Old Broadbottom photo

Hannah passed me an old Broadbottom photo that shows the mills in operation and shows the streets as they were before Mill Street became garages and Brick Street became a car park. I may be wrong but as I can't see Ebenezer Place on the picture it would seem to be before 1890.

I have a large annotated version. If anyone would like it, please email me.

Broadbottom

Summer at last!

Summer's here at last and the blackberries have ripened nicely, as you can see ...


Lovely clear view down to Longdendale, with Glossopdale on the right.


Behind Spring Street ...


Market Street


This photo isn't any good technically or artistically but she went skipping down Gibble Gabble swinging here arms in the best possible mood and it was great to see.

If Hollywood hadn't called ...

Wednesday

I'm quite happy with this picture of the station. Given that bits were in sunshine and bits in shade it came out quite well. It's a nice rural station but it's odd to think it was once on the line to London! It is said we only have a station because the man who owned the company lived in the village but I doubt that's true - the mills would have required one anyway, without a canal.


Our shop. It's easy to think nothing changes but i wonder how many of these brands will be around in 10 years?


Chris. Who very kindly agreed to a photo.


The railway bridge to Glossop and Hadfield. It's the second bridge - the first was wooden. The electric trains are so quiet that you don't even notice them, and the railway is right opposite our bedroom windows.


Garden street. I reckon most people in the village wouldn't know where it is.


This will change - next year the Hair Gallery is having extensions upstairs. Which fits.



One of the two last big mills - Tiviot Prints.

Monday Evening walk

RIP Bradman

Bradman, the fantastic black cat who was so often to be seen on the Post Office counter or curled up on the newspapers, died today after being hit by a car.

He wasn't my cat but it bloody hurts.

My girls

Lymefield

Broadbottom Midsummer show

It was the village Midsummer show today and there were 200 hundred entries, from cross-stitch to flowers, cakes to collages. The highlight was the Scarecrow Competition with some really good entries.

We did quite well - Poppy got a 1st and 2nd for photos and a 3rd for her collage, while I got 1st, 2nd and 3rd for photos in various categories. Susie has two lovely photos entered which I really liked but didn't score. Anyway, six winners between the three of us isn't bad! And in spite of her age, Pops probably had the second best child photo overall after Christy Dowling's gem.

The average standard was far higher than the previous year - lots of people entering 6x4" snapshots didn't bother this time. The serious competion in future will be David Wrench who submitted perfectly developed black and white pictures that he printed himself. Amazing quality.

Poppy's Birthday

Poppy had her 5th Birthday and had a wonderful time. Susie did a really nice party for her and at the end of the day Nicola said with great feeling "I REALLY enjoyed today!". What more can you ask for?

She has the loveliest friends and at the party she said "I've got SO many nice friends" which was great. And even later, opening the presents, she was just overjoyed with each one. It will be such a pity when she "grows up" and loses that sincerity.

She's the best.

Broadbottom History Exhibition / Little Mill

Last weekend was the Broadbottom History Exhibition. It was a fantastic job bythe organisers - really impressive and very well attended indeed. I'm hoping they bring out a book as there was just so much to take in. Anyway, it dated our house to around 1839.

Afterwards we all went to the Little Mill pub at Rowarth. Average food in the bar but a nice atmosphere and a great slide outside for Poppy.

Simple weekend

Went for a nice walk in Great Wood, first time for me. Pops played in the river by the dye vats. Saw a heron getting chased by crows and later a huge owl which flew across the path in front of us. Later she went for her first ride of the year.

Cycling at the mill

Sunday biking

After the very enjoyable Mad March parties (thanks to the organisers!) we decided to take it easy today and took Pops down to the mill for a ride. She rides just great for a four year old, which is all down to Susie, who started her off without training wheels.

A few February photos

Recent adventures ...