One of several projects that I am currently involved with is to digitise the many transparencies that I took pre diigital.
This scan is of a transparency taken on 2nd May 1987, and it is something of a mystery. The location is Scarborough South Bay, in front of the Futurist Theatre, and shows a London horse drawn bus, complete with horses. I have no idea why it was there. I don't know if it is a genuine historic vehicle or a modern replica. I am pretty sure it is the only photo I have of a horse bus, though I do have shots of horse trams in the Isle of Man, and a horse dray delivering beer from Sam Smiths brewery in Tadcaster.
The horse bus was a popular means of transport in many cities in the UK in Victorian times. In London they were used mainly between 1829 and 1910. At their peak use in 1890 there were around 2,000 such buses in London, but by then competition began to emerge with the development of underground railways, horse trams, and mechanical buses, initially powered by steam and later by petrol.
The one thing I regret is that the records of the subjects of my transparencies are so poor. Today if I saw something unusual like this I would want to know a lot more. It is likely I would have a chat with the crew, followed by online research. Sadly I was far less curious then, and there was no Google.
Great shot and memorial of the past. Life was slower and more worth living back then, no mobiles to keep you alert, no rush to get from one place to the other, ect. However, life was hard too because work was done manually mostly.
I have the same problem. All digital copies have the scan date. As I can no longer find the slides I have to try and date them. Thousands of them.
This one of yours is a great scan.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
I'm beginning to realise the scale of the project I've taken on, but I'm also enjoying the voyage of discovery as well. Still in the learning phase so hopefully the quality of the images will improve as I scan more and try a few more of the features of the scanner.
That was one of my thoughts, but I don't think so, Louise was horse mad at that time, and I'm sure if they were doing rides for visitors we would have taken one, and I think I would have remembered that. I think this will remain one of life's mysteries.
Thank you John. I have a spreadsheet listing all my slides and what they are, where and when, but sadly there are gaps in the record, particularly missing dates. For the present I am giving the scan the same number as the slide it came from, so at least their number sequence will be chronological.
Thank you Pat. I'm making all sorts of interesting discoveries as I work through my slides, and lots of memories are flooding back. Sadly still no recall of taking this, and Katharine can't remember either.
Ian
June 1st, 2023
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This one of yours is a great scan.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
I'm beginning to realise the scale of the project I've taken on, but I'm also enjoying the voyage of discovery as well. Still in the learning phase so hopefully the quality of the images will improve as I scan more and try a few more of the features of the scanner.
Ian
That was one of my thoughts, but I don't think so, Louise was horse mad at that time, and I'm sure if they were doing rides for visitors we would have taken one, and I think I would have remembered that. I think this will remain one of life's mysteries.
Ian
Thank you John. I have a spreadsheet listing all my slides and what they are, where and when, but sadly there are gaps in the record, particularly missing dates. For the present I am giving the scan the same number as the slide it came from, so at least their number sequence will be chronological.
Ian
Thank you Pat. I'm making all sorts of interesting discoveries as I work through my slides, and lots of memories are flooding back. Sadly still no recall of taking this, and Katharine can't remember either.
Ian