Is this Blackpool? - No its Aberdeen ! (redfaced).....

grannysrock · Post by **grannysrock** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 8:55 pm

Hello everyone

Before you shout, I know Blackpool isn't officially in England ...
but the mystery location in my grandpa's photos could be anywhere in the UK - I've put a few online here :

http://users.skynet.be/sally.hunter/TDHphotos/

The beach looks very familar to me and I thought one or two might be in Stanley Park ? They all seem to be taken the same day , as the clothes never change - and I believe these are early 1930's.

If anyone knows where these were taken .. I'd love to hear .

Sally

Post by **Tracey** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:20 pm

Sally wrote

Hello everyone
Before you shout, I know Blackpool isn't officially in England ...

Where is it then ?

Blackpool lies in the north west of England on the Fylde Coast of the county of Lancashire and is "Britain's undisputed capital of entertainment". After London, Blackpool is the most popular tourist destination in the whole of England with 6 miles of beach

Not being from the North i wouldnt know

but i did look up sites for your monuments and didnt see anything yet !

Tracey

grannysrock · Post by **grannysrock** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 11:22 am

Tracey - Thanks for trying on my behalf. I have also spent many hours looking at old photos, but the monument has me stumped. There is a very similar looking fountain in Stanley Park . The other building by the beach looks very familiar ... but I have seen a few beaches in my life.

...I know Blackpool isn't officially in England ...

Blackpool is only "Scottish" in September - each area of Scotland used to have a different "September weekend" holiday, the Glasgow one being the biggest I think . Thousands of Scots would head for Blackpool during this time. Some never came back ... September was the month when the famous Illuminations would start.

... Been, Seen, Done, bought tshirt etc - but a long time ago now...

Sally

Post by **Tracey** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 11:54 pm

Blackpool is only "Scottish" in September

A bit like Spain being "British" in August then

(Barbardos in June has a good selection of Scottish accents also

)

Thousands of Scots would head for Blackpool during this time. Some never came back

Now there's a thought

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 6:49 am

I remember once trying unsucessfully to explain to an English colleague why each area of Scotland had it's own date for an equivalent to the south of the border August Bank Holiday.

Eventually, in exasperation, I came out with "Look!, Arran's only a small island. It would sink if everyone went there at the same time!" .....

David

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:20 am

Hello Granny
I used to work in Blackpool from time to time but your pictures don't ring any bells for me. I used to know a Civil Engineer who worked for Blackpool Borough Council whose name is Paul Dunkerley, but I haven't been in touch with him for some time. The point of telling you this is that he has written a number of books about our northern Industrial towns and he is probably the bloke who is best placed to identify your fountain and war memorial. If not he will know someone who will.
Since your post has been languishing on TS without any qualified feedback I would like to suggest you write to the council with your enquiry and mark it for the attention of Paul Dunkerley.
There is something else I think you should try first. If you go to www.Blackpool.gov.uk then access online services, then click on, contact us-online form, you will see a direct communication with the people who might be able to help you. Just send them what you have submitted here.
I hope they can fettle this for you but, if not and it's important to you,let me know and I will try and think of something else.
MM

m

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:00 am

DavidWW wrote: Eventually, in exasperation, I came out with "Look!, Arran's only a small island. It would sink if everyone went there at the same time!" .....

David

never mind whit happens tae Millport

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:06 pm

WilmaM wrote:
DavidWW wrote: Eventually, in exasperation, I came out with "Look!, Arran's only a small island. It would sink if everyone went there at the same time!" .....

David

never mind whit happens tae Millport

That's a much better example

=D>

Is there an equivalent to Millport on the Wee Cumbrae

David

grannysrock · Post by **grannysrock** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:32 am

Malcolm
What can I say - thankyou for your excellent suggestions. Is it important to me ? Well - I have so little real knowledge of my ancestors - I never knew my grandpa Hunter - so I just hate not being able to identify people and places on the few photographs I have . Also I love a challenge and a challenge is what this is . But I guess it's not a matter of life and death and I wouldn't want to trouble any one unduly with it.

... I'm not done yet . I have been Earthgoogling up and down the Lancashire coast , pouring over the FrancisFrith collection and many others and looking at online images of every coastal resort I can think of. ( and David thanks for reminding me of Millport - that English colleague you ware talking about - he didnae hae a purple tracksuit an' used tae present Grandstand oan the BBC ? He too predicted the sinking of Arran I believe ... )

Tracey your remarks on Spain reminded me of my only visit a day trip to Rosas in February ( I was staying in a cottage in Southern France) . I got a lot of stares and comments as I was the only one in a T shirt . I think I would evaporate in August.

David - the one Scottish holiday I thought the English really needed to adopt was the 2nd of January ....

Sally

grannysrock · Post by **grannysrock** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:03 pm

I have now found the beach - its Aberdeen . the buiding in the background of my beach photo ( and some others is) Aberdeen Beach Ball Room .
How I thought I recognised it I don't know - because I'm sorry to say I have never been to Aberdeen .....

I eventually worked out from the long shadows in another beach photo that the beach was most likely east facing ( or the beach photos were taken rather early in the morning) - so not Blackpool . After searching the entire FrancisFrith collection and many others, I eventually typed promenade into the Scran site (www.scran.ac.uk) and not long after I found what I was looking for. ( its only taken 3 1/2 months , so not too bad !) .

So, I am glad I did not get round to troubling the good folks at Blackpool council with this , - I'm only sorry that I troubled the good members of TS . On the bright side, at least I know this definitely belongs in the Scottish Geography forum.

Sally ( cringing yet strangely ecstatic)
I am still none the wiser which park contains the fountain and the column with the lions ...any Dons out there ?????