Never Knowingly Overdressed, Grosvenor St, Chester, 14/08/16.

Tags

Cavaliers, Chester, cloak, Grosvenor Street Chester, hats, historical re-enactment., period dress, street photography

A Note Recommending The Hat Works in Stockport, The Fashion Museum, The Assembly Rooms, Bath, 28/04/15.

Tags

bath, Fashion Museum, Fashion Museum Bath, hand writing, Hat Works, Hat Works Stockport, hats, love heart, Museums, note, Stockport, vintage fashion

The Behind the scenes section of The Fashion Museum in Bath has a notice board that visitors can use to recommend other fashionable places of interest. Amongst the numerous notes I found one with a distinctive, Northern, feel to it. In my youth I often found myself sat on the Transpennine Express, calling at Manchester Piccadilly, which passed through Stockport. From the train you use to be able to see a tall factory chimney with hat museum writing down the length of it in white capital letters and this always intrigued me and I often pointed it out to anyone I was travelling with; mainly my mother and younger sister. My sister and I finally visited the Hat Works about seven years now and I didn’t regret the expense. Our visit to Stockport coincided with an exhibition of swimming caps, I seem to remember. If you’re a hat lover, as I am, the Hat Works is a must.

Tea Time on The Sea Shore.

Tags

Beach, black and white, dechchairs, Ephemera, hats, old photographs, pebbles, Photography, Seaside., seaweed, stones, tea., teapot, vintage fashion

I don’t know where this photograph was taken, I can’t even remember where I bought it, but I love of the idea of taking the teapot and the best teacups down to the seashore for a brew in the fresh air!

The lady on the left seems to be enjoying her tea the most or is she smiling at the sea view or the gentleman wearing the peaked cap? She is certainly not looking at the camera, unlike the lady in the stripy hat on the left, next to the young lady pouring the tea. The lady in the middle appears to be being annoyed by some sort of flying inspect.

The beach doesn’t look that exciting, with its stones and seaweed, but that could be because I’m use to the sandy beaches of the East coast. Can you make out the three chaps walking along what must be a promenade or seawall in the background? I wonder where they’re going? So many questions!

Does anybody have any answers?

At The Summit, 09/08/1934.

Tags

1934, cairn, collars, Ephemera, hats, hill walking, Kodak, Kodal Velox paper, old photographs, overcoats, Pendle, Photography, summit, ties, umbrella, walking

This photograph has one or two things written and printed on the back of it. What I presume is the date, “aug 9/34“, is written in pencil in the top right hand corner with “Pendle…” something written underneath that [Pendle Top, Pendle Tor, the first word definitely starts P e n d and the second word definitely starts with a capital T ]. I’m assuming the Pendle refers to Pendle in Lancashire, but I’m open to suggestions! Velox is printed on the paper three times, which I assume relates to Kodak Velox paper and a number stamped in green ink, 7 40, which was presumably placed there by the photographer who developed the photograph.

The trio seems very pleased with themselves and their rocky seat reminds me of the cairns found at the top of hills and mountains to mark the summit, so I assume they are having their photograph taken to celebrate the end of their walk up hill; I have had a couple of photographs taken of myself under similar circumstances. Unlike modern walkers they haven’t seen the need to don any specialist clothing, although the lady and the gentleman on her left have buttoned their overcoats up to the neck. Note the gentleman on the lady’s right is wearing a tie with what looks like a stiff white collar.

I wonder who is taking the photograph?

Photo Archive: Pint, The Brewery Tap, York Brewery, York, 10/05/10.

Tags

alcoholic beverages, breweries, flat caps, hats, pint, pubs, York, York Brewery

That was one of my favourite flat caps behind that pint; I can’t remember what became of it. It’s probably in a bus depots lost property office somewhere!

The Hat Wearers.

Tags

Ephemera, hats, Louth, millinery, old photographs, portrait photography, studio portrait.

The back of this photograph is blank, but there could be a Lincolnshire connection because I purchased it in Louth.