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Friday, January 14, 2011

Step back in time

While I was living in the UK a few years ago I travelled to Yorkshire for a couple of weeks.  I adored the Yorkshire Dales, and it became one of my favourite parts of England.  I also stopped in Whitby for a couple of nights.  I knew of Whitby from the classic novel 'Dracula' and from countless school history lessons about Captain Cook, but it was the gem I found while wandering through the town streets that now reminds me of Whitby.

By chance I happened upon the Sutcliffe Gallery.  I spent probably about an hour in the little gallery gazing at photo after amazing photo of people and common sites in Whitby and its surrounds from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.  After much agonising I finally decided on my favourite photographs and left the gallery with two postcard sized prints (which are now framed and hanging in our house).

Early photographs always interest, and often intrigue, me - and the photographs of Frank Meadow Sutcliffe are something special.  Beautifully composed and expressive in every detail.  The milkmaid with her milking stool, the boats in the harbour, the sailor with a peg leg and the women knitting.  I love them all.  If you have some time, browse the online gallery and lose yourself in historical Whitby (I do every few months and never tire of it).

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