Shipley and Saltaire and a very old doll.

 The radio is spouting that it is meteorically speaking the last day of summer. so yesterday was not the last day officially as I thought. There is another day to this August That I had forgotten about. We went To Shipley. I had forgotten about this place too. It should be one of the places we go regularly but we never do. We went this time to go to Argos of all places to buy a tarpaulin for the Fenix car. Autumn is all but here and the air is cold. The fenix vauxhall frontera is not yet fixed and so needs a winter coat. Hence we went to Shipley........How could we have forgotten this?

 It has everything. History...old mills a canal.....and a very lot of junk shops stuffed to the gills with....well junk. Shipley is a suburb of Bradford. It is just by the river Aire and the leeds liverpoool canal. the name shipley translates as sheepfield from old norse. this tells you much of all you need to know really.
lords of the manor here from the 12th century  onwards were....rievaulx abbey where the monks were granted grazing and iron ore mining rights. through the middle ages the earls of Ormond (anne boleyn family connection here!) followed by the Gascoine family of Newby hall. 1495 Rosamund Gascoine married Robert Rawson. the Rawson's inherited the manor in 1570. by the 19th century the manor was owned by the Earl of Rosse......

 David Hockney was born in Shipley. Born 9th July 1937 and there is a pub here in his name. David Hockney also has a gallery dedicated to his work at Salt's mill and Cartwright Hall just near here. He was (is) one of the great influences in pop art of the 1960's . a print maker, painter and photographer who now lives in California.

 This moor is called Baildon Cliffe . Lee told me this....He has been here loads of times. Only twice before with me. I do not remember any of this! and was totally delighted to find the junk shops around the square of this shopping centre. there is also a market reached by going down into the underground and returning by escalator......inside this market are craft shops cafes and a lot more junk.....there are also stalls set out for a market at ground level on Monday Friday and saturday.......

I found a Barbie doll for 50p. yes I know I was not going to buy more...but this one is articulated and in quite good condition...... I also wanted to go to the canal.....so we crossed the road and followed the path down to it....

 This is an old mill at Shipley canal......

 We walked along under some bridges and found a very lot of graphity and some "art"....

We walked towards Salt's Mill.....part of the way...

 Water...canal boats and reflections we discovered.... I had never been here before. Nor had Lee. Why not? very very remiss of us I think.

 We contemplated buying a canal boat to "do up" we saw one for sale at £35,000. Not going with that idea then!....Where could we go I asked? well said Lee......Manchester....Hull....Leeds....

 Very lovely though isn't it?

We came away from the canal at the next bridge and headed back to Argos to buy the tarpaulin....after all that is what we came here to do!

Monza dog waited in the car and was very pleased at our return. He is feeling a very lot better now that we have got him some medication for arthritis......He was very interested to note that we came back without the tarpaulin! which was not in stock and had to be delivered to our house on a different day......
I wanted to go to the church at Saltaire.......so we braved the traffic and Lee and Monza parked up whilst I went out with my camera.....We have discovered a whole new weekly visit to add to my days off.....

 Saltaire built in 1851 by Titus Salt. A totally purpose built town. Titus Salt moved his entire business here from Bradford. He owned five mills and was extraordinarily Rich....and built this whole town...mills.....church....hospital and streets of houses.....pubs shops .......

This day we parked here and this is the back of the church.....

 As I came to the door I could hear the organ.....and micro phoned vicar......I thought that there was a service. The vicar saw me hovering and invited me inside over the sound system.....

 It was in fact a wedding practice and the lady vicar was running through the order of service......

 So if you want some where really sensational to marry this has to be on the top of the list........

 majesty! that is what this building has.....I wonder what the bride is going to wear.....i would hope a train and a lot of bridesmainds to hold it....it is not a simple dress kind of place really is it?

 Here is Titus Salt. He resides in the entrance of the great church. After all it paid for it all!.....

http://www.saltairevillage.info/   Here is a link to the Saltaire website......it tells you all about it much better that I can.

I did a quick walk from the church past the railway station and down to the canal again......

This is a pub.....right down on the water next to a beautiful park.....We have to come here for lunch. No arguments from Lee.

Morning now! Friday. we usually go to Otley. Not this week.........I have a ten hour shift to contend with.....

 The old guys were waiting for me. I very nearly did not go...as Lee said there were no colours in the sky.....

 I looked out. I had nearly missed it all!!!! i got dressed and ran....I was just in time.

The old guys had a doll. They wanted to know what it was and could I clean and mend it?

It is an Armund Marseille !!!!!!!!