A promise

Just a routine trip to the local supermarket... (on foot, on the grounds that walking whilst carrying two medium heavy bags is good exercise!) On the way out, I was stopped in my tracks by this single low-hanging branch of a small tree that had already turned a bright orange-red. All the rest of its foliage was still green. A harbinger of autumn, a promise of things to come.

Salts Mausoleum

There is an annexe off the main body of Saltaire's URC church, which was added by Sir Titus Salt in 1861 specifically as a mausoleum to house his own remains and that of various members of his family. He was interred here in 1877, and his wife Caroline, son Titus and his wife Catherine were later buried here too. I think the mausoleum also holds the remains of some of his other children. I've always rather liked the angel relief, if not the sentiment above: Blessed are the Dead who Die in the Lord. (Very Victorian!)

It's not that long ago, I seem to think, that the mausoleum was repaired and redecorated. It used to be a soft blue and is now painted a darker terracotta colour. There must be some water ingress into its roof, as the plasterwork is now in a poor state and the rather nice tiling on the floor is covered in dust. Such a shame. 

The church has a small congregation, who must be hard pressed to raise the money and manpower required to keep it open and in good order, notwithstanding the heritage grants they often receive for repairs to the fabric. 

 

Aire Valley Arts

Aire Valley Arts, a consortium of highly skilled local artists working in a variety of mediums, was holding a large art exhibition in Saltaire's Victorian URC church during the recent Saltaire Festival. The church is a magnificent setting, one of the jewels in Saltaire's crown as a World Heritage Site. I did feel it was a bit hard to fully appreciate the art works, which were mostly displayed on the pews and thus not that easy to stand back from and really see. It provided a good reason to encourage people to visit the church, I guess. 

Built by Sir Titus Salt for the millworkers and village residents, the church was completed in 1859 and is a Grade 1 listed building. 

I have to confess I was very tempted by the painting on the right (below): 'Ancient Place 1', an oil on wood panel, by Sue Strange. Loved the colours and the abstract yet evocative nature of it. Sorely tempted... but I have spent so much money lately getting my new flat refurbished that I don't think I can justify it! 

Getting away from it all

Even with all the mayhem going on in Saltaire on the Festival weekend, you could still find relative peace if you knew where to go. This couple had settled down for a chat on the grass behind the church, overlooking the canal. 

Festival crowds

The second weekend of Saltaire Festival really pulls in the crowds. It mainly consists of street food stalls, bars and music. It's less 'local' and much more commercial but, especially when the sun shines as it did on Saturday, it attracts hordes of people. 

Exhibition Road (above) is one long assortment of street food kiosks, sweets and treats, and a few stalls selling jewellery, clothing and trinkets. Caroline Street car park had a large caravan/tent serving alcoholic drinks, with lots of tables and chairs set out on the tarmac, and a small music stage. 

Victoria Road (above and below) had a steady stream of people moving up and down between the village and the park. Unlike previous Festivals, the roads in the village centre were closed to traffic, which made it much safer. These scenes always remind me of the old Edwardian photos you sometimes see, of mill workers hurrying home or bank holiday crowds on their way up to Shipley Glen. 

There was a charity market in the grounds of the church and an art show in the church itself. (Photo taken from the church steps. That's part of Salts Mill in the background.)

However, when it came to getting across to the park, the narrow footbridge across the river (above) was so very crowded that I thought better of joining the crush. Had I crossed, in the park there were more food stalls, a market and a large stage with a weekend-long programme of bands and music. I could even hear the music from the grounds of my flat half a mile away! 

The theory is that it's 'good for Saltaire' to host so many people. The truth is that it doesn't really bring in much extra money for local businesses. (Dig In's food shop and the baker's in the village often have queues outside but they were nearly empty on Saturday, people favouring the plethora of street food stands instead.) It does, no doubt, benefit the local Council who I'm sure charge the traders for their pitches - though someone also has to fork out for security. Roads are closed and it all needs stewarding. It's fun in a way but I much prefer the annual Arts Trail weekend which takes place earlier in the year.

Victoria's views

Usually when I'm inside the Victoria Hall, my attention is focused on what is going on in the rooms, and I rarely have the chance simply to look through the windows. When you do look, wow! The Hall is centrally placed as the focal point in the village, a little up the hill from Salts Mill itself. Opposite is what was originally the Factory Schools, still used educationally by Shipley College. The view stretches well beyond Saltaire, up to the moors, and demonstrates why Sir Titus Salt chose this healthy, green space to build his new mill and workers' village, away from the poverty and filth of the city. 

Looking north, you can see across the rooftops the vast south frontage of Salt's Mill, opened in 1853. At the time it was the biggest and most advanced factory in the world, employing almost 4000 people to produce 27kms of woollen cloth every day. It contained the world's largest room, equivalent to 6.5 full-sized football pitches and had (has) a rainwater reservoir in the basement with a capacity of 2,273,045 litres. (I didn't know that before!) 

Looking northwest, one is struck by the distinctive architecture of the houses immediately outside, on the corner of Lockwood Street and Victoria Road, as well noticing the dome of the church tower in the distance. 

Our heritage treasure

Every year in September in the UK we have 'Heritage Open Days', when various of our heritage treasures are opened to the public for free, with volunteers on hand to help you explore and understand what you're seeing. Saltaire usually takes part and this year the Saltaire History Club were showing what is now known as the Victoria Hall, formerly The Saltaire Club and Institute. It is, of course, a building that is open throughout the year for our community, hosting classes and clubs, markets and fairs, concerts, exhibitions and weddings. It's not often, however, that you can see it without crowds of people thronging the rooms. 

The building was opened in 1871, sponsored by Titus Salt Jnr, the son of Saltaire's founder Sir Titus, and designed, as was the rest of the village and Salts Mill, by the architects Lockwood and Mawson. The 'Saltaire Literary Institute', I learned, came into being several years previously, meeting in houses and other rooms in the village. It was effectively a 'Mechanics Institute', one of a network across the country that existed to provide educational opportunities, reading rooms and informative lectures for working people. This dedicated building was designed as a home for all of these educational activities and as a place too for 'conversations, business, recreation and refreshments'. Membership was open to all, at a cost of two shillings a year. 

The main hall, originally dubbed 'The Victoria Hall', has a fully-sprung dance floor and at one time had a balcony right round the room (now only at the back). In 2009, a Wurlitzer organ was installed under the stage. Originally this came from the Gaumont Theatre in Oldham, where from 1937 it was used to provide entertainment and, no doubt, music to accompany silent films. It's had a few other homes before being brought to Saltaire. It is used for concerts and tea dances and, rather thrillingly, rises and falls on a hydraulic lift through the stage at the beginning and end of each performance. Someone was playing it for part of the time I was looking round. Wurlitzers have a very distinctive sound. 

The building has three main floors - the ground floor having the main dance hall and two other large rooms. Upstairs there are several smaller rooms, plus the elegant hall in my photo below. 

The basement has a large gym, as well as housing utilities and some smaller rooms. 

Originally the building had a large library, reading rooms, a laboratory, art rooms and lecture rooms. By 1887, the adult education side had grown so much that the Exhibition Building was constructed to the rear and the Art and Science Schools moved there. That allowed other activities to expand at the Club and Institute. There have been political rallies (Titus Salt Jnr's daughter, Isabel, was a passionate activist for women's rights and against poverty) and the annual 'conversazione', which involved dances and parties alongside exhibitions and discussions of new technology and developments in art, entertainment, history and science. 

'Pop-ups' - Gharonda Shop

As well as the 'Open Gardens', the first weekend of the Saltaire Festival has a craft fair in the Victoria Hall and lots of 'pop-ups' around the village, where local people can sell their craft items. There were some lovely things - hand knitted 'grannies' (dolls rather than life sized! 😂) were very cute and funny. I was tempted by the handmade scented soaps, though I already have quite a few so I didn't buy as they'd probably have lost their fragrance by the time I got round to using them. One stall had really stylish Scandi-inspired items 'to bring a sense of hygge to your life'. As autumn comes along that sounds very tempting, doesn't it? 

I popped into this tiny yard with the most colourful array of ceramics and fabrics, 'celebrating the rich heritage and cultural tapestry of South Asia'. Talking to the seller, Arooba, she told me she has family and friends in Pakistan and has set up a small business to import and sell curated hand-crafted items in the UK. She had some beautiful quilts, called 'Ralli' - colourful, hand-stitched pieces in vibrant colours and geometric patterns. 

It was the ceramics that attracted me. I love blue and white pottery, so I treated myself to a little decorative dish. I was impressed with the care Arooba took to wrap and present it, and her Instagram page is also very stylishly put together: HERE - @Gharonda.Shop. (I don't really 'do' Insta but I found it anyway!) It says: 'In Urdu, ‘Gharonda’ translates to a ‘nest’ or a ‘small house’ (small is subjective isn’t it?) - essentially evoking feelings of warmth, safety and comfort. It’s about creating a secure + inviting space that feels like home.'

So my little dish has come home with me... another small step in making my new flat feel like a home full of sweet memories and meaningful treasures.  

Arooba was such an engaging and lovely lady  - my best wishes for her new venture, that it goes well and grows to be successful. 

Cat lady

Clearly, I'm turning into a cat lady (though not childless!) I can't resist taking photos of them lately. Whilst I was exploring Saltaire's 'Open Gardens', this little charmer fixed me with his sea green eyes and almost hypnotised me. As I've said before, Saltaire has loads of cats. This one, I am reliably informed, is Joshua. 

Open gardens

The first weekend of Saltaire Festival always means it's 'Open Gardens', when some residents in the village choose to throw open their gates and invite people to explore and enjoy their gardens. Bear in mind that even the largest houses in Saltaire only have tiny gardens, but it is amazing what people manage to pack into them. One of the first I came to was this one on Albert Road. The owner told me that when they first moved in it was mostly just hard ground to park a car, with hardly any planting. They have gradually transformed it into a haven for bees and insects, with some attractive areas to sit and enjoy it all. The garden really wrapped round you in a most delightful way. 

An old iron roller gave a little focal point in the front garden, which was full of soothing green foliage.

Behind the house, in the tiny backyard, an old bedspring had been leaned up against the wall as a support for ivy and other climbing plants. These houses are listed buildings and so people are discouraged from spoiling them with permanent structures drilled into the stonework. 

Round the corner, in a back alley, I was reminded how it's 'different strokes for different folks'. One back yard was almost empty of green, whilst next door was a veritable green jungle. 

All the fun of the...

All the fun of the fair.... 

... bandstand music...

... cricket...

Standing in one spot beside Sir Titus's statue in Roberts Park, I could see all three at once! Yes, it was the first weekend of Saltaire Festival, so there was even more going on than usual. 

It was a nicer day than it looks, quite warm and pleasantly sunny at intervals. The grey heron, resident at the weir by the New Mill, looked a bit grumpy though, I thought. Perhaps there were too many people around his favoured habitat, or perhaps the river water level was a bit too low for his liking. Either way, he had turned his back on all the fun of the Festival. 

Six at the lock

Sometimes when I'm not feeling very photographically inspired, I'll set myself a little project. Down by the canal at Hirst Lock, I challenged myself to find six different images that I liked. Here they are. 

Circus skills

One of the main rings was set up for 'circus skills' and you could have a go at walking a tightrope, as well as learning to juggle and hula-hoop. Later on, the two artistes gave a show in which they demonstrated fire-eating, among other skills. ('Don't try this at home, children.') I don't know if you can tell from the photo below but he is balancing a burning torch in his nostril! 

They were juggling, and then rolling crystal spheres around so that the balls almost looked alive and propelled by some mysterious force. 

Then, balancing a bucket on a club, he invited the watching children to try to pitch plastic balls into the bucket, after which there was general mayhem! All quite impressive and good fun. 

The Produce and Crafts tent

Most village fetes have a Produce and Crafts tent, and Blackshaw Head was no exception. There was a variety of home-grown veg on show, and some rather pretty flower arrangements. (The gift for creating these has completely passed me by, so I do appreciate seeing the skill of others.)

Likewise, crafts like kitting, crochet and embroidery - and these rather lovely colourful quilts:

There was baking too; cakes and breads, all looking rather delicious:

In the children's section, there were some amazing models made out of recycled waste. One of my granddaughter's friends had created the cheeky seagull, who'd managed to make off with someone's ice cream. A trio of paper-plate crabs were rather effective too. 

My granddaughter herself had submitted an intricate Lego model, for which she was awarded a Highly Commended certificate. Close inspection of it revealed all manner of tiny creatures nestling in the garden. 

She is good at puzzles and was delighted to win a (nother!) stuffie in a memory game on one of the stalls. She informed me that it is a Disney character called 'Stitch': 'a genetically engineered, extraterrestrial life-form resembling a blue koala'. (So now we know.)