Author: Thomas

I am a founder member and currently secretary of the West Norfolk Autism Group and am autistic myself. I am a very keen photographer and almost every blog post I produce will feature some of my own photographs. I am an avidly keen cricket fan and often post about that sport.

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…

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????????

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.

??????????

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.

?????????? ??????????

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!

??????????

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

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????????

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

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????????

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

?????????? ??????????

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

A spectacular innings to liven up a quiet Saturday in King’s Lynn

After doing my weekly food shop I listened to some county cricket on the radio – a one day semi-final between Durham and Nottinghamshire. After losing the toss and being put into bat Durham ran up 354 from their 50 overs, with Ben Stokes hitting 164 off 113 balls. Nottinghamshire did their best in response but unsurprisingly were never really in the hunt. Appropriately it fell to Ben Stokes to perform the last act of the game that his innings effectively won for his side.

Between my trip to and from the Hardwick Sainsbury’s and a visit to the library in the break between innings I got plenty of photographs….

?????????? ?????????? ??????????

Three cormorants together is not a very common sight in the King's Lynn area
Three cormorants together is not a very common sight in the King’s Lynn area

??????????

While the cormorants are enjoying the view from their platform, gulls are in the mud below
While the cormorants are enjoying the view from their platform, gulls are in the mud below
Not all the blackberries in Hardings Pits have been picked.....yet
Not all the blackberries in Hardings Pits have been picked…..yet
As big a picture as I can contrive of a single blackberry
As big a picture as I can contrive of a single blackberry

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????????

A stretch of the river Nar - highly unusually for urban waterway there is not a discarded trolley to be seen!
A stretch of the river Nar – highly unusually for urban waterway there is not a discarded trolley to be seen!

?????????? ?????????? ??????????

A wicker man - but not used for the original purpose!
A wicker man – but not used for the original purpose!

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????????

A Busy Couple of Days at James and Sons 2: Invoicing and Imaging

As well as the press releases I have been producing invoices for the August Auction and have made a start on the imaging for the September auction (Saturday 27th, Maids Head Hotel, Norwich, starts 10AM sharp). This upcoming auction features industrial quantities of stamps (one of the lots I imaged today required 20 shots to do it something approaching justice – it was that big) among other stuff. 

Here are todays images…

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????????

A Busy Couple of Days at James and Sons 1: Press releases

I have decided to do two blog posts today because I wanted to devote one exclusively to press releases. 

There were som many fantastic results at this auction that I decided to split the press releases into categories: Coins, Medals, Militaria, Stamps and a portmanteau category that I privately dubbed “quirkies”. Thus below thsi you can find links to all five press releases and view any or all as you choose. Also I am including full photo galleries of associated images…

Coins montage Coins MEDAL SUCCESSES AT FAKENHAM AUCTION ?????????? Militaria Makes Massive Money at Fakenham Auction Militaria Montage Quirkies Quirkies Stamp montage STAMPS SELL WELL AT FAKENHAM AUCTION ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? 325 330 ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? 511 ?????????? 542 565 573 592 ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? 640 ?????????? 686 709 745 ?????????? ??????????

Family festivities and a day in Cambridge

To start with getting a small item out of the way: I now have an official James and Sons email address: thomas.sutcliffe@jamesandsonsnorfolk.com. This is my work email, and only queries relating specifically to Jamers and Sons should be sent there – non work-related emails should still go to my regular email address.

Over the weekend we had various relations around – my Australian aunt was still in the country, and my other maternal aunt had a birthday on Sunday.

Yesterday I took part in some research relating to Autistic Spectrum Conditions in Cambridge, at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. Most of this went exceedingly well, until it came to the last activity, which entailed being in an MRI scanner, and I could not cope with the level of confinement, so ducked out.

I have some splendid photos from Cambridge to share with you – all the plants are in the garden of the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit.

DSCN2853 (853x1024) DSCN2854 (465x1024) DSCN2855 (1024x343) DSCN2856 (1024x897)

This plant has leaves that are standard green on top...
This plant has leaves that are standard green on top…
...and royal purple underneath.
…and royal purple underneath.
This spectacular flower can be seen in the garden of the establishment I visited yesterday.
This spectacular flower can be seen in the garden of the establishment I visited yesterday.

DSCN2868 (491x1024) DSCN2869 (1024x757) DSCN2870 (1024x755)

Racecourse Auction Success

Yesterday James and Sons of Fakenham had their August auction at Fakenham Racecourse, and the day went very smoothly. The database system that has been 16 months in the development process is now functioning very well for purpose – at no time was I more than about 10 lots behind the action, meaning that I was able to produce invoices without many delays. The internet connection worked perfectly, so we got our full ration of internet bids.

After I have pulled everything together today I will begin writing up the best success stories (my role at James and Sons could be described as at least a quadruple one – database developer, data input clerk, imager and press release creator). Without as yet revealing any content I can say that Coins, Medals, Militaria and Stamps will all definitely feature. 

I have some pictures from the auction venue for you…

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? DSCN2764 ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????????

A Family Weekend and a Day at James and Sons

The reason there has been no post on this blog since Friday afternoon is that I spent the weekend in East Rudham at a very large family gathering (my Australian aunt was over, and a veritable tribe descended on East Rudham to take advantage of this event).

Today I did everything I needed to at work, plus making a start on the imaging for the September auction, and benefitted from a rare piece of good fortune in that I left a little early because my colleague who was locking up had to go promptly, and the 15:38 bus to King’s Lynn was more than a little late, so I got home much earlier than expected, and it being bright and sunny, I have been out for a walk.

I have three sets of photographs to share with you, those from the weekend, highlights from today at work, and some from the walk (with very few exceptions wherever I go my trusty Nikon P520 Coolpix also goes), so here goes…

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????????

£5 worth of hand of pork
£5 worth of hand of pork

?????????? ??????????

Unfortunately due to a mishap we never got to sample this crackling
Unfortunately due to a mishap we never got to sample this crackling

?????????? ??????????

But we most certainly did get to sample the kebabs that this little lot became.
But we most certainly did get to sample the kebabs that this little lot became.

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????????

Outdoor reared Norfolk pork means precisely what it says.
Outdoor reared Norfolk pork means precisely what it says.

??????????

It is always a challenge to get good shots of aeroplanes.
It is always a challenge to get good shots of aeroplanes.

??????????

This sunflower was growing in someone's front garden
This sunflower was growing in someone’s front garden
These were provided by my cousin Olivia
These were provided by my cousin Olivia

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????????

Auction Preparation On Track – Official!

Not only have I got out early today (nothing to do with good behaviour – just that my boss is meeting a general and needed to lock up the shop), but I can san with confidence that preparations for the August Auction are comfortably on track. I have produced a full set of Pre-auction Vendor Advice Notes and a bid book and will finish preparing the auction section of the database for action on Tuesday. Additionally I produced images for lots that had been placed amongst the imaged stuff but for which neither we nor ATG Media actually had images, and sent them to ATG. To view an up to date catalogue of this auction, which takes place on Wednesday at Fakenham Racecourse, sale to start at 10AM sharp, click here.

The full set of images I produced today are here for you to enjoy…

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? 372b ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? 360 - stamps ?????????? ?????????? ??????????

Auction Preparation

I have done no new imaging today because I have been getting my database in order before James and Sons August Sale takes place on the 27th at Fakenham Racecourse. A full catalogue of the sale can be viewed at www.the-saleroom.com by searching live auctions until you find the name James and Sons.

I have a working bid book, and will print off pre-auction Vendor Advice Notes tomorrow morning.

A new advert, principally for James and Sons upcoming auction but also making mention of the Great Centenary Charity Auction, will be in the EDP on Saturday and can be viewed now on the following link: http://www.greatcharity.org/advert/

By way of pictures, as I have nothing new from today I will offer for your inspection the full gallery on the Scouting regalia and a couple of other pictures of similar vintage, plus putting the advert itself up here as well…

Advert Badges Uniform Cap Badge ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? Scout Montage