Get your eyes tested

A Hull optician's shop that has seen better days.

Mr Hull

The latest statue to appear in Hull is this larger-than-life-size imitation of  Chairman Mao, oops, sorry, no; that's Sir Leo Schultz. The statue stands in a niche on the Guildhall where Sir Leo was a councillor for 50 years or so and leader of the council from 1945 to 1979. Not surprisingly he was known as Mr Hull. Many people in Hull owe their lives to his urging the building of public air-raid shelters before the last war. A school was named after him but that has recently closed. I have taken the liberty of shifting the hue slightly to reflect Sir Leo's political views.

There's more about the making of this statue and the life of this man here.

Rank

Here's one of Hull's notables being honoured by a blue plaque. J Arthur Rank was a flour miller's son whose move into film making and distribution came about through because the Methodist church complained of the negative influence that British and American films shown in Britain were having on family life. He was inspired to set up the British National Films Company. Later he set up a distribution company to promote his films in cinemas and also developed Pinewood studios where the Bond movies are made. Rank's films always started with the distinctive gong being struck. Rank was a very wealthy man and gave much to Methodist causes and is rightly remembered by this plaque; it is a shame, then, that the house to which it is attached has not been quite so well looked after.

Fall into monochrome

For some reason the usual Autumnal change in leaf colour has been very disappointing. Leaves are going from green to a dirty grey/brown and then dropping off. Maybe we'll have some colour later on.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat ....

A sunny Autumn day brought some rowers onto East Park lake. The chilly wind (that the camera does not show) didn't seem to affect these hardy souls tough. 

A poor life this if, full of care,

...We have no time to stand and stare?

These beauties were by the Driffield canal the other day; not once did they let me out of their sight. 

Closed for demolition

This row of shuttered shops on Ferensway is not a victim of the banksters greed, at least not directly. In a way they are a surprising success story that has had come to close. These buildings were put up as temporary shops just after the war to replace bomb damaged property. They had a life expectancy of ten years but have been here over sixty years. They were due to be demolished a few years ago but there's no money so here they stay. On a personal note I bought my first 'serious' camera , a Practika, I believe, from Hilton's (the third shop down) nearly thirty years ago.