More updates

By shendyNo Comments
I've had a reasonably productive week, and have put a lot of new photos up on the main website: A whole new section containing loads of photos from in and around Northampton, including Borough Shows and Raft Races as well as things like the redevelopment of the Town Centre in the 70s and shots from Abington Park. More photos from my dad's life - very early photos from the 30s, 40s and 50s and some from his working life. Enjoy....
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Abington Park 1976

By shendy3 Comments
Some shots from Abington Park in the summer of '76 The wonderful Gallone's ice cream vans, still there to this day. Is the ice cream as good as it was? The council obviously had more money than it does now, and there were various entertainments put on in the park during the summer - these are some Belgian flag wavers and a Scottish band with a drum major (or perhaps minor judging by the size of her). These are the Celebrated Ratliffe Stout Band - I know the name, but really don't know much about them apart from the fact that they came from Northampton, were a folk group and were named after a Northampton beer. Very hard to find out anything about them on t'interweb. And one of me, probably eating a Gallone's. And yes, the top is home-knitted....
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Northampton 1976

By shendyNo Comments
The long, hot summer of 1976 - sat here writing this in the wet, crappy summer of 2012. This is The Brother on a slide at Midsummer Meadow pool, about to plunge through the ice into the frigid waters. OK, I exaggerate - but not much. Mind you '76 was so hot that they might not have had to employ the ice breakers that year. And a couple of candids from the Market Square...
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Odds and Sods 1975

By shendyNo Comments
A slightly random selection from 1975. This was taken in June 1975 at a Masque Theatre production at Easton Neston - home of Lord Hesketh. Through the gate was the home of his Formula 1 racing team, whose main driver at the time was one James Hunt. March 1975, London Zoo. This is Guy The Gorilla. Especially memorable for me because for some reason he charged the window me and The Brother were looking at him through. Scared the bejesus out of us - let's face it, who wouldn't be spooked when a bloody huge gorilla charges you - and I was a skinny and weedy 6 1/2 year old. Personally, I think he took a dislike to The Brother - perfectly understandable... And this is one for the social historians out there - my mother's parents kitchen in Pembroke Gardens. At least that's where I assume it is - looks vaguely familiar, but I was probably last there around 35 years ago!...
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