This coming Friday, 28th May, I will be setting up a new exhibit at Crossgates Heritage Centre of my Parlington artefacts, for the East Leeds History and Archaeology Society. The picture below is a view of the Centre at Crossgates Library, and I presume, my items will be placed in one of the glass cabinets. Whilst this is somewhat smaller than the four cabinets on display at Lotherton Hall, I’m sure I can put enough into it to make it a worthwhile exhibit.
Downsizing means I have no use for such a large lawnmower, hence the sale of my MTD Lawnflite 603, bought new from a local dealer in 2005, the equipment is in excellent condition and comprises the motor unit with a cutting deck and fan assisted grass clippings removal. Demountable rear grass collector or external chute, to leave clippings on the ground. Tight turning circle, 30″ cut; Regularly serviced; 12.5 HP Briggs & Stratton electric start engine; 5 litre fuel tank; Front head lights; 5 level cutting deck; 5 speed shift-on-the-go transmission forward and reverse.
I stated some months ago about offering prints of my photographic work on a new site called Parlington Gallery at www.parlington.biz. Initially the site was set up to display some local landscape paintings done by Anthony Christian who lives nearby, and to this date these are all that are on the site. I also suggested that a computer generated 3D model of the triumphal Arch was nearing completion; this has proved slightly problematic as the rendering side needs to be done in a series of tiles to make up the large image required for a paper print. The file sizes are in excess of 200MB so are quite unwieldily, and thus far the tiling keeps breaking down! So the print is on the blocks while the issue is resolved.
I recently joined the Leeds Photographic Society (LPS), apparently the oldest in the world! I hope to improve my photographic skills by discovering other members techniques, time will tell. Anyhow this last Tuesday, the society meets twice monthly during the summer months, we met at the Leeds Wharf and spent an evening photographing every thing between Leeds and Armley. No crustation, rusting iron, decaying woodwork was left un-photo-digitalized! Let alone shots of the canal, locks, from above, below, along side etc!
Having not written any articles recently, I felt I should add a short note about my exhibition of Parlington artefacts that have been on display at Lotherton Hall these last six months and more. Today the items have been taken down and packed into boxes, to return to Parlington, so ends my first mini-exhibition, which by all accounts was well received. Perhaps the best item on display was the collection of stereo photo cards from the 1860′s and the “Brewster” mahogany stereo viewer (shown above). I think it reasonable to believe that the photographs were taken by one of Gascoigne family, or a close friend and found their way via the then butler John Shelton to his descendants and finally back to Parlington! The details of the extrordinary discovery is recounted on the Parlington history site here.