Friday, December 03, 2010

Sepia Saturday 52 : Blue Anchor

First of all, my apologies for being unusually quiet these last few days : put it down to my cold (what many of you have charmingly called "man-flu"), the foot deep snow and sub-zero temperatures, and the fact that the Lad has been stranded at home revising for his exams and monopolising my desk. I have another task demanding my attention - more of that next week - but I am pleased to be squeezing in a Sepia Saturday post and, on Sunday, making time to call in on Mr Toast's Second Annual Christmas Tea which this year will be taking place at Torosay Castle on the Isle of Mull. But first I need to travel south to Somerset and to my Sepia Saturday post :



Without intending to do so, I seem to have set off on the virtual trail of my mother and father and their 1930s motorcycling tour of the South-West of England. This week's photograph shows my mother (and I think that is Charlie Pitts again) and is marked as being taken in "Blue Anchor". This will almost certainly be the West Somerset village of Blue Anchor, which, like all good villages, is named after the local 17th century pub.

I know that those of a suspicious nature might raise a virtual eyebrow at the frequency of photographs featuring my mother and Charlie Pitts. But these were the days before time delays on camera shutters and my father was usually the one behind the camera. There must be something genetic about this willingness (indeed, enthusiasm) to take the photographs rather than appear in them : when my future decedents come to post my pictures on Sepia Saturday 2681 there may be some comment as to why the Good Lady Wife is always featured with other people and never with me.

As far as I am aware, I have never been to Blue Anchor. Once the GLW decides to edge her way in the direction of retirement we plan to try and visit parts of the country we are less familiar with. I will make Blue Anchor a priority destination, the sound of that pub is just too attractive to ignore.


19 comments:

  1. I may have missed an earlier detail, Alan, but was your mother riding in a sidecar, or did she have her own motorcycle? Either way, she had more moxie than my mother!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sean : No sidecar : as they say over here, she rode pillion.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I was never a biker, but I love those old long stroke machines. Great coats they are wearing! Nice period shot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. such adventurers! great photos of a time long ago, thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am sure I have said it before but I will say it again, I love seeing these photos of your Mother and think for the time she must have been quite adventurous for the time. What a wonderful way to get out and about.
    I am another who is very reluctant to be photographed but am always taking photos of others!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the biking gear of those times! I really want one of those long leather coats.

    Alan, my Dad suffered the same fate as yours - he was so busy being the photographer (yes, I've inherited my photomania) that there are relatively few shots of him on our vacations. There are lots of photos of Dad, but they're usually family shots by professional photographers, or others taking shots of us or of him and Mom. But vacation shots (or shots taken on family weekend outings, etc.) are Dad-less.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have to comment on the 'leathers', too. A mate of mine rides a Yamaha R1. I'm trying to imagine him in a similar get-up.

    Great picture. Great place name!

    ReplyDelete
  8. you are so full of such interesting tidbits. Amazing. amazing too how you have photos from back then. I wish I had some of my parents at their various earlier year but bot of them had their childhood homes destroyed --one by the Japanese invading Singapore and the other, by fire.

    So looking forward to your wit, come Sundy.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have much sympathy with your dad's preference for being behind the camera!

    Such an interesting photo :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am certainly enjoying these photos of your mother and the motorcycle. I've thought about her a couple of times since you posted the first photo and I think she must have been a very forward-thinking, gutsy lady.

    Also, I like the little "Click for Sepia Saturday posts" with the photos that you have at the bottom of your post. Very fine.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Alan, I've followed your blog here and there and have always enjoyed what you share. Especially your sepia saturdays. Truly. I have alot of photos that my father took in Vietnam...I should share those some time. INCREDIBLE photos.

    Looking forward to officially meeting you at Mr. Toast's party this weekend. So many attendees are already making plans and headed that way. Overwhelmed by those listed on his sidebar. Whoah! I've read through last year's party event notes and you were definitely the highlight of it all. Hee hee

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. It's worthy of a movie. This just looks like such a fun adventure. I wish i could have gone along.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fantastic--the motorcycle, the coats and goggles, the adventure of it all. Wonderful photos.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm sure you're right about Charles Pitts but I like to imagine a romance, anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Alan! I make a virtual sneeze in Solidarity![with a virtual hand in front of my face to prevent infection]
    Yorkshire's unique strain of man-flu is particularly virulent ......

    ReplyDelete
  16. The gear is amazing for back then. It is so great to see these and to know they were loving every minute of it.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh My your Mum is beautiful and went on adventures!! What a lady! She sounds just like you! Love your old photo it is a gem:)

    ReplyDelete

11 March 2024 : Paper Hanging

  Some people read the paper, some try and understand the meaning of life, George II and Elvis Presley both died there .... and photographer...