Wooden figures

I feel that if a piece of art requires a lengthy explanation of what the artist is trying to convey then somehow it's a large bit of a failure. And so I turn to this, a grouping  called Odyssey which is part of the University's Polish season. They're colourful and at 2.5m they're tall and monumental, they're crudely carved and there's 40 of them; but what's it all about? Hmm? Can you tell just by looking?

Well there's a large sign accompanying this 'work' which tells all and which I did photograph but which I'm not posting  because I'm wondering if anyone looking at this could possibly guess what the artist is doing here.

If you give up the artist's website has information on what his intentions were ..... Of course it was a visual arts prizewinner at the Brighton Festival in 2006.

Park bridge

After yesterday's colourful display here's the East Park bridge which I've shown several times before but never in black and white.

See the Weekend in Black & White here.

Star Gardens

East Park's floral displays in the Star Gardens are at their peak right now with hosts of dahlias and gladioli making a spectacular show.

Not forgetting the ornamental grasses.

This Sporting Life

If you believe the local media Hull is a sports mad city with passions running high between supporters of the various football and rugby clubs. The montage above showing sporting 'heroes' of the past is on the wall of the New Clarence which boasts that it is "Hull’s premier bar when it comes to live sports entertainment". Apparently you can catch all the action "with your choice of 8 foot digital screen, plasma and LCD TVs". It's on the corner of John Street and Charles Street if you want to go or if you wish to avoid.

This photograph courtesy of John Wyles shows the original Clarence which stood on the corner opposite the present pub and which was demolished in the 1980s. It was a quiet old fashioned place where the biggest excitement was a game of dominoes and there was no telly ...

Building schools for the future

Hull's Trinity House school is moving out of these old buildings on Princes Dock Street into  new buildings on the former University of Lincoln site. The school is also doubling in size to 600 pupils. This is all part of a concerted effort by local and central government to improve the school buildings in Hull. Hundreds of millions are being spent on the largest regeneration project in Hull and nineteen "new, world-class schools" should open by the end of 2014. All this is very laudable but if a similar investment isn't made on the teaching side Hull's unenviable record of poor educational performance will continue.

Old news and a pink bicycle

Taken by Margot K Juby

Another woeful story of lack of safety in the workplace. This involves a worker inside a pressing machine that was turned on with disastrous consequences. The picture was taken in April and though the matter has gone to Court and the company admits breaches of Health and Safety it does not accept the full extent of its culpability. It has now been passed to a higher Court and will not be heard until next year. Meanwhile the Government wants to reduce the number of health and safety inspections to boost growth (for undertakers, I'm thinking) ...

Meat, Veg and Elvis

This is the indoor market and as you can see it's not exactly crowded. The Trinity Market, to give it its formal name, was opened in 1904 and sells a range of stuff from meat and vegetables to clothing, books to tropical fish and records to musical instruments. Competition from the large shopping malls has dramatically reduced the trade in the market so much so that half of it has been converted into a wine bar. Nevertheless it's still worth visiting for value for money.
I think the flags are something to do with this country having had sixty years of the same unelected head of state or maybe it's an outbreak of contagious patriotism. Who knows what goes on in the minds of flag wavers?

Elvis apparently has not left the building.

Ever so nearly not quite finished

Six months after I last posted about the new bridge across the river and, well, it's sort of nearly ready. Here they're busy putting the finishing touches to the approach route. Rumour has it that it will be opened next month but there's no hurry as there's nothing on the other side of the river worth crossing over for.

If you haven't got a clue what I'm talking about catch up here, here and here.

Purple

If you're looking for Hull's premier restaurant here it is. Ranked #1 of 156 or 188 restaurants (depending on which review you read) Port-Side is on Princes Dock and has a website here. I don't know what the food is like I just liked the purple.

Now with less

This picture, taken from the bus on my way home, shows a little piece of 20th century history. The building on the right is the remains of the National Picture Theatre on Beverley Road. It was destroyed in an air raid on the night of the 17^th March 1941 during a showing of The Great Dictator. One hundred and fifty people sheltering in the foyer escaped with their lives. Since that day the ruins have just been left and now it is the last blitz damaged civilian building in the country.

So what to do with the site? Well there were plans to turn it into restaurants and flats but the great bankster driven recession has put paid to that. There's now a plan to turn it into a ‘tribute to the home front’ whatever that means. As far as I know they are still seeking funding for this so it may be another seventy years before anything happens.

Now I've only ever passed the front of this ruin and was unaware of what lies behind until I came across this little web page while researching this post. All I can say is what a mess!

As for the building on the left that was a pub called the Swan. I only ever went in there once many, many years ago. I recall it was full of big tall Kerry men drinking a strange black liquid and singing Country & Western songs. I did not stay long.

Canned Laughter

Here's an odd little shop in the Hepworth Arcade. Dinsdale's has been selling laughter for seventy years or so, they stock everything from itching powder and whoopee cushions to fancy dress costumes and harmonicas.

Warhol at the Ferens

There's been an Andy Warhol exhibition at the Ferens art gallery most of this Summer. I went earlier in the year and was underwhelmed. I suppose it was worth seeing just because of the hype that surrounds him but it was a totally unmemorable experience. I wouldn't call him a great artist more a great self-publicising conman. Just as well that it was free to enter.

Lost at sea

The Flourish,  a  16-metre potter, was on its way back to Bridlington Harbour when it was in collision with the 88-metre vessel Nautica 28 miles off Flamborough Head. Three crew members including the skipper's son were rescued but the skipper John Collinson was never found. [Read more]

This is one of several memorial plaques on the south pier at Bridlington, reminders of the dangers of going to sea to earn a living.

Taphophile Tragics

Tat shop

Attention grabbing sign in Bridlington for the Identity tattoo studio on Manor Street. They have a website and it's here.

From the train

Farmers always moan. Earlier this year they moaned there was no enough rain, then there was too much rain then not enough sunshine and on and on.  If you believed the reports the potato harvest was doomed, bread would cost lots more and the end of the world was nigh. Well judging by the scenes on the way to Bridlington the harvest was coming in and it looks pretty much the same as last year and the year before that. The weather was perfect, dry and sunny and staying that way for about a fortnight just at the right time. And though some yields are down others are up. I guess you shouldn't always believe what you read in the papers.

Matilda

Matilda has been around by the harbour for a few years now, mixing with the ducks and geese. She sees no reason to go elsewhere. She has found happiness by the water's edge. No, not the lady with the bag; the barnacle goose. Obviously flying back and forth to Spitzbergen every year was too much of a drag when there's a free meal to be had every day. She's become a  bit of a favourite with the local fishermen who also feed her.

The crab business

To judge by the number of boats landing their catches the floor of the North Sea must be covered in crabs. In ten minutes I saw four boats landing their crates and this one was just coming into harbour. 

The main crab caught is the Brown Crab (Cancer Pagurus) the most commercially important species of crab in the U.K.

To catch 'em you'll need some bait, of course, some juicy looking salmon or trout heads will do nicely.

A few of these wouldn't come amiss

Load it up then you're ready to go.

Modernisation

The development of Bridlington harbour has been a long running saga with grand plans for marinas bubbling away in the background while local interest groups squabble among themselves. Here at last is something tangible. Built by the Harbour Commissioners, a £250,000 floating pontoon with electricity and running water and berths for 66 craft. This has got to be a boost for Brid's yachting trade and the money that follows that. Previously boats could only be reached at high tide now now they're available 24/7. Below shows the almost mediaeval moorings that have been replaced (no, don't laugh).

Window Boxes

Every year the buffet at Bridlington station puts on a floral display and this year's effort is as good as ever. As you can see it's not an understated affair by any means.

If you're thinking this looks familiar I mentioned this in a post ages ago here.

The Weigh-in

Bridlington is holding a four day sea angling competition (Sep 10-14). An obvious attempt to attract trade at the end of season. I came across the weigh-in where many anglers queued up to have their catch weighed. Many had two or three  large cod and ling. It was a time of much jollity and banter as you might imagine. The poor chap who had nothing to weigh was the butt of many a coarse joke.

St Charles Borromeo, Jarret Street

The Catholic church of St Charles Borromeo on Jarret Street was opened in 1829. This is not the place to go into my views on the Catholic Church (as someone who was sent to a Catholic school and to church every Sunday believe me I could go on for some time) so I'll just say that this building is next to the brewery and is Grade 2 listed.

You'd probably never heard of Charles Borromeo and neither had I until today. Wikipedia has him as an architect of the counter-reformation and setting up seminaries for the education of priests. Quite how that makes him a saint I don't know, and frankly I don't care.

Riverside balconies

An old riverside warehouse has been converted into apartments with balconies overlooking the brown gloop of the river Hull and an unredeveloped wilderness on the far bank. So desirable.

There's more B&W fun at the Weekend in Black and White.

In pursuit of the inedible

I was going to have a trip to Bridlington yesterday but events conspired to dash that plan, however here's a picture taken exactly two years ago. This couple seem intent on their fishing. I hope they didn't eat any of their catch as a nearby sign warns of the pollution of the harbour by sewage.

Dull and uninspiring

Hull folk of a certain age will know this as the Spencer Arms on Spencer Street. It had a  reputation as being not salubrious shall we say. After failing and reopening several times it ended up as Circus-Circus. The B.O.G.O.F (buy one get one free) notices on the door attest to a desperation to attract customers, effectively they pay you to enter! It did no good because whatever it was called and whatever offers made now it's shut permanently and even the plumbing has been taken out. 

The site was planned to be redeveloped as offices but in a move that was not lacking in irony the Planning Committee turned the plans down because they were too dull and uninspiring. Silly developers clearly didn't know that 'dull and uninspiring' can become 'exciting and futuristic' by the payment of a fee to the right person. (You didn't hear that from me).

Big Black Box

 

I showed you this hotel while it was being built and it was still covered in scaffolding (here). Well here it is all opened up and ready for business. As for appearances whatever fee they paid the architect was too much; it's location however, at the junction of four main roads, makes good business sense.

The Hour of the Flower

Hull's very own floral clock stands at the junction of four busy roads and must be seen and ignored by thousands as they make their way into and out of Hull. This year's display is looking a bit tatty in the centre and it's certainly not as complex as previous years. Possibly the result of,  dare I say, pruning of budgets.

David Whitfield

No, I don't suppose you've heard of him either. David Whitfield was a tenor singer in the 50's apparently very popular. Anyhow he was born in Hull and so here is his statue unveiled a few days ago. The £50,000 cost was paid for by donations from members of the David Whitfield Appreciation Society so he must still have some following.

His biggest hit Cara Mia was number 1 in 1954 (before my time) and if you're interested it's on YouTube here; it comes complete with Mantovani and his orchestra and chorus. Different times, different tastes.

From the train

Harpham is a little village about half way between Driffield and Bridlington. The train goes whizzing past so this is about as much as you can see. Harpham's claim to fame is that St John of Beverley was born there in the 7th century, they've been dining out on that ever since.

Chrome plated

Passed by a flash black Jaguar and took a pic of the silver cat on the bonnet. Then I saw the chrome was flaking and pitted. Looks like a cheap piece of tat.

I came across a wedding

All lined up in a wedding group

 'Ere we are for a photograph 

We're all dressed up in a morning suit 

All trying hard not to laugh ...

I took this a while ago and never had a chance to use it until  the monthly theme for  City Daily Photo landed on 'people watching'. The bride looks a picture if a tad worried and the groom ... well, where is the groom? Maybe's he's done a runner.

You can find other 'people watchings ' here. If you use Facebook then you can find links on the group page here.