Winter Solstice at Stonehenge

Some photos from the sunrise at Stonehenge on the Winter Solstice.

[singlepic id=445 w=320 h=240 float=]

The first time I have seen the sun rise over Stonehenge in several years worth of visits!

To see more, click the “Read more” button below.

Get the whole story »

7 Billion People, what number where you ?

Using the tool on the BBC website, I found that I was ( roughly) the 77,941,344,392nd person to have been born, in a worldwide population of 3,763,276,048.

The Population is thought to be around 7 billion now and to be 10 billion by 2050!

Canvas Under The Sky

Canvas Under the Sky Book COver

The cover of Canvas Under the Sky by Robin Binckes

I was lucky enough to meet Robin Binckes in 1993 when I was out in South Africa.  I went on a tour with him to a few interesting spots in Johnasberg.  He took me around of the poorer areas of the city, to a monument to the white settlers near Pretoria, to an early home of Nelson Mandela and to a farm where some of the many atrocities that haunt the apartheid years happened.

It was very interesting and I was able to see and photograph places where normally people aren’t overly welcomed.  Some of the photos I took are on Robins site – spearofthenation.co.za.

He has been busy in recent times, and his interest in the recent history of his country have moved him to writing a book called Canvas under the sky.

I am sure the book will be very interesting and I hope to get my copy soon.  Robins enthusiam, interest and massive knowledge of the history, politics and people were very much evident in the tour and I am sure the book will be just as revealing.

Get the whole story »

Wedding Fare Bridal Show

Some photos of the Wedding Dress Cat Walk at Old Basing Wedding Fayre.  Well done to all the models!

[svgallery name=”weddingfare0911″]

Gary Evans Bow

A Gary Evans Artisan longbow from Wales Archery.

Woods used include Rosewood, Bamboo and Ebony with Buffalo Horn Knocks.

 

Gary Evans Longbow detail

Gary Evans Longbow top detail

Get the whole story »

ING fail at Data Protection

I dont rant much, well not often in public, but there are some things I think large companies should get right. Data Protection is such a hot topic in the IT world and in Politics, but companies such as ING Direct still seem to be crap at it.

Get the whole story »

Isle Of Wight Weather use my images

Isle of Wight Weather Webpage

Isle of Wight Weather Webpage

isleofwightweather.co.uk are using my images on the header of their site.  Best still they are allowed to use them !!!

The site is one I have used for many years, it gives information about tides on the island and has a cool lightning page, showing storms all around the UK.

A bigger version of the image can be seen here. Or you can look at my flickr pages to see more of the wonderful island.

Stolen Photos

One of my images has been used without consent again! First the Scouts, then the Basingstoke Gazette and now Basingstoke and Deane Council!

Basing View Development  Brochure page 22

Basing View Development Brochure page 22

Its my image taken from flickr.com. No name check, no permission asked, none given !

Festival Place in Basingstoke

IronMum

Well done to all the Bramley IronMum competitors who, ran, cycled and sprinted their way to medals today!

IronMum 2010 Medal Winners

IronMum 2010 Medal Winners

The photos of the event are here.

Montague Redknap

Montague Redknap was born in 1886 and was from West Norwood ( now known as Lambeth ) and married in St. Martin’s-in-the-Field, just off Trafalgar Square in London, in 1913. He married Miss Alice R. Houghton, of Southport. Its possible he is a relative, but I haven’t been able to go far enough back to check this. if you know any information about him, I would love to know.

Below is a film he made travelling from Leeds to Quetta in Pakistan.

He is mentioned in a few places on the web and I was lucky enough to have two stories forwarded from a long lost cousin in Australia.

The Mercury (Hobart). Tuesday 10 June 1913. Page 4.

Mr. Montague Redknap, of West Norwood, who was married last month at St. Martin’s-in-the-Field, Trafalgar-square, to Miss Alice R. Houghton, of Southport, met his wife as the result of motoring without goggles, says the “Daily Mirror.” He became temporarily blind, and was sent to Newmarket Hospital, where for some weeks he had to lie with his eyes bandaged. Though unable to see her he at once fell in love with the voice of the nurse whose duty it was to look after him. In due course the bandages were taken off the patient’s eyes, and he found that his nurse was quite as attractive as her voice had led him to believe she would be. Before he left the hospital, Miss Houghton had promised to become his Bride.

( I love this story ! )

The Argus (Melbourne). Friday 1 May 1925. Page 19.

North Australia, British Expedition, London, April 29.

Mr. M. Terry, who drove a motor-car across Australia last year, and his colleagues, Mr. R. A. Prescott, topographical survey expert, and Mr. M. Redknap, cinematographer, were the guests at Luncheon of the Guy Motors Co., which is providing cars for an expedition in North Australia. The chairman (Mr. Sydney Guy), who proposed the toast of the expedition, said that the “all-British project” would traverse 3,000 miles, of which 500 would be across unknown territory.

Mr. Terry said that in addition to Mr. Prescott and Mr. Redknap, a member of the House of Commons would accompany the expedition, and two other persons would be picked up in Australia. Two caterpillar motor-cars and a motor-cycle would be used.

The Agent-General for Western Australia (Mr. Colebatch) said that he hoped that more rapid and cheaper transport would be provided for developing the unoccupied north.

He was a cinematographer who went on an expedition from Darwin to Broome with Michael Terry in 1925. Terry was also born in England but spend most of his life exploring the outback of Australia, mainly by car. He wrote a number of books ( which I will try and track down ).

I have also found mention of him here at harappa.com. I have mailed the site to see if they have any more information.