Council Waste

In days of yore when town councils could raise their own taxes without interference from a very fat man in Whitehall it was considered essential that every last detail of the council's main building, the Guildhall, should reflect the greater glory of the city of Hull. So it came about that even the very drain pipes had a cast iron triple crowned putto to show the world what a true city of culture it once thought it was. 

The weekend in black and white is here.

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Just the other day I was on my way to Cottingham along Snuff Mill Lane when the Hull train sped past, knowing the trains around here there had to be one coming the other way so I waited and duly took the above picture. I guess the driver was a bit surprised to see anyone taking his photo at this point but better that than yet another suicide on the tracks. Yes unfortunately the crossing here has seen two deaths in recent years, the Samaritans even put up a notice which was, of course, stolen. Anyhow best not dwell on that. Being the conscientious type I googled the number of the train and found that there is a whole page, nay two, devoted to photos of this particular train, here. Ha! I thought who would want to take pics of the same train like that, train spotters .... that was until later in the evening going through some old pics I found this taken in 2010 at Bridlington station. I'll fetch my anorak ....

Money Hole

Today there's news of an extra £250,000 top up for this place, on top of its annual increased grants from the Arts Council. That's £1.75 million in hand outs in the last four years. In February 2011 I wrote "No doubt there will be appeals for more public money to be spent on this place and no doubt more will be spent." Well I told you so ... Seems there's no-one with the balls to shut this place down, (it should never have been built in the first place!) especially not now there's the city of culture creeping closer.

Is it Tuesday today?

I'm not exactly sure, no, really I haven't a clue. Or what goes on here or even who runs this place. It's in buildings that are or were part of the Hull College of Further Education but I can't find anything about a "Centre for Business and Enterprise" on the usual internet sources. I clearly lack the enterprise to find a fuller account and frankly I don't care much either. Whatever it is they do here they've given themselves a nice big sans serif sign to hide behind. Oh it is Tuesday after all, hmmm.

The British way of death

Northern Cemetery Chapel, Chanterlands Avenue, Hull

People, it appears, can no longer afford to die. Yes I know they keep on shuffling off without a care but those left behind are finding it increasingly difficult to pay for disposing of the earthly remains. The average cost of dying, that's including funeral, burial or cremation and state administration, rose last year by over 7% to £7,622 if you believe a survey by an insurance company although that does seem rather a lot. That figure is greater than average savings so you can see how it might distress the bereaved to get into debt over this matter. Clearly someone is making a pile (dare I say they are making a killing, why not?) out of all this; undertakers' mark-ups on coffins, for example, are  reputed to be 200%!. Then there's deeds of grant (£25 a year, minimum 10 years payable in advance) and interment fees, in Hull that's currently £820! And don't get me talking about wreaths and flowers!  Still you don't have to fork out all that; there are cut price jobs for under £1000. If you own your own patch of garden you can always go under the roses wrapped in a blanket for that stay-at-home interment, just make sure you're at least two foot under the sod. 

The chapel here is a grade 2 listed building from the early 1900's, it'll cost you a £70 'chapel fee' to hire it! Have a nice day!

"Take it outside, God boy!"

This set of photos come from the heritage open day back in September. I had thought that there might be something interesting lurking behind the archway entrance to Trinity House School, the old school not the new cereal box conversion on George Street. Well I ought to have known better. As you pass through the arch you are met (or rather were since demolition has thankfully removed it) by a boring brick building, typical school building in fact. Meh! Ahead the entrance to the chapel. Well much money had obviously been spent on sitting bums so that some deity can be bothered by prayers and hymns. There's stained glass, an organ and the usual paraphernalia. What educational value all this had I do not know. My own experience at a Catholic school many years ago led me to one of my few firm convictions that religion and schools should be kept well apart.

Thankfully demolished for a car park!

Dog's Head

The faithful dog - why should I strive 

To speak his merits, while they live 

In every breast, and man's best friend 

Does often at his heels attend.

The New-York Literary Journal, Volume 4, 1821

This piece of doggerel (well pardon me) is, as far as I can find, the first reference to "man's best friend" in print. The local rag has it that the East Riding, and Hull in particular, has one of the highest rates of animal cruelty in the country, but then it was quoting the RSPCA, an organisation that is, perhaps, more of a money raising engine than an animal welfare organisation. This old hound was left to wait its master return from the supermarket and, if you'll allow a little anthropomorphic fancy on this Saturday morning, appears to be regretting its choice of 'friend'.

There will, I suppose, never be a better opportunity  to post this little song by Alex Glasgow.

The weekend in black and white is waiting here.