Saturday 26 October 2013

SPAMMERS

THIS POST IS FOR THE RIDICULOUS SPAMMERS WHO INUNDATE ME WITH GOBBLEDEGOOK COMMENTS, HOPING THEIR LINKS ARE GOING TO BE PUBLISHED/APPROVED. YOU HAVE NO CHANCE ON THIS BLOG. YOUR COMMENTS ARE MARKED AS SPAM AND THEN DELETED, SO YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME, YOU MUPPETS.

17 comments:

  1. Sir,

    I leftSt Lukes Junior School in 1956 and was very familiar with the Duckworth street area. At the top of that street, if one turned right towards Blackburn town centre (along Whalley Banks) there was a large chunk of coal (it may have been in a railed-off section or even raised up above pavement level). I assume the item was to symbolize the importance of coal in that area as I believe there were a number of local coal merchants. Would you or your readers have any photos of the item or (better still) where can it be seen today if it still exists. My current address is JOHN FALLON,
    4, BIRKETT RD.,
    ACCRINGTON,
    LANCS,.
    BB56DG
    TEL: 01254 381957 07985372339

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  2. Hello John

    I've heard about the large block of coal, usually referred to as 'The cob o coal' but have to say I'm sorry but I don't have any photos of it.

    Crook & Thompson and Schofield's were two of the coal merchants in that area and of course coal would have been unloaded at the railway sidings there. I think I read somewhere that the cob o coal was on Crook & Thompson's property.

    I couldn't delete your address and phone numbers, without deleting the whole comment, but if you're happy for them to be public, then no problem. If for any reason you would like me to remove them, just post another comment letting me know and I will remove the whole thing.

    Best regards

    Colin

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  3. Recently discovered this very interesting site and now would like some advise, I live at Lammack and do a bit of painting, very amateur, I have done a pen and ink of "Cuckoo Hall" but would you know how I stand with copyright. There isn't a p.hotographer listed.

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  4. Hi Bob

    The image on here of Cuckoo Hall is one I got off the Cottontown website, so maybe they have the copyright. That said, the same image also appears in Robin Whalley and Peter Worden's book, Blackburn in old Postcards, so was possibly a commercial postcard at some point.

    Since the advent of Facebook, Flickr, Google Images etc, no-one seems to pay too much heed to copyright. You'll find nearly every image from Cottontown on Facebook somewhere and 75% of the time, they don't even credit the site (I still do).

    As you've done a pen and ink drawing / sketch, I don't think (though don't take my word as gospel) you need concern yourself too much about copyright, as you aren't using the actual image/photograph, you've created your own piece, so I would imagine that you own the copyright to your pen and ink and if you wanted to reproduce it or publish it somewhere, you would be entitled to.

    Regards.

    Colin

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for such a prompt reply, have a good Christmas.

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  5. You too Bob and a Happy Christmas to anyone else that may look in over the next few days.

    Best regards.

    Colin

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  6. Hi,
    I am a student at Blackburn University studying Photography. For my final project I am gathering old photographs of Blackburn which I will be using to go back to place where it was taken and retake the image.
    I was wondering if you would be able to help me out with getting prints that I could scan to the computer or images that have already been scanned that are good quality as I would be putting the old a new images together for my final prints and I obviously want it to be legal.
    If there is anything you can do to help me that would be great!

    Kind Regards,

    Katie Parker.

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  7. Hi Katie

    I'm sorry but I don't have access to a printer or a scanner any more. Most, in fact 99.9%, of the images I have are on my hard drive or on pen drives.

    If you look on here at some of the compare & contrast posts (well it's probably just the one post and half a dozen examples) you might see something similar to what you are considering doing yourself.

    I wouldn't worry too much about the legality of any old images you use, as long as you credit the original source and as long as you're not profiting financially.

    If you want to download some of the old images on here, feel free to do so, but do take note of the credits and credit/acknowledge them the same way as I do.

    If you can't download off here, because of the ''right click'' function, you will find most of the images on my Facebook group. It's an open group, so you wouldn't even have to join to view the images (or download them), but please remember there are images on there that other people have uploaded and if in doubt, ask their permission before using their photos, as some are possibly from family archives and personal collections. But I'm sure most wouldn't mind you ''borrowing'' them.

    The Facebook group has the same name as this blog, Blackburn Past.

    Just type in COMPARE & CONTRAST into the search in the top left corner on here and it should bring up the post / examples that I mention above.

    Good luck with you project and with your photography course/career.

    Kind regards.

    Colin

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  8. Hello Colin,

    Just a message to give my appreciation for this superb site that you have produced.

    I was born and have lived in Blackburn all my life, but have only recently taken any real interest in researching the Blackburn of my youth (and before).

    Your site, and the photographs thereon, have brought back so many memories, and I've spent a good few hours thus far, looking back through your posts, and at the many photos.

    May I just add my vote of approval for the stance that you have taken with regards to unauthorised "lifting" of photographs etc. which are then used elsewhere, in complete contravention of the owners copyright.

    I have had many of my own photos "stolen" and used elsewhere on the web without authority, so I know the feeling.
    Unfortunately, other than for requesting their removal, there's not much that can be done without costly legal proceedings.
    In light of the ease with which the internet allows images to be found and "lifted", copyright legislation needs to be properly sorted out.

    Anyway, I digress. - Your site is superb, and long my it prosper.

    PS:- Do you have any information or photos that you could upload relating to exact location of the old NHS dental clinic on Victoria Street in the late 50's early 60's

    Best regards,
    Mike Valentine

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    Replies
    1. Hi Mike

      Thanks for your kind words.

      Sadly I haven't had much time lately to add much to this site / blog. Too many other, more important things to contend with. I keep meaning to set aside an hour or so a week to add more content, but something else always crops up.

      My posts and comments / concerns with regards the ''lifting'' and ''borrowing'' of material from here and other sites, date back 12 months or more. I've long realised we're fighting a losing battle with that one.

      I still try to acknowledge my sources when I use certain images, particularly if they're from books, the Cottontown site or someone's personal archive, but I honestly think we're a dying breed. You only need to visit some of the Facebook groups for half an hour to witness the complete lack of respect / courtesy that the majority have for others' material.

      The Cottontown website is probably the best place to find some info / pics of the NHS place on Victoria St / Richmond Terrace.

      I think one, possibly two of John Eddleston's photos from 1963 might possibly provide a glimpse of the building, though I'm unsure of the exact location myself, so I could be wrong. My memories of that clinic across from St John's Church are very vague, even though as a small child I did visit it. Once Lark Hill Health Centre was complete, I think most departments probably relocated to there.

      I'll have a look through JE's photos some time and try and get the relevant ones uploaded onto here, but whether they'll include the actual building you're looking for, I can't be sure.

      Kind regards.

      Colin

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    2. Thanks for your speedy reply, Colin.

      I know what you mean. - Life is very good at getting in the way of what we might prefer to be doing!
      But keep up your good work on Blackburn Past.
      What you have here is special. - It's something of a goldmine for those of us who are seeking out bygone Blackburn.

      I've searched on Cottontown, but can't find anything related to Victoria Street Clinic. - It's just one of many places that bring back memories. - I may enquire at the library, in case they have any info.

      Best regards,
      Mike.

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  9. Hi again Mike,

    I've uploaded John Eddleston's photo of Richmond Terrace, which was taken from just below Victoria St. I'm not sure if the building on the corner of Richmond Terrace & Victoria St was the one that the dentist was in, but it's as close as I have.

    Best regards.

    Colin

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    Replies
    1. Hi Colin,

      Thanks for that.

      I've just looked at the photo, but unfortunately that corner of the building doesn't ring any bells. - I recollect the entrance being on Victoria Street itself, but I could be wrong.

      I've been able to view online, a small section of a 1956 version of the 1:2500 scale OS map of Blackburn town centre, which identifies the whole of that section of Victoria Street, (including the corner of Richmond Terrace showing in your uploaded photo) as "Municipal Offices".

      I'm now wondering if those Municipal Offices subsequently became the clinic? (My visits as a child were in the early sixties, and I've no idea how long it was before that, that the clinic first opened).

      I wish I could find a 1:2500 scale map showing Blackburn centre in the early sixties! - I'll try the library.

      Many thanks for trying to help.

      Regards,
      Mike.

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    2. Hi Mike

      I was very, very young when I visited the dentist there and I just remember a long staircase and the dentist being at the top of the stairs somewhere.

      I can't even remember whether we accessed the building from Victoria St or Richmond Terrace, I just know it was around there somewhere.

      It's possible that the building had formerly been the Municipal Offices. If you do visit the library, ask at reception if you can have a look through the trade directories for 1959 - 1964 (or a few years either side of those). The directories weren't published annually, just about once every 3 or 4 years, but one from that era will tell you who was at what address and what their profession was.

      Check both Victoria St and Richmond Terrace :-)

      Regards.

      Colin

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    3. Hi Colin,

      Just to let you know - I visited the library couple of times, made enquiries in the local history section, looked through all the trade directories they had, and spent some time looking at old maps - but found nothing at all relating to Victoria Street Clinic.

      However, more searching via the internet eventually brought up this "hit" within the Blackburn Encyclopedia M-P section of the Cotton Town site:-

      "Public Health Department 66 Victoria Street (1930-60s); clinics included maternity & child welfare, ante-natal, post-natal, diptheria immunizing, dental, opthalmic, inspection and ultra violet light."

      The Cotton Town site is good, but I do find it sometimes less than effective in terms of site search facility.

      Anyhow, it seems that Victoria street dental clinic was just one section of the Public Health Department at No.66. (I was never previously aware of the various other clinics being there).

      All I need to do now is try to find a suitable large scale old map which would show the street number for each of the Victoria Street premises. - and hopefully confirm No. 66 on the corner of Victoria Street & Richmond Terrace.

      best regards,
      Mike.

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    4. Good work Mike !

      In my 1925 directory, it's listed as School Clinic. Although it doesn't give a number, it looks like it was the corner property, as the next entry after it says Richmond Terrace, as they do when the reach another street and the entry after that, is St John's Church.

      So basically it's telling us the last property on that section of Victoria St was the School Clinic, then Richmond Terrace crosses and then comes St John's church.

      In my 1894 directory, it's listed as Municipal Offices (again, no number) and it housed people like the borough engineer etc.

      Regards

      Colin

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    5. Thanks Colin.

      That pretty much confirms my initial suspicion, and your original thoughts on the matter too.

      I'd dearly love to find an old photo showing the Victoria Street elevation of that Public Health Dept. / Municipal Offices building. - You never know, maybe some day I will.

      Best regards,
      Mike.

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