ANOTHER CITY FOR ANOTHER LIFE

ANOTHER CITY FOR ANOTHER LIFE

"The increasing dissatisfaction that dominates the whole of humanity will arrive at a point at which we will all be forced to execute projects whose means we possess, and which will contribute to the realization of a richer and more fulfilled life."

Internationale Situationniste #3 (December 1959)

Photograph: Pentland Road Dronfield Woodhouse Drift May 2017 Paul Conneally

Petrol and Coffee

"Until the environment is collectively dominated, there will be no individuals — only spectres haunting the objects anarchically presented to them by others. In chance situations we meet separated people moving randomly. Their divergent emotions neutralize each other and maintain their solid environment of boredom. As long as we are unable to make our own history, to freely create situations, striving toward unity will introduce other separations. The quest for a central activity leads to the formation of new specialisations."

Guy Debord

Critique of Separation 1961

Photograph: 'PETROL & COFFEE' - Paul Conneally - Dronfield Woodhouse - May 2017

Memorial Stones

a pile of red bricks

under a horse chestnut tree

memorial stones

At the site of the Califat Mine on the eighth of October 1863 a coming in of water filled the mine workings killing three miners:

Harry Clements 16

Jeremiah Rose 40

Thomas Bird 50

Paul Conneally

Califat Colliery

Swannington, UK

May 2017

Foan Hill to Balm of Rakasiri

Leaving the Robin Hood pub Russ Ralph and I set off not knowing exactly which way to go and choose to go up Foan Hill. I'm not sure of the origin of this word 'foan' it might be an old name for a moor or a bog, well that's what just one reference on the internet told me. I also found a map showing the distribution of the word foan as a surname which seems to be mainly in the south and south west of the UK. Maybe the hill is named after someone. The first thing that crossed my mind was 'fawn' a young deer and the 1911 census tells us that at that time there were in Swannington four houses with a Fone Hill address and one with a Fawn Hill address. The Swannington History Society believes all these houses were on the same road and it is not known when the spelling standardised as Foan Hill. The spellings in the census could just be due to the way the forms were filled in by individual householders.

Walking up the hill we come to the Incline Kennels named after the Swannington Incline, part of Stephenson's Swannington Railway, one of the earliest railways in the Midlands and used to transport coal from the local mines to Leicester.

From behind the fence unseen dogs bark at us.

Russ and I both agree that we are not big fans of dogs but that some are okay and make you think maybe having a dog like that wouldn't be so bad.

Later, still intrigued by the name Foan Hill I search it on Google and it somehow takes me to a page in 'THE DRUGGIST'S RECEIPT BOOK' and to Balm of Rakasiri which was 'Oil of Rosemary dissolved in common gin'. It was made by the Jordan brothers in Canon Street Road, London, who marketed it throughout most of the 1800's as a cure for nervous diseases but actually without saying so openly as a cure for venereal diseases. They were outed as quacks but were still trading through till the 1860s. Oil of Rosemary in gin sounds quite interesting and maybe worth trying not for its 'restorative' properties but for its beverage qualities if it has any.

Any point on a vague walk can lead us to new discoveries, emotions and stories true, half-true and false. Welcome them all.

Paul Conneally

Swannington

Leicestershire

May 2017

Wax and Wane

wisteria

the wax and wane

of my heart

Paul Conneally

May 2017

Cod Cheeks and Loin

Loughbohemia is almost as far from the sea as you can get in Britain but every Thursday and Saturday the sea comes to town with the market and its fresh fish and seafood stalls.

her shopping bag drips

all the way home

cod cheeks and loin

Paul Conneally

Loughbohemia

May 2017

True Love Story

True Love Story

The modern day pawn shop is doing well in Theresa May's Britain.

At the start of each day the shop assistant in Loughbohemia's 'Cash Converters' carefully puts out the display of pawned engagement and wedding rings for those considering taking the plunge themselves to peruse, buy and sell back when times get rough.

hush little baby

a mockingbird sings

here comes the bride

Paul Conneally

Loughborough

May 2017

Fresh Bananas

Fresh Bananas

I have no religious belief. These two men do. They arrive on the edge of Loughbohemia Market sometime between 7.30am and 8, set up their leaflet stand and grab a takeaway coffee to help keep out the cold.

They are Jehovah's Witnesses and they would like to save my soul, yours too.

They don't shout out to people passing by like the fruit and veg sellers do. Quiet in their smart suits their leaflet stand does the talking: 'The Four Horsemen How Their Ride Affects You'

I know they mean well. I welcome them and all people with convictions within the law to our streets. Free speech is worth fighting for especially for those we don't agree with. Street preachers religious, political, social or economical add to the frisson of our streets.

twice round the market

a bag of fresh bananas

on an empty bench

Paul Conneally

May 2017

Morning Rush

Morning Rush

From around 7am market traders arrive in their white vans and transits to start setting up for the Thursday market in Loughbohemia's town centre market place.

There's not quite room for all the vehicles at the same time and so thee are moments of calm amongst all the activity as stall holders wait for their workmates to get in with the produce, be it women's fashion, men's socks, fruit and veg or kettles.

morning rush

an on the move coffee

and a bunch of tulips

Paul Conneally

Loughbohemia

May 11 2017

Arriving Swallows

He waits here in the market place for her to come back. Back from her shopping. He sees her and shouts out her name. She waves, mouths that she'll be just a few minutes more. He nods and leans forward a little from the curved metal bench on his stick.

His matching plaid flat cap and jacket are striking.

"Well you've got to look your best haven't you?"

arriving swallows

the dog protection woman

slips me a leaflet

Paul Conneally

MOT Walk

Loughborough Market

May 11th 2017

Salt and Pepper

Searching for a pub we find ourselves in the North West Leicestershire village of Belton. One pub is now a set of upmarket apartments and the other doesn't seem to be open.

Russ parks up in the village hall car park and we decide to explore the impressive 14th century St. John the Baptist Church. There's a sign outside proclaiming 'John's Cafe - every Wednesday from 12.30'. It's one o'clock and we go in.

We meet a long trestle table with some older villagers sat at it. A woman smiles and says "If you'd been here three quarters of an hour ago you could have had lunch!"

They offer us tea but we decline and have a look around the church.

A man tells us the pub opens when it feels like it during the day and at night it opens but is more like a posh restaurant than a pub. The woman says we should come on Friday morning when the church "does bacon sandwiches".

spring sunlight

through a stained glass window

salt and pepper

Paul Conneally

May 10th 2017

Selling Hats - Paul Conneally, Cannes, 2014

'Selling Hats'

Paul Conneally

Cannes 2014

ART EVERY LITTLE HELPS - Paul Conneally 2017

ART EVERY LITTLE HELPS

Paul Conneally

May 2017

Pull and Push

post heart attack

the pull and push of

the fast food wagon

Paul Conneally

Loughborough 2017

Rubbing Shoes

rubbing shoes

the ghosts of bluebell wood

whisper to me

Paul Conneally