Party at the Cat

This was at a birthday party at the Cat and Fiddle pub. The owner commissioned me to take loads of photos for the pub Website.

Statue

This has been in Uxbridge as long as I can remember. Probable since before I was born, but I never knew what it was, so I went and had a look.

On the front it says: Erected in honour and in memory of all those men and women of Uxbridge who served or fell in the great war 1914 - 1918 an expression of gratitude from their fellow townsmen.

On the left side it says: In memoriam 1939 - 1945.

On the back it says: Sons of this place let this of you be said. That you who live are worthy of your dead. They gave their lives that you in peace may reap a richer harvest ere you fall asleep.

Railway bridge

I wandered off down Kingston Lane, a road near me which I hadn't been down for many years. As far as I could recall there used to be a simple bridge that went straight across the railway lines. Now it was replaced with some monster structure which zigzagged up high above. At the top is a tunnel which as you can see from the photo is enclosed by a kind of grid, obviously to prevent people of jumping off and committing suicide.

The structure is surrounded by scaffolding suggesting it's an unfinished work in progress (see below).

Window N0.2

Another window, this time from the Railway Arms pub. The books are those read by Kim the landlady. Anyone is free to take them and read them, then return them for someone else to read, or they may add their own books to the collection.

Statue

This is what I think to be a really ugly piece of art in Uxbridge. My late mother also thought so and every else I've spoken to says the same thing. I remember once someone stuck a woolly hat on the woman's head which a lot of people found amusing, but it didn't last long. After a few days it obviously offended someone and it was removed. It should have been super-glued on. But what do you think? Perhaps you think different?

Whirly Bridge

This bridge in Uxbridge is an architectural nightmare. Walking up this bridge feels like you're going in circles for eternity and I know of many elderly people who wouldn't manage to get up it.

Under bridge

This is under the railway bridge near West Drayton station. I quite like this picture. But who is that lone guy in the distance? Where's he going? What's his story?

Trimite N0.2

Another photo of Trimite before the demolition squad have their way. Although from the look of this photo you'd think they'd already done their job.

Boop Oop a Doop

Here's Betty Boop, often regarded as the first and most famous sex symbol. Yes I know she should not be in colour as she was only filmed in Black and White. Colour film was not in common use in her day (early 1930s).

Boop Oop a Doop.

This is situated behind the bar of the 'Cat and Fiddle' pub, about two minutes walk from where I live.

Although Clara Bow is often given as being the model for Boop, she actually began as a caricature of singer Helen Kane.

Helen Kane.

Night window

This is the De Burgh Arms. A pub near me owned by Indians. It's customers consist of a hotchpotch mixture of Sikhs, Rastafarians, Irish and who knows what. Naturally it has the occasional punch-up. I was curious how this window would come out so I just put the camera on auto and took the shot.

The De Burgh Arms.

Outside the window were blue and red fluorescent lights. Inside the lighting was also a strange mix. I think it was disco night, they have a lot of blue lights on disco night. The photo surprisingly came out very much as it looked in reality.

The blues

Whilst entering 'The Three Tuns' drinking establishment I bumped into these two ladies coming out. Two people I hadn't seen for a few years. Unfortunately they couldn't stay for a drink or a chat and had to dash off. Then, suddenly realising I had a camera on me, I dashed out and legged it down the road after them and rapidly took this picture.

Jan (left) and Kim (right).

This may not have a lot going for it artistically, but I do like all the blues, which to me seem to harmonise in a very pleasing way.

Trimite

I thought I'd take this photo for historic reasons, as these solvent tanks won't be there much longer. The site has been purchased by Pinewood studios. They have started putting boards round the perimeter fence. Demolition work starts next week.

This is a paint manufacturing company where I've worked for the last 26 years. The company has been rapidly going down hill over the last few years. When I joined the company there was about 4 or 5 hundred people working there, now there's about 25. At the moment we're still hanging in there making paint, but we have been told there will be job losses. What little there is of us left - Trimite's last dying breath.