New book - Built for service "Post Office Architecture"

Last year I helped an author by supplying images for a new book.
The Old Post Office building on Victoria Street (now Coyote Wild bar) was designed by Architect James Williams, he was the architect on many other grand looking post offices around the UK.
In this book you will be able to learn more about how these buildings and how they were designed to meet the demands of the public.

This book is out now, its called Built for service Post Office Architecture by Julian Osley.
Published by The British Postal Museum and Archive.

ISBN : 978-0955356933




Thanks
Andy

The Pentrich Rebellion of 1817.

Someone recently contacted me with some information which I thought I would share on here. Here is their message....

Hello Andy,
          Stumbled across your site and had me veiwing for over an hour. I have ancestry from South Wingfield and Pentrich which is the town that spawned what is known as the Pentrich Rebellion. 

The ring leaders of this uprising of which my GGGG/Grandfather George Weightman is included were sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered for high treason. 

The sentences were reduced to hanging and beheading outside Derby Gaol on 7th November 1817 and their bodies buried in unmarked graves in Derby's St Werburgh's Church yard. George had his sentence reduced to transportation to Australia for life along with other revolutionaries and never returned to his family in England.Just thought that if you were not aware of this chapter in the history of Derbyshire it may make a fitting inclusion to your fantastic site. 

I hope to make the trip to England and Derby in the next few years to visit where my forebears lived and died and see first hand the subjects of your work.
 

Cheers for now Keith Millar

Melbourne Australia
 

Further reading about this here in these links.
http://jenjen999.wordpress.com/261-2/

http://www.historytoday.com/susan-hibbins/pentrich-rebellionhttp://www.historyhome.co.uk/c-eight/distress/brandret.htm

http://www.pentrichrebellion.co.uk/http://www.executedtoday.com/2010/11/07/1817-the-pentrich-rebellion-leaders/

Time Travel back 100 years to 1911 in my then and now video of Chapel Street in Spondon Derby.

Time Travel from 2011 back to 1911 in my video of Chapel Street, Spondon Derby.
This video is best viewed in Full Screen mode at 720p. to do this just click on the Full screen icon at the bottom right of the video then change the resolution from 360 or 480 to 720p




I specialise in high precision then and now photography using old post cards and photographs.
This is my first ever attempt to take this to the next stage, what I have done is use a live video clip and made that fade to the old photograph then fade back to live video again.

There were some big challenges in creating this video because normally when I make then and now photographs there is a certain amount of trimming of both old and new images
in order to make them match up. But when using video that was shot at 1280x720 pixels there was no option to trim the "now view" as it had to remain at that resolution.
I had to make sure that when I shot the "now view" that I was indside the "old view" so that only the old view needed trimming down to match.

What is "then and now" photography:
Its a truly unique way to see changes in time using two perfectly lined up images, one old & one new
they were and how they are today from exactly the same view point. Then and now, Now and then, Past and Present, Old and New, Before and After. Call it what you want, just try one and see the effect!

The view in this video:
This project features buildings on Chapel Street, Spondon, Derby, UK.
The main building that you can see in the old photograph is Co-operative Society branch no 34 listed as "Spondon Grocery and Butchery opened" which opened in 1897.
The old photograph was supplied to me back in 2006 by a Margaret Page.
At the time the photograph as taken this shop was owned by a Alfred Job Millington the Grandfather Margaret Page.

The video footage was taken on Friday 18th February 2011.

Today in 2010 the Co-operative building is the Empire Tandoori Restaurant & Takeaway Spondon (42 Chapel Street), Spondon, Derby, Derbyshire
The building to the left of it The Kingfisher Day Nursery 38 Chapel Street
To the left of that at 34 Chapel Street is Perfect Touch Tanning and Beauty Studio
To the left of that at 32 Chapel Street is Menz Room barbers Shop.
To the left of that at 26-28 Chapel Street is Burlington Travel Ltd

Notice how there is an extension added between 28 and 32 Chapel Street.

Filming Location:
The original 1911 photograph was taken from this exact point which is also where I took my HD video from:


Filmed from here.

Here is a Google Streetview roughly taken from the same place :
Google Streetview.

Music:
The music I have used in my video is Tomorrow is Another day by Mathijs Wiermans.
See the page here:
http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/319151
Licensed under Creative Commons.

Equipment used :
Video camera - Toshiba Camileo Pro HD camcorder (now deceased)
Photo editing - Corel PaintShop Photo Pro X3
Video editing - Sony Vegas Pro 9

Please rate and comment if you enjoyed my video.
Subscribe to my video to get notified of my latest work.

Thanks
Andy

Where to find Georges Tradition fish and chip restaurant in Chellaston Derby.

Update August 2015 - This Fish and Chip shop is closing and moving to where Andrews Fish Bar on  Swarkestone Road used to be located.


Do you like Fish and Chips? Who doesn't! A few years ago we tried a new chip shop that opened in Belper Called George's Tradition and were really impressed with the quality. Since then they have opened up several more shops and also restaurants around the East Midlands. So far have tried Belper, Long Eaton and Allestree and they are all as good as each other. Their shops are located in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire, so far they have ten open.

In May 2010 they opened a new one in Chellaston and despite several attempts to locate the shop while out and about we could not find it. The map locations on their website are flash based so would not work on my iPhone. Typing in the postcode given on the website  "DE73 5XE" into the google mapping app would show up a marker literally in the middle of the River Trent near Swarkestone! See for yourself HERE.
So I then tried searching for the full address given on the website  "Unit 5, Royal Glen Park, Derby" and that showed several markers but non anywhere near Chellaston. Had to give in.

Well a few months on after now seeing the map location on a PC I decided to help anyone else looking for this George's by creating a few things to help.
You will notice that if you view the satellite view of where this restaurant is located then it just shows grass, thats because its a new building that was built after Google captured it from above.

1) If you are viewing this on a smartphone (i.e. iPhone, HTC, Galaxy etc)  then simply tap my link below :

Accurate Drop Pin for Georges Tradition at Chellaston, Derby

And this will launch your mapping application and place a drop pin onto the map with the exact location of George's Tradition at Chellaston. You can then use this marker to get driving or walking directions from your current location.

2) Or you can find this shop by seaching in your smartphone mapping app for Rowallan way, Derby that will take you to roughly the correct location.

If you you look at Google Streetview for this shop you will notice that they are only putting in the foundations for it.
So what I did is take a 360 degree view from near it so you can see what it looks like now in March 2011.
Its just like Google Streetview, only better quality. I have marked the shop with an interactive rollover marker.

360 degree view showing the location of George's Tradition at Chellaston, Derby :
Use your mouse to click and drag the view around. (note this does not work on an iPhone)


I have also created a high resolution version of the above (broadband needed) :
360 view of the location of George's Tradition at Chellaston Derby.

I have also made a webpage showing the two views "then and now" HERE so you can see the difference.

By the way they have a loyalty card thats worth having, The George’s Tradition Privilege Loyalty Card is pretty good as they give you 10 points for every £1 spent and each point worth 1p, in other words 10p back for every £1 you spend. So if you use their resturants from time to time then it would be mad not to bother having Loyalty Card. You can cash them in at any time to buy food from them.

I made a driving video Chellaston new estate I recorded this back in May 2008 before that corner plot was built on, in my video (at 0.57) you can see all the fencing blown down and the rocks on the pavement. This is the corner now ocupied by George's.

If you found this post of use then please leave a comment.

Thanks
Andy

New Video : Derby County when we were fans not customers.

I'm always keen to promote local video makers and here is a new video that will be of interest to Rams Fans. the Video is "Derby County when we were fans, not customers" by Johnny Vincent aka Youtube user davemahenus


It features photographs and some video of the old Baseball Ground put to a rather appropriate song going by the current problems at Derby County. If you like his video remember to give it the thumbs up.

Video - Derby County when we were fans not customers


If you would like to see more photographs of the old Derby Baseball Ground then have a look at my collection Old photographs of Derby BBG.



The site of the Baseball ground was cleared away way back in 2003. In the last two or three years some houses have been build on the land and in September last year a statue commemorating Derby County's former Baseball Ground was unveiled. The 15-foot high metalwork, featuring three footballers dribbling, shooting and tackling, was officially revealed at the Normanton site by ex-Ram Roger Davies.
Commissioned by developers Spirita and Strata, which are building a 149-house estate on the former ground, the work in Cambridge Street was designed by artist Denis O'Connor.
If you have not been to the old site for some time then have a look at this, you will need to go down Cambridge Street, you can't miss it !

Thanks
Andy

Mercian Way, Final section of Derby's inner ring road will be opened Wednesday 16th March 2011.

THE final link in Derby's inner ring road will be opened tomorrow 16th March, marking the completion of major work on the city's £36.2m Connecting Derby scheme.

Mercian Way will be opened at 1.30pm and will connect the new Stafford Street roundabout with the Burton Road roundabout and Lara Croft Way, which was opened in July 2010.

Once the inner ring road has been open for a bit and settled down I will create a new driving video of it in the same manner as the one I did in 2009 - Video of Derby inner ring road by car.
If you missed my driving video of Lara Croft Way then view that to see where this final section will connect at the top of Babbington Lane.

Photograph of Mercian Way the day before it opens.
View looking up from Abbey Street toward Lara Croft Way.


View looking up from Abbey Street toward Lara Croft Way.


Photograph of Mercian Way the day before it opens.
View looking towards Stafford Street from Abbey Street.


Map showing the final section that opens on Wednesday 16th March :

View Derby inner ring road - Lara Croft Way and Mercian Way. in a larger map

You may remember that Lara Croft Way opened up way back in July 2010, at last we will be able to drive from Friar Gate all the way to it using this new road.


Thanks
Andy

Derby's River Gardens to get a £400,000 makeover to bring back their glory days.

Derby's iconic River Gardens will get a £400,000 makeover to bring back their family-friendly glory days.For more than 50 years, the gardens were a public attraction that drew in families and workers from the city centre for lunch or a stroll. But, in recent times, they have become shabby and a haven for criminals.
Now, after completion of the nearby £100m Riverlights hotels, casino and retail development, the city council has decided it wants family picnics back in the park.

It has revealed it wants to improve street lighting, pavements, seating and possibly add public art in a bid to create an attractive riverside walk.
And the news comes as the man behind Riverlights revealed he was on the verge of signing a deal with a restaurant firm to take up a third of the complex's 25,000sq ft food and drink space.
It is hoped this, and the River Gardens revamp, will stimulate the area's night-time economy.
The improvements should be completed by the "end of spring or early summer of 2012".
The gardens would be given a modern facelift rather than returning to their look when they were first created in 1934.

You may be old enough to remember what the Derby river gardens used to look like, if not then watch my video I made a few years back made from old postcards of the time.

Video of old post cards of how Derby River Gardens used to look in its hayday.


Thanks
Andy

2011 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football, Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th March.

Its that time of year again when the maddest game of football in the world takes place in Ashbourne Derbyshire.

Ashbourne in Derbyshire is host to one of the Oldest Shrovetide football games in England.

It was first recorded in 1682, though thought to date back to the 12th Century ,various attempts were made to suppress it over the years.

It has continued unabated ever since, and by 1928 it had become so respectable that the then Prince of Wales was invited to start the game. From that year on it was known as the Royal Shrovetide Football game.

The Game is played annually on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, and consists of two teams, one from anyone born to the North of the River Henmore, and one from people born South of the river, these are known as Upards and Downards.

The Goals are on the sites of Old mills, one at Clifton and one at Sturston, these are three miles apart.
A goal is scored by a player striking the mill wheel three times with the Ball.

The ball may be kicked, carried or thrown, but generally proceeds in a series of hugs invisible to the spectator. The game can last for many hours, finishing well after dark.

The game starts at 2pm in the afternoon, when a specially prepared ball - larger than a football and filled with cork which weighs around 4lbs is thrown in by a visiting guest of honor. The balls used for the Shrovetide games are made by Ashbourne man John Harrison who is turning up the ball this year.
The hand sewn leather balls are filled with cork chippings.
The balls are a work of art and take a few weeks to paint.

The Rules
If the balls are goaled, then it will become the proud possession of the person who has goaled it. If no-one goals it, then the person that turned-up the ball gets to take it home.
The game starts in the Shawcroft Carpark (back of Waitrose supermarket), See my detailed map lower down. I have provided a detailed interactive Shrovetide map lower down in this post which will enable you to see all the key points of the playing field which 3 miles between the two goals at Sturston and Clifton.

Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football is something that you just have to see to believe your eyes.
Here is a video I made of the game last year in two parts to give you an idea of what its like :



This year the game takes place on 8th and 9th of March.
On Tuesday Jim Boden from Cubley will be turning up the ball at 2.00pm. And on Wednesday Frank Lomas from Kniveton will have the honour.




I have lots of photographs and several videos from past games that you can view :

Photographs:
Photographs from the 2008 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game.

Photographs from the 2007 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game.

Photographs from the 2006 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game.

Photographs from the 2004 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game.

Photographs from the 2002 Ashbourne Shrovetide Footbal game.


Videos :

Video footage from the 2009 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football Game.


Video footage from the 2007 Ashbourne Shrovetide Footaball game.

Extra video footage from the 2007 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game.

Time-lapse driving video from Derby to Ashbourne.

Location Map:
Smartphone drop pin locator for Ashbourne Shrovetide Football,
If you own a smartphone (iPhone,HTC etc) then CLICK HERE and it will launch your mapping app with a "drop pin" which I have perfectly located above the turning up plinth, If you have never been to Ashbourne then you can use this to get walking directions to where the action will be at 2pm.
On an iPhone, once the map shows up there will be a red drop pin in the middle of the screen with the title "Ashbourne Shrovetide" above it. Touch "Directions" at the bottom and then "by foot" icon at the top of the screen to get detailed walking directions to the start of the game.


The town of Ashbourne is located in Derbyshire just off the A52, see my time-lapse driving video to Ashbourne Football.
I have created an interactive map which shows all the key points in the game such as the turning up plinth where the ball is thrown, the two goals and the Henmore which is what determines if you are an Upard or a Downard, Click the link below the map for a large view of all the points of interest :

View Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game map. in a larger map

The weather for Tuesdays football game looks good, despite a frosty start should be nice and sunny all day.

Update : Tuesdays game was a draw with Adrian Webb for the Down'ards scoring a goal at 4:50 and then Richard Goodall scoring a goal for the Up'ards at 6:45
Wednesdays game was also draw with Simon Betteridge scoring for the Down'ards about 3:30 and then Simon Fisher scoring a goal for the Up'ards at 8:55.
The first time in 75 years there have been four goals !

Thanks
Andy