day 4: Ferry Lane

The house on Ferry Lane that was opened for the occasion featured a wonderful garden and many interesting features inside. It was well worth making a tiny diversion from my route down to the Great Ouse to take in this fine old building (Ferry Lane does precisely what its name suggests that it should – leads to a ferry pick up point – hence as stands it to reason it is pretty close to the river)

The rest of the story of this part of my day is I believe well told by photographs, while my next post will not be about a specific site, but being out and about in King’s Lynn on the day.

Garden - 1st look The house viewed from outside

Garden viewed from near the house
Garden viewed from near the house

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A very impressive document.
A very impressive document.

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Getting a straight on shot of this was impossible due to lack of space
Getting a straight on shot of this was impossible due to lack of space

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Flower head
Anyone familiar with this blog will know that I like to get close ups of interesting flower heads

Heritage Open Day 3: Masonic Temple

The Masonic Temple, at the heart of Philanthropic Lodge 107, is quite remarkable, all the more so  for being housed within another building that serves an altogether different purpose – The Dukes Head which faces the Tuesday Market Place in King’s Lynn.

Masonic regalia frequently goes under the hammer at James and Sons auctions and has been known to do well, but this collection was astonishing.

There are rumours that Mozart joined a Masonic Lodge, while Sherlockians will recall that Jabez Wilson in “The Adventure of the Red Headed League” is a freemason. For fans of more modern literature, Matthew Reilly’s Jack West series features freemasonry.

The next installment of this series features a house on Ferry Lane and in the meantime here are my attempts to do photographic justice to Philanthropic Lodge 107…

Philanthropic 107
The door mat tells you what you are entering.

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Even the ceiling had points of interest!
Even the ceiling had points of interest!

Throne Sword Flags

Globes
I particularly liked this display

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Atc and Compass
The famed arc and compass

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Medals
Medals

Heritage Open Day 2: Air Raid Shelter

The sheer numbers of people wanting to see the air raid shelter meant a loss of flexibility in terms of how one went round it, but it was a very interesting experience. At one point they turned the lights out and gave us the sound effects to make it seem like a raid was taking place, which was a nice touch.

I hope that my photography gives a good feel of what those tunnels must have been like when they were full of people sheltering from a real air raid.

on leaving the shelter my next target was the Mason’s Temple which is inside the Dukes Head, a stones throw from the air raid shelter – watch this space and meanwhile enjoy these pictures…

A clear marker.
A clear marker.
Tunnel
The lights were on most of the time, so I DID NOT USE THE FLASH!!

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People dressed in authentic uniforms were part of the show
People dressed in authentic uniforms were part of the show

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THE ONLY USE OF TH FLASH I MADE IN THE WHOLE DAY!
THE ONLY USE OF TH FLASH I MADE IN THE WHOLE DAY!

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Heritage Open Day 1: Start of Play

Yesterday was Heritage Open Day, and King’s Lynn was magnificently en fete for the occasion. It is unfortunate that almost every mode of arrival into King’s Lynn exposes one to ghastly rubbish because once you get beyond the products of 1960s architectural vandalism King’s Lynn still has more historic and interesting sites than almost any other town of comparable size that I can think of.

There were so many wonderful things to see that a) I barely scratched the surface and b) I have so many fine photographs that the only way to present this is as a series of posts.

I arrived at the Tuesday Market Place just about dead on 10AM start time, and took some photos of classic cars which were on display there as part of the occasion before and during queueing for my first target of the day, a World War II air raid shelter directly beneath the market place.

My nest post will feature the air-raid shelter as captured by Nikon P520 Coolpix but meantime to get an early feel for the kind of day it was enjoy these photos…

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This early Ford is a fine vehicle
This early Ford is a fine vehicle
Cooper
This 1909 Cooper was the star of the classic cars, but plenty of other fine specimens were also on display.
Cooper
This 1909 Cooper was the star of the classic cars, but plenty of other fine specimens were also on display.

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Later in the day music would blare forth from this shelter
Later in the day music would blare forth from this shelter
Twin Atlantas
These two Atlantas made a fine photo

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Cooper Poster
This poster explains the significance of the Cooper

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This vehicle gives an idea of why cars were once termed "horseless carriages"
This vehicle gives an idea of why cars were once termed “horseless carriages”

Tuesday Market Place Mascot - close up

King’s Lynn, Apple Picking and Brownies

The Jetty on the Great Ouse was in use yesterday morning, by research vessels relating to fishing. With the river at high tide there were plenty of opportunities for good photographs. In the afternoon I went apple picking in the orchards at Sandringham. The apples were comfortably up to their usual amazing standard – and they were Cox’s. A hand-picked Cox is the finest of all apples.

Before heading home to King’s Lynn I enjoyed a fine supper at my parents house in East Rudham. After some excellent lamb chops there were raspberry brownies for pudding. My mother had reduced the amount of sugar from the 225g stated in the recipe to 150g so that the pudding while rich was not particularly sweet – and was all the better for this.

Today is Heritage Open Day, so stand by for some good posts about historic buildings and meanwhile enjoy a selection of cracking photos…

Fisheries Research
Fisheries Research Boat moored at the jetty

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Sycamore seed pod
Sycamore seed pod that resembles a propeller

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Apple
This apple looked particularly fine – and tasted even finer!

Flitcham War Memorial

Fresh peas - just podded by yours truly
Fresh peas – just podded by yours truly
Raspberry brownies
Raspberry brownies!

Old Chapel

Auction Imaging and the Birdman of King’s Lynn

I have had a very hectic week imaging for James and Sons, but it is now nearly all done for this auction. On Wednesday evening I got several excellent shots of a hang-glider and I have various other pictures to share with you…

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Penny Black
Penny Black
This was one of ten album pages of penny reds being sold as single lots
This was one of ten album pages of penny reds being sold as single lots

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There were ten of these giant military maps to image.
There were ten of these giant military maps to image.

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In our August auction some of these picture cards sold, so some more are in the September auction.
In our August auction some of these picture cards sold, so some more are in the September auction.
Hollywood Central Cinema aka thye Fakenham Fleapit
Hollywood Central Cinema aka thye Fakenham Fleapit

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Red sky at night - shepherd's delight! I ate supper outside again
Red sky at night – shepherd’s delight! I ate supper outside again

New Post on greatcharity.org – Gold Medal

There is a new post on www.greatcharity.org.uk regarding the most spectacular donation we have yet received: an Olympic gold medal from London 2012!! This is also available on the James and Sons website and has been featured on facebook and twitter. To go straight to the full report click here.

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Birds, boats, planes and auction lots

Between a day’s hard work imaging for James and Sons and two sets of photos from King’s Lynn’s current Indian summer I have some splendid pictures for you. I have decided to sandwich the auction lots between two sets of my own personal pictures. 

Without further ado here are my selected pictures…

Before... the larger piece is the framework of the box and the smaller that of the lid...
Before… the larger piece is the framework of the box and the smaller that of the lid…
...and after - one newly assembled box - I assembled 30 of these for Learning Works while there as a volunteer on Monday morning
…and after – one newly assembled box – I assembled 30 of these for Learning Works while there as a volunteer on Monday morning

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Butterfly with its wings closed...
Butterfly with its wings closed…
...and open
…and open

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One of five swans together on the Nar when I crossed the bridge over it.
One of five swans together on the Nar when I crossed the bridge over it.

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This pair of arctic terns are in perfect synch.
This pair of arctic terns are in perfect synch.

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A first hazy glimpse of the fishing fleet
A first hazy glimpse of the fishing fleet
The lead boat as it turns into the dock.
The lead boat as it turns into the dock.

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The weather continuing to be good enough to eat supper outside has advantages photography-wise as well!
The weather continuing to be good enough to eat supper outside has advantages photography-wise as well!

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I was in the right place at the right time to get some pictures of a returning fishing fleet!
I was in the right place at the right time to get some pictures of a returning fishing fleet!

Sunday, Strictly, Heritage Open Day and More

Having taken a couple of photographs for my aunt to use in handouts for heritage open day (King’s Lynn has a vast number of sites – approx 50 – open for the day, which is next Sunday), the afternoon was nice enough to spend sat outside my parents house in East Rudham, and I bagged some more interesting pictures. 

Returning to King’s Lynn, the combination of a lovely evening and the Great Ouse at high tide was irresistible and yielded more fine photographs. There were then yet more opportunities for photographs as I made use of the outside space that my “compact” town centre flat possesses. I player provided some good watching, first coverage of the Great North Run, entering the record books this year as the first mass participation event to reach the landmark of 1,000,000 entrants since its inception, then start of a new series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Now for the photographic highlights…

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This colonnade was the first of the pictures I took for heritage open day
This colonnade was the first of the pictures I took for heritage open day
And this map was the second.
And this map was the second.
An eight-legged friend enjoying the sun.
An eight-legged friend enjoying the sun.

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No this is not a runner bean - it is a non-edible seed pod.
No this is not a runner bean – it is a non-edible seed pod.
As old a coin as any that are still legal tender in Britain - this 2p piece dates from the first year of decimalization.
As old a coin as any that are still legal tender in Britain – this 2p piece dates from the first year of decimalization.
A westering sun reflects off the Great Ouse.
A westering sun reflects off the Great Ouse.

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Clearly the sea birds found a warm evening and high tide an irresistible combo as well!
Clearly the sea birds found a warm evening and high tide an irresistible combo as well!

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A big ship coming in to dock on Sunday evening
A big ship coming in to dock on Sunday evening

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An educational railing - these can be seen at the Tennyson Road side of The Walks
An educational railing – these can be seen at the Tennyson Road side of The Walks

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This is the most pictured building in King's Lynn, and I normally ignore it, but it looked so fine this time that I could not resist.
This is the most pictured building in King’s Lynn, and I normally ignore it, but it looked so fine this time that I could not resist.
This old lamp is to be seen on Purfleet Quay
This old lamp is to be seen on Purfleet Quay

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The birds really were out in force.
The birds really were out in force.