The Mystery of the Missing Trooper.

Since February of this year I have been scanning selected prints, slides, and negatives to the number of around 3,500. Now I have changed to some of my own stuff, I have been scanning a series of prints and slides selecting those of interest to convert to JPG’s. Total number selected to date is just over 1,000. Some of the images had been over exposed  and were very light with little highlight detail. One of the two extremely pale, I had of the old side-pump horse drawn fire brigade was damaged on the original and I had to work on the JPG to repair the scratch marks and folds.

In the picture of the Artillery group the central people have little facial detail

[To enlarge the pic for better viewing left click on it and then Press f11]

My favourite programme for the treatment of this type of picture is Photoshop Elements. There are controls there to lighten shadows, darken highlights, change contrast and also to allow sharpening of images.

Imagine my surprise when after darkening highlights in this picture of the old Volunteer Artillery I discovered ghost images appearing from what had been white borders to a vignette. The original printer of the picture that I had copied had decided the central and important characters were enough. Yet the suppressed image had lasted through not only his print but my copy picture on film and carried over to my scanned JPG on my computer.

   

My Great, Great, Uncle Thomas Lilly [the fisherman] and his son Charles ran pleasure boats and bathing machines on the beach.

Charles was also a member of the Militia Artillery and a crack shot in the shoulder gun contests.  The badge they wore was very large and incorporates the cannon of the present artillery badge

.

I wonder how many of them still exist?

What a beauty, fantastic condition.

Drove Martin up to Melksham Friday to get spares for his landrover.

Went to a surplus stock place - what an eye opener. First thing I saw as a superb Sunbeam S7 motorcycle. Excellent condition and looking just as if it had come that moment from the stockists showroom.

"Corgi" paratroopers bike.

Not to be compared with the other.

Ex-army "Tilly" car

For cannon you had a choice 

Big like this one

or there was a small one transportable by Landrover 20mm 

Small enough to manhandle into place.

How many lorries there? God alone knows. There was even an Ex-Wehrmacht light tank and a small German armoured car complete with cannon. They were packed in so close I couldn't get pix of them. 

Had several lectures from Martin about my driving standard. I don't mind that - I know he is a far better driver than I could ever be now, or was in the past.

He has already saved me about 8 miles per gallon by telling me in no uncertain terms, how to drive an automatic change car. My last average for local getting around was 41 MPG.

I had been getting about 32 MPG. and blaming the car !

When it all boils down - that means 1/5th saving on petrol price.

How lovely to be able to hang on with my connection. Before the BT Broadband engineer visited I would never have been able to keep a contact that long and post all the pix and text.

Jew's Ear fungus Herniola auricula-judae

Took a run down to the Polden Hills and looked at the Holy Well at Edington.
Moved on past Burtle and stopped in a gatewy to have a break. There was a very latge growth of twigs on a silver nirch and some rather dry Jew's Ear fungus on an Elder tree.
Not much rain I suppose and it had become dried out.

Went over to watch the rugby Saturday. Very chilly and I realised I should have worn my parka. Lasted for most of the game but left 10 minutes before the end my ears were too cold from the wind and I didn't want to get earache.

Clevedon Vs Old reds

No sun so I was able to take pix from the North side of the field. Got a few close shots and sent one to North Somerset Times, compliments of the club and myself.
Sunday morning I went out and finished taking the shops series. When I came back I found I had missed 'Domestics' so looked out again and also took shots in Parnell Road and Teignmouth Road.

How many haircuts did I get here pre-war?

Didn't know about this one I wonder if Jane knew it was here. Last time I saw it, it was a unisex hairdressers.

Took my neighbour Martin down to Weston hospital last Thursday to have the plaster changed on his Achillies tendon.
Stopped at a scrap yard in Banwell and then went back through Puxton. Visited the church there - always worth looking in.

Lectern Eagle in Puxton Church

 Got a shot of the lectern Martin commented on how the polish in the grooves give almost a 3d effect.
Owing to having to re-format and re-load Windows XP and then re-load all of my programmes it  has taken me 6 days to catch up on the backlog.

Went up to get new batteries for the hearing aids. It was a sunny morning so I went into Sunhill to see if the squirrels were active

Acrobatic feats to get pollen rich blossoms

They were, not on the grass but in the trees. No acorns etc. in the lawns for them but plenty of catkin type blossoms for them to forage.
Took 6 shots of this one doing a balancing act to pick its breakfast

One of the Old Church Road shops

Just finished scanning a series of Negs with around 1,600 selected from around 3,500 negs.

I realised when I saw some Clevedon pix of 20-30 years back that I have negllected to keep up with picture history.

Sunday I went out and took pix around the Triangle area.

Monday morning as soon as it was light enough I covered Hill Road and Alexandra Road.

Hill Road shop.

I took pix of the surrounds of the Regent that I could, also of the back yard of the old Sawyers Arms off licence.

They are sure to get changed around when new owners take them.