Thursday, August 26, 2010

Sepia Saturday 38 : What Else But A Pub

My apologies for being absent for so long : the hiatus went on until it almost became a recess. The Lad has been home, the Good Lady Wife has been on holiday and we have had visitors and therefore things have been busy around here. Next week should see a return to normality so I hope to start posting again soon and catching up with what has been happening to all my fiends. In the meantime here is my early Sepia Saturday contribution. And the subject of my contribution this week? Well, what else but a pub.

Commercial Street and the George Hotel, Brighouse
I bought this postcard showing the George Hotel in Brighouse fairly recently. I suspect the picture must have been taken about 1905, in the days when taking photographs was still unusual enough to attract a small band of onlookers. Those little children in the forefront will now be long gone, but most of the buildings still remain.


The George Hotel was built in 1815 and it originally had a small brew-house to the rear of the building. At the time of my earlier photograph James Dyson is shown as being the owner of the hotel (you can just make out the name under the George Hotel sign). Records show that James Dyson was licensee at the hotel from 1889 to 1915, at which time he moved to the New Inn in Marsden. The Hotel recently had "For Sale" signs up, but I am glad to see that it is now open for business again. In five years time it will be its' bicentenary and I intend to raise a glass in celebration there - if it and if I are still around.

Celebrate the other Sepia Saturday posts by following the links from the Sepia Saturday Blog.

22 comments:

  1. wow! very cool. I love that you posted a recent photo of it too so that I could compare. Awesome :)

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  2. Amazing how much stays the same, but the loss of the old lamp standards is a shame.

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  3. I wonder if Dyson was any relation to the modern vacuum-inventor. Was the pub carpet clean?
    Wonderful how you've given some life (and death) to those characters who looked on as the photo was taken.

    P.S. Glad you're back! I've been pretty sketchy lately myself.

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  4. You know I'm gah-gah over then-and-now pics! This one certainly satisfies. I'm fascinated with how amazingly the same it is now. You've been missed, my friend.

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  5. I love the idea of a pub or hotel having a small brew-house. I wonder what they were serving up there in the early 19th century?

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  6. I'm sure you'll both be around. I wonder why they forewent the awnings. I love how little these streets have changed on the exterior. Happy you've had a full house of your own. Nice to have friends and family to distract you from blogging. You've been missed.

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  7. Hmmmm... Except for the vehicles on the street, not much seems to have changed. Cool!

    I'm sure both you and the George will be around for the celebration, Alan.

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  8. Loved these photos of the pub, I hope you get to have that drink!

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  9. Always enjoy seeing "time travel" photos. Moments caught in nearly the same spot decades apart. Very interesting.

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  10. Interesting to see that not that much has changed. It could be all glass and concrete! I like the old gas lanterns. I wonder where this one ended up. It does not stand in your garden does it? Great post.

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  11. I wonder if your city planners could give a few pointers to some American city planners? Our cities are so...lacking in character much of the time, and what is in the way in a few years they just bulldoze and replace with something else. I do enjoy the before & after photos quite a lot.

    Norkio

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  12. I especially like then and now photos...I can recognize some buildings. Pubs, my friend Pat describes London and her experiences running a pub...

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  13. I share the sentiments regarding American planners and builders, they yank down anything in their way and have no sense of history or style...

    I hope you've enjoyed your hiatus from blogging. Thanks for this posting. Before and after photos really say a lot about their times.

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  14. Ahhh! The photo of the street today makes me homesick! (For YOUR home!)

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  15. I have only ever been drinking in Brighouse about 6 times in my entire Life!
    'Cant say Ive ever been in The George, although I have past it many times over the years.It's in a busy & central area so it should do alright for custom?
    Yes, it's a sad sight ,all those "For Sale" signs.It's good to know The George is safe for now.
    Have A Fine Weekend Alan.

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  16. I think the lack of shop awnings now tells its own story about our weather!

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  17. I am absolutely fascinated by the fact that you can find buildings and scenes now that were photographed years ago -- and that they look so much the same. Amazing!

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  18. It really hasn;t changed much now has it? ncie to see you back!

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  19. When so many places are undergoing 'improvement' and 'transformation' it's good to see somewhere which is still recognisably the same location.

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  20. i love this comparison shot, and your plans to raise a glass there in 2015!

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  21. I always love "then and now" shots. It's so interesting to see how things change.

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  22. How interesting how little changed it is. There appear to be awnings on the shop fronts. English pubs are the best thing.

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