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u3a Photography Group - Harrold Esson Collection - 30 October, 2024
by Tim Wright - 09:07 on 02 November 2024
Twelve of us met on the outskirts of Dounby at Harrold Esson's Midbigging Collection and it was a cornucopia of delights for photographers. Set over two floors it is a restored Joiners workshop. It contains items that are familiar to the older age group from house and farm to many more ancient objects. They are all very well displayed and well labelled. Downstairs were a 1954 MG, an open top Morris Minor 1000 and the inevitable little grey Fergie. Also there were many fixed engines including a magnificent fairground engine which is quieter than it looks when running. A deceptively rough looking tool chest opens up into a beautifully wood lined and compartmentalized box full of woodworking tools of another era. A desk is set up as the accounts area complete with old bills and reading spectacles.
Upstairs one immediately comes across the old Horn gramophones, one red and one green . Signs from the original Electric Theatre in Kirkwall and James Flett and Son adorn the walls. A dismantlable Box Bed, beating Ikea by many years, is filled with necessary night accoutrements. The beer bottle wall is covered in different label containers and must have assuaged a thirst or two in the making. Walking sticks, medals, wartime uniforms, you name it and it has a place and all wonderfully clean and well looked after too. However the highlight was the Delivery Boy's bike. It had been used by Bryan when he was an apprentice at The Orcadian 50+ years ago. He says with no gears it was very difficult to ride up Clay Loan!
After a happy 1 1/2 hours we left and headed to Hilary's house for coffee and and rather a lot of cakes! Many thanks to Hilary for looking after us all so well and to all those who brought cake too. While there we perused the Scapa photos and the Mobile Phone photos on Hilary's TV. This led to much discussion as to where and when the photos were taken. As always it was interesting to see how, although in the same place ie Scapa, the different interpretations of Tom's suggested list were fulfilled.
The next meeting time and place will be confirmed soon. In the meantime the Project this month is "Trews and / or Shoes " . An excuse for going shopping maybe?
Keep clicking,
Tim
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