Twilight, Albert Terrace

It's no wonder that Albert Terrace is used so often as a film location. It is very atmospheric, and timeless (at least when there aren't too many cars visible). I love it best at twilight when the moody shadows add even more character. 

 

Advent windows #2

Saltaire's Advent Windows #2

Tonight's window depicts a very familiar scene from our village itself: the famous cobbled street known as Albert Terrace (after Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's consort), one of the oldest areas of the village, completed in 1854. It runs along the northern boundary of the residential area, parallel to the railway line. At the far end you can see the tall chimney of Salts Mill's boilerhouse. It looks like it might be snowing... lots of people long for a white Christmas (not me!) The couple look well wrapped up against the winter chill. And it wouldn't be Saltaire without a cat, would it? 

These days it also wouldn't be Saltaire without a car (or fifty!). The lone red car in the picture would, in real life, be joined by many more. Given how narrow our streets are, the parked cars do make it quite difficult sometimes to get a good photo of each illuminated window. I've have, however, learned that sometimes incorporating the cars into my photos makes for an interesting effect, as they reflect the lights for added value.

I always think it's particularly generous of the folks who live in the smaller terraced houses to host an Advent Window. It usually means their sitting room window is blocked and has no view of the outside world for much of the month. Given that they usually only have one window at the front and back downstairs, it must feel a bit claustrophobic. 

Freddie

There are lots of well-loved cats around Saltaire, so many that they even have their own 'Cats of Saltaire' Facebook page! Thus I know that this little chap is Freddie, who, with his brother Jasper, lives on Albert Terrace. They're both super friendly. Freddie wanted head and neck scritches. Every time I crouched down to try and take a photo he came over to me again for another scritch. Such a gorgeous boy and he seems very well cared for. I really enjoy seeing all the different characters around the streets. 

Filming

I had just alighted from the train at Saltaire station on my return from Leeds the other day. There were a lot of commuters going up the footpath onto Albert Terrace and we found ourselves walking right into the middle of a film set! As I mentioned the other day, they are filming an Alan Bennett drama called 'The Choral', set in WW1. It stars Ralph Fiennes, Jim Broadbent and Simon Russell Beale, so it's a high budget film. Alas, I haven't seen any of the stars round and about, just a lot of crew and extras. 

Three in mono

World Heritage Day commemorates UNESCO's World Heritage Sites around the world, of which Saltaire is one, gaining its accolade in 2001. The UNESCO citation says: 'Saltaire, West Yorkshire, is a complete and well-preserved industrial village of the second half of the 19th century. Its textile mills, public buildings and workers' housing are built in a harmonious style of high architectural standards and the urban plan survives intact, giving a vivid impression of Victorian philanthropic paternalism'.  There is a wealth of interesting information on the Saltaire Village website HERE. 

These three photos offer just a hint of the reasons for Saltaire's listing, with sunshine illuminating the early spring scene. These were just phone shots, edited quickly with Lightroom presets. I don't usually do my mono conversions that way but in these instances 'quick' was easy and effective. 

The top photo shows Albert Terrace, that oft-photographed view of our remaining cobbled street, with Salts Mill in the background. The steps (below) are the worn steps down to the mill. 

And lastly, the old-style street lamps.

I've been experimenting with some collages too, so here are these three images as a composite (though Blogger isn't really the best platform for long, thin images! You can make it slightly bigger by clicking on it.):

Past, present, future

Despite the plethora of electric lights around Saltaire at night, which are hardly authentic to the original Victorian period of Salts Mill and the surrounding streets, nevertheless I often feel even closer to the past at night than in the day. When mist is closing in and night falls, I could almost expect to find myself dressed in a long skirt, cloak and bonnet, hurrying home along the cobbled streets. Maybe I've read too many novels by Dickens or the Brontë sisters... 

These are just phone shots, which initially rendered the sky an apocalyptic brownish orange. It may have been the sodium glare from nearby Bradford, though it didn't look orange to my eyes. Never mind, a few clicks of my mouse in Lightroom (which now has a 'select sky' function) and I have turned it into a more believable blue-ish shade. Now, you couldn't do that in the 1800s! 

As another year ends, we not only look back but also forwards to the New Year's blank sheet, wondering what is in store for us, both individually and collectively. I could not have predicted the turmoil of recent years, politically and in relation to the global pandemic. It's been 'interesting' to say the least! We can only hope that 2022 holds better things for ourselves and our planet.  

Wishing you all a peaceful and healthy New Year. 

Nightfall, Albert Terrace

Night falls on Saltaire's well-known and iconic cobbled street, Albert Terrace. Lights burn in the houses. I enjoy the different colour temperatures of the various windows, though I took care to hide the glaring (newish) LED streetlight behind the shop corner! The streetlight you can still see is one of the older lamp posts though it's rather brighter than it used to be - and a hundred times brighter than a gas lamp, which it probably once was. 

 

Birch

Since they felled the mature trees down Victoria Road (which were damaging the pavements and making them uneven) there really aren't many big trees left in Saltaire, apart from around the church, in the almshouses garden and one opposite the Victoria Hall. There's a large monkey puzzle tree up on George Street (see HERE). One day, I noticed this birch on Albert Terrace is really quite large now. I've never really stopped and looked at it before. I'm still finding 'new' things, after living here for over twenty years! 

A surprise visit

The monthly theme in my online photo group for April was 'Surprise', to be interpreted however we chose. I happened to sign up for a tutorial on creating composite images during the month and, rather than use the supplied mythical drama-type images (which weren't really my 'thing') I hit upon the idea of using an old family photo of my grandparents, originally at the seaside.  So this is them making a surprise visit to Saltaire! 

Grandma sadly died just before I was born, so I never knew her. My grandfather was at one time a coal miner, until ill-health forced him to quit, after which he became a coach driver. He was well-used to driving to England's beauty spots, though I doubt he ever came to Saltaire, which was a working mill and not a tourist attraction in those days. But I think they enjoyed their 'day out', judging by their smiles. I felt weirdly happy when I'd finished the image, as though I'd actually shown them round my neighbourhood. 

I 💛 Saltaire

A much photographed street scene in Saltaire: Albert Terrace, probably as near to an authentic view of a Victorian street as you can get, apart from the yellow 'no parking' lines. (I did consider trying to clone the lines out but it would be a very fiddly job to do it well.)  Lovely light as I walked along there enticed me to take yet another shot of it, in the lockdown quiet. 

I do  💛 living here!

Albert Terrace as night falls

Yellow 'no parking' lines and bright electric lights  - but otherwise not a lot different from how it has looked for the past century or so. Saltaire's Albert Terrace at dusk has a timeless quality. 

Saltaire perspective

This is a 'classic' shot of Albert Terrace in Saltaire, though not one I've often taken. (I'm not fond of getting down on the ground these days. It's hard to get up again!) There are frequently vehicles in the way but I happened to be walking along one day when it was clear. I wonder if it's just coincidence that the huge chimney of Salts Mill is directly in the sight line here, giving these amazing perspective lines. I suspect not, given that the village was meticulously planned as an entirety by Salt's architects, Lockwood and Mawson, even though the whole thing took fifteen years actually to construct. The attention to detail in the planning and buildings never ceases to amaze me.