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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: GeeBee1 on Tuesday 04 August 09 09:26 BST (UK)
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Hi,
need some help identifying where this might be.
Could be Edinburgh, Wales or even Australia.
Hopefully this might be a recognizable landmark to some one.
Thanks
Gary
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It looks seaside or dockside to me - so I don't think it's Edinburgh.
The signs might give a clue but I can't quite make them out
and does that sign on the doorway say Post?
Gadget
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I see charabancs in the background ... can't help it, whenever I see charabancs, I just automatically think of Wales :-[
Swansea, perhaps?
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Certainly looks like the seaside, with those people leaning on the railings. The presence of charabancs outside the building adds to this impression. The clothing suggests a holiday town - panama hats on the men and the main person wearing what would have then been casual clothing - blazer and open-necked shirt.
The poster on the notice board looks rather like an advert for a theatrical performance, but I can't read either the poster or the lettering at the top of the board. Behind the man I can read "Post", though not "Post Office", which is what I would expect to see in England.
The style of the buildings suggests the South Coast to me, with the Georgian-style balconies like Brighton or St Leonards. It must be quite a large town with buildings of that size and a busy one, too, from the number of people about.
Gillg
Added later - Actually the balconies look as though they are made of stone, rather than the Georgian metal ones.
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Edinburgh has an extensive sea-front, but nothing which resembles a traditional "pier", which this chap seems to be standing on. I would guess the notice board is advertising boat trips.
Wherever it is, it was already a long-established seaside resort by the time of the photograph.
Hibee
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First time that I've heard of Edinburgh having a seafront and I don't recall hotels like that overlooking the Forth :-\
Leith is the port for Edinburgh but it's only recently been 'done up'
I hope it's not Llandudno - we had a long thread about that a while ago. It turned out to be Hastings :-X :-X :-X
Gadget
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Found a picture of Portobello but again it doesn't look like it:
http://edinburghdaybyday.wordpress.com/2008/09/30/portobello-seafront/
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It looks seaside or dockside to me - so I don't think it's Edinburgh.
The signs might give a clue but I can't quite make them out
and does that sign on the doorway say Post?
Gadget
Yes the sign on the doorway says "Post"
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Could it be a "Hotel Post"? Just doesn't look like a Post Office with those fancy curtains.
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The sign on the building to the far right looks like Frenchies to me.
Jan ;)
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Yes, we agree but we think it's spelt Frenches
Gary
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I see a good number of tall posts in the left side of the image with cables hanging between them, and just behind the chap a cable is running horizontally across the picture, I do believe where ever it is trams run along the front.
Philip
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I can't see any tram wires above the buses ... the wire stretching along is either too near or too thick for that purpose.
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Hmmmm ... in the window below the "Post" sign ... does that look like a display of postcards for sale, do you think? (Not that that helps narrow down the location!)
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Hi
Probibley wrong! in Blackpool Lancashire!there is a street that runs accutely off the sea front road like a letter y other way round leaving a building that wedge shape.
food for thought! otherwise Brighton or Hastings.
Dobby
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Thanks Dobby,
I was hoping that the wedged shape building running along what appears to be either a river or the shore would be the key to where it is.
It's circa 1920's so it could well be demolished now.
Thanks
Gary
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Yes.......a closer look suggests they could well be postcards
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Hi
First reaction looking at the photo is Hastings.
The railings the man is leaning against,is the entrance to underground car park.
But i could be wrong.
Omega
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Silly me
The railings the man is leaning against is not entrance to get into carpark but toilets
Senior Moment :D
Omega
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Well done, Omega1. If you check out Hastings on Google Earth, there is a building which fits the bill, at the junction of Carlisle Parade and Robertson Street.
Hibee
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Well done, Omega1. If you check out Hastings on Google Earth, there is a building which fits the bill, at the junction of Carlisle Parade and Robertson Street.
Hibee
Here http://tinyurl.com/leafnq
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http://www.hastingschoice.co.uk/HASTINGS-PHOTOS/days-gone-by/html/white-rock.htm
Old photo..
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I hope it's not Llandudno - we had a long thread about that a while ago. It turned out to be Hastings :-X :-X :-X
Gadget
What did I say. I think we should always say Hastings and work from there!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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http://www.hastingschoice.co.uk/HASTINGS-PHOTOS/days-gone-by/html/white-rock.htm
Old photo..
Great find Well done. Nice to see the answer come forth.
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Hi Geebee
I have been down on the Seafront this morning.
The railings are still there .If you would like some up to date photos ,i can take some.
Then exchange e-mails Via PMs.
Omega :)
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Do I see a TRAM Geoff? :o ::) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;)
I love this forum, you are all amazing.
Philip
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Do I see a TRAM Geoff? :o ::) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;)
Not along that bit of prom you don't, only up the side street ;)
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http://www.hastingschoice.co.uk/HASTINGS-PHOTOS/days-gone-by/html/white-rock.htm
I checked out this photo and it fits. Also the arial photo gallery shows it.
Not sure if this man is standing on the pier.
Ritchie
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copy from multimap looks well
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Hastings again, eh? As Gadget says, we should always consider Hastings first when these seaside photos come up. :)
Well done all, and how great to have the up-to-date photo in confirmation.
Gillg
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Do I see a TRAM Geoff? :o ::) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;)
Not along that bit of prom you don't, only up the side street ;)
Agreed ;D
Philip
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http://www.hastingschoice.co.uk/HASTINGS-PHOTOS/days-gone-by/html/white-rock.htm
I checked out this photo and it fits. Also the arial photo gallery shows it.
Not sure if this man is standing on the pier.
Ritchie
Interesting that old image doesn't show overhead cables for the trams. So I just had to try and find out more about that, and here is the info;
"Hastings had a network of trams from 1905 to 1929. The trams ran as far as Bexhill, and were worked by overhead electric wires, except for the stretch along the seafront from Bo-Peep to the Memorial, which was initially worked by the Dolter stud contact system. The Dolter system was replaced by petrol electric trams in 1914, but overhead electrification was extended to this section in 1921. Trolleybuses rather than trams were used in the section that included the very narrow High Street, and the entire tram system was replaced by trolleybuses in 1928–1929".
From Bo-peep to the Memorial was operated by the Dolter system which was an underground system of picking up the electricity supply for the tram, so no ugly overhead cables, however it didn't work very well and the Dolter system was replaced by overhead cables in 1921.
So the original image in this thread is post 1921 as the cables are up, but given that trolley buses replaced the trams as early as 1928 - 29 I'd hate to have to put a definite date on it, though the trolley buses were replaced by diesel buses in 1959, so the cables no doubt would have been done away with at that time.
I wonder if the chap in the image is standing against railings that are part of a ramp or steps that lead down to the lower level of the promenade as it appears at that point there is no pier, but like others I originally thought it must be the pier. On the modern images it looks like that area is now edged by concrete fencing as the railing are gone, unless they have been wiped out by redevelopment of the roads on the front.
Philip
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Thanks Guys and Gals for all your efforts ........excellent work....another job well done and another mystery solved.
Many Thanks
Gary