You know you are approaching your sell-by date when you discover that you are the subject of one of your own Sepia Saturday postings. Why the above photograph - which shows my brother Roger, myself, and my father at some funfair or other - should be sepia I don't know. It must have been taken about 1950 or 1951, long after the introduction of photographic paper coatings which no longer degraded over time to give the familiar sepia shades. I suspect that the monochrome print had been left in the sun for too long and the fading process just took the edge off the blacks.
It must have been taken in either Bridlington (on the east coast of England) or New Brighton (on the west coast). For some reason we would always alternate our family holidays between these two resorts - one year staying at a boarding house in Wellington Road, New Brighton, the next at a boarding house in New Burlington Road, Bridlington. Both streets still exist and I have just "visited" them using Google Earth and I am struck by how little seems to have changed - other than the fact that all the houses are now private residences.
My brother is five years older than me and therefore must have been about seven or eight when this picture was taken. My father died in 2002 when he was 91 (I wrote about him last year in my Family Six Pack series). Roger went on to become an artist and a sculptor and he now lives on the Caribbean island of Dominica. And as for the cute little chap in the middle? He went on to do a little harmless blogging.
You can take a look at the other Sepia Saturday posts by visiting the Sepia Saturday Blog. Most people now tend to add their link after they have posted so you may want to delay the start of your tour until all the links are up which should be by the end of Saturday.
The angle of this photograph suggests that take-off is imminent. Such a lovely snap of father and sons relaxed and easy in each others company. A special moment.
ReplyDeleteLovely photo. I think it's great that you have sepia photographs with yourself in them. There's just something special about them.
ReplyDeleteMy blog address has changed. Hope you can still link to me.
I know what you mean about being the subject of one's own sepia posts....
ReplyDeleteIve not quite done that yet, but will be at some point.
its a great photo - I do like beach and play types of photo
Time travel by Google Earth is both amazing and a bit unsettling -- I 'visited' my grandparents house that way recently.
ReplyDeleteA charming picture -- mine today are of a similar vintage -- 1945.
(Sell-by date - ha!)
He is a cute chap indeed. And this is a lovely picture.
ReplyDeleteGoogle Earth is amazing isn't it?
wonderful snap!!!
ReplyDeletenice to learn you come from good stock (you dad living to 91!) which means there will be plenty of years ahead of alan blogging to look forward to!
your blogging may be harmless but it is far from being mundane or boring!!
oooh and a brother on a caribbean island - loverly for winter visiting!
nice photo - you and brother look really happy on that little plane
ReplyDeleteand I love how dressed up your dad was for the outing
What a fabulous photo, Alan! You were a cute little tot and even now I can see the impishness around the eyes that you had at that young age. Your dad's hair was so windswept and carefree! Did you inherit that curl?
ReplyDeleteI have a new desktop pc that I'm getting used to and I've been working on both it and my laptop. Unfortunately, not all my files/programs are linked (yet), so the corrections I normally make i.e., when I forget to add the SS address to my post as I have today, I don't have easy access make the change. Sorry.
That is a priceless shot!
ReplyDeleteI love the opening of your post.
I really must discover the joy of Google Earth. I never thought of visiting my stops along the road through this life.
Fantastic!
Thanks for sharing.
Your photo is as cute as your commentary is amusing! Do you remember riding in the plane? It looks like it was fun, and it's lovely to have these memories recorded both on paper and online. Here's to harmless blogging!
ReplyDeleteSo did the plane ever lift off? A fun photograph of a fun time together...
ReplyDeleteWhat a great photo and such fun memories for you!
ReplyDeleteSell by date?? Puh-leez! Harmless bloggers have a long shelf life, doncha know.
I have a photo to share of my self also. I am glad to see the photo. I remember that Roger is you artist brother and I have seen one of his books. It is an interesting photo with those aluminum planes. I had forgotten that they were metal and not plastic like today. Sell-by date can be scrubbed off with a stiff brush and soap. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteFrom Such Seeds Do Giant Bloggers Grow!
ReplyDeleteYour Photo Was Taken "The Right Way 'Round".I once took a camera (a disposable-thankfully) on The Big-Dipper in Blackpool.Halfway up, I tried to take a photograph & it flew out of my hands!
You All Look To Be Enjoying Yourself On This photo.
I Never Knew the Reason For Sepia.Interesting.
You& Yours have a fine weekend Alan.
An extraordinary blogger, if you please.
ReplyDeleteAlan, don't feel bad about the sepia; I think the '70s are considered vintage now. In any case, it's a great photo, full of obvious joy.
ReplyDeleteI was out most of yesterday so I didn't get chance to respond to individual comments - but thanks for your words. Tony, I must tell that story about the origins of sepia toning again - it's a story worth telly twice. I will put something on the Sepia Saturday Blog for next week.
ReplyDeleteGreat pic for down memory lane.
ReplyDelete:) The Bach