26 July 2015

Bygone

Of course Shirley and I are really country bumpkins. Sheffield is only our adopted city but we have lived here a long time and feel committed to it, even proud of it. It is where both of our children were born. Did you know that it has two million trees giving it the highest ratio of trees to people of any city in Europe? It is certainly the greenest city in Great Britain in terms of its  parkland and those trees.

I found the following video curiosity on "You Tube". It is narrated by the brilliant local  radio presenter, comedian and folk musician Tony Capstick whose alcoholism tragically drove him to an early grave in 2003. Sadly, the video doesn't highlight the city's green credentials but it does speak interestingly of modern history and makes me realise more than ever how the times really are a-changin'...

15 comments:

  1. What a wonderful old footage. I went to see the Queen when she visited our shores in 1954, too. I went with the rest of my Brownies. We all donned our Brownie uniforms and full of excitement we all jumped aboard the train at the Gympie Railway Station to head off to the "big city of Brisbane". For most of us, me included, it was our first trip to the city! What a time it was!

    And there's nothing wrong with being a country bumpkin....just ask Cal Smith, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn...and me! :)

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    1. Cough-cough... Err, do you still wear your Brownies uniform on special nights Lee?

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    2. Hahahahaha! It depends who for, Yorky! lol

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    3. I will dress up as Tarzan and swing from the lampshade.

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    4. Hahahahaha! Poor lampshade!!!!

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    5. John_Weissmuller's_MGM_Tarzan_Yell.ogg

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  2. I used to like the Old Pond St bus station. I can still remember the smell of the cafe and the diesel fumes.

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    Replies
    1. Yes diesel fumes always improve the taste of a greasy chip butty.

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  3. I like looking at old pictures and films like that, especially when I know a little bit about the place as it is at present.
    Last year, I bought a book in a Ripon book shop with pictures of Ripon's streets and squares and buildings. There are always two old pictures on one page and the same places in current photos on the opposite page.

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    Replies
    1. Ripon is a small city. I guess the book has ten or twelve pages?

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  4. I'm not sure I could ever feel at home in an environment without a lot of trees. And there's nothing wrong with being a country bumpkin! I prefer grass and trees to steel and concrete any old day!

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    Replies
    1. Are you a hippy Jennifer? What kind of grass do you like best?

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    2. Well, I've been known to enjoy all kinds of grass in my life. :)

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    3. The South Carolina cops have now been alerted!

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    4. They have far bigger fish to fry than me, I assure you! Besides, I'm (mostly) a good girl these days. :D

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