View down Victoria Park from the North Road , Rutland street entrance (St.Marks Gate).
Rare 35mm colour transparency, Mid 1970s. Zenit E camera 58mm Helios 44 lens.
Victoria Park
As a 14 year old
An image from my very first self processed roll of film, possibly the first film I used in my Zenith E as I took up photography as a 14 year old schoolboy.
Not a particularly striking image but it does show my interest in detail and quiet scenes. Now that I have digitized a reasonable number of images for the site I’m starting to see patterns and themes reoccurring throughout my work. The accepted wisdom is that a photographer improves over time but I’m not so sure now, there are images the 14,15 or 16 year old me had taken that I feel I would not want to change even a little bit.
An Autumn morning
Victoria Park. Taken on the way to Cowley Boys School in the mid to late 1970s. Lubitel 2 camera, 6×6 FP4 negative film.
I used to live in a street near this park but the family moved to Haydock some miles away. A bus journey to St.Helens and then a walk from the Centre to the school. I tried to vary the route of the walk every day but often took a detour to walk through the park again. I have a deep love for the park.
Top field
Memories of many happy years exploring the park. Our house was very near the park and in the Summer we sometimes made our way with the plates, cutlery and pan and had a picnic meal on the top field just near the top hedge. Hotpot was one meal remembered.
Fountains
Fellow Cowley pupil Robert Williams takes a photo as I record him and Victoria Park during a 6th form Photo Society outing in 1979.
Pilkingtons Glass was a major manufacturer based in the town and employed a whole lot of townsfolk in the factories dotted around.
Detail from the original green house
Victoria Park. St.Helens.
The old cafe
The central doors lead to pop, crisps and ice cream, the doors to the left of the picture lead to bowls and putting hire (perhaps tennis rackets and balls also?). Round the back were the public toilets.
Victoria Park. St.Helens.
its raining again
A miserable wet 1970 winters day in a northern town. The Victorians made the Industry but they also provided the park.