Stockport

A journey through time and space into the World of Libraries

2020-05-10 By @AidanEyewitness

This bilingual video project is currently in pre-production. I am gathering the information and the photographs and hope to launch the video during October 2018

In this video I will focus on libraries and their many benefits but at the same time we’ll see why libraries are under threat.

The video will be in English embedded with German. It’s part of my mission in 2019 to help and encourage people to learn the German language, which I’ve taught for over 40 years. The video will useful to anyone with an interest in German language, from just a passing interest to high level competency. As part of the format, I highlight the connections between the German-speaking world and the English-speaking world.

Here is a list of the libraries I expect to feature in the video. More may be added:

Chethams Library Manchester
The Portico Library
The John Rylands Library
The Central Library
Cheetham Library
Stockport Carnegie Library
Edgeley Library
Liverpool Central Library
West Derby Carnegie Library
Everton Library (hilltop)
The Gladstone Library
Trinity College Library
Chester Beatty Library
Marsh’s Library
Bolton St Library
Dun Laoghaire DLR Lexicon Library
Aberdeen Sir Duncan Rice Library
The British Library
The London Library
The Library of Birmingham
Gedenkbibliothek Berlin
Jakob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum

So here are some bullet points on the good aspects of libraries.

Libraries are free and they’re dedicated to helping you
Most of the time in life we are being persuaded to spend time and money on things that don’t really benefit us. At a library you can spend time on improving yourself and it doesn’t cost anything.

You can connect with past times
Many libraries have a history going back decades even centuries that can be very inspiring if you’re studying or simply looking for interesting places to visit.

Some libraries are exclusive and prestigious – and that can be good too
Some libraries are respected institutions open only to members, like the Portico Library in Manchester. If you are in a position to become a member, you can enjoy many advantages. It’s a further example of the good that libraries do.

Libraries have high ideals and principles
As you will see if you go into the main reading room at Manchester Central library there is an inscription on the ceiling which I’m going to photograph for the video. It celebrates the benefits of learning.

You can get information at libraries that is not available online
Some people say we don’t lead libraries because you can get all the information you need on your computer, tablet or smartphone but that’s not true! Libraries contain a huge amount of information that is not available online. If you researching a subject in depth, the chances are that the information you need is contained in a library somewhere.

Libraries are very good for local information and family history
One of the areas where libraries excel is local history and family history. Most libraries have large collections of books and photographs that you won’t find anywhere else.

Libraries celebrate books and learning
The John Rylands library in Manchester is not just a building that contains books but a place that celebrates books and learning. There are many exhibitions on the subject of old books and manuscripts down the ages. It’s also possible for researchers to gain access to very rare and precious books. It looks like a cathedral but it is not a place of worship. People call a cathedral to books. The Chester Beatty library in Dublin is not really a library, rather a museum about books and has many fascinating exhibitions based on its collections of books from Europe and Asia.

Libraries contain hidden treasure houses what you can discover something totally unique.
Libraries contain so much information a lot of of it is obscure and forgotten but you may well discover something quite unusual and quite astonishing in a library. Some libraries are themselves hidden and obscure. Marsh’s Library in Dublin is not very well-known but it is a tiny treasure house of books and knowledge.

Libraries can be social.
Studying can be a very solitary experience. As a library it feels more social and even though you’re not speaking to the people around you, you are not alone. However sometimes people do make contact with each other at a library. Some couples have even met that way so isnt’ that another reason for visiting one!

Libraries are the backbone of universities.
If you study at a university you will spend a lot of time in the library. Every university has one. Some are even open 24 hours a day for students.

Libraries can inspire children.
When I was a child I went to our local library in Edgeley, Stockport and I can remember feeling the excitement of taking books off the shelf and discovering new things. I loved the smell of the books, taking and flicking through the pages. My favourites were on astronomy, the moon landings and I remember borrowing a black and yellow book named ‘Codes and ciphers’. My dad like to borrow westerns from our local library and probably read their entire collection of them.

A library provides a sanctuary from the modern world
In our noisy hectic modern day life, full of noise, it can be calming to go into a quiet space and just read. It’s almost like a place of worship. At the Gladstone Library reading room you will experience the true meaning of silence!

The Gladstone Library

Old bricks and mortar have power.
Many libraries have a long tradition, and simply going into these buildings will inspire you and will change your perspective on things. At Chetham’s library in Manchester you can sit in the exact spot where Friedrich Engels wrote books on the working classes which would go on to change the course of the 20th century.

Libraries are symbols of philanthropy.
Many libraries are the legacy of philanthropists, many of them wealthy individuals who decided to spend their money on libraries in order to help their community. John Rylands was one example and so was Andrew Carniegie. Thanks to his generosity hundreds of Carnegie libraries were built across the United States, Britain and Ireland and many of them are still in use today. I’ll be looking at some examples of Carnegie Libraries including rathmines library in Dublin, Didsbury Withington and and Chorlton Libraries in Manchester, and in Liverpool Toxteth and West Derby. There are hundreds more up and down the country.

Sir Duncan Rice Library, Aberdeen

Modern-day libraries are striking pieces of architecture.
Some of my favourite modern libraries are the library of Birmingham, the Sir Duncan Rice Library in Aberdeen and Liverpool Central Library which has a futuristic modern extension. In the video I’ll be looking especially at the Sir Duncan Rice library as well as three very interesting post-war libraries in Berlin.

Libraries offer lots of services and benefits not just books.
Today libraries have diversified what they offer: You can surf the Internet, get training, apply for a job gain new skills and qualifications, have things printed or take one to one tuition.

Libraries are under threat.
But despite all that they do and the benefits they offer, libraries are under threat in many parts of the UK. Due to the austerity policies of central government, local authorities are having to close libraries because of budget cuts. This is true in Greater Manchester, Liverpool and many other places around Britain.

Everton Library inscription

Everton Library, Liverpool

While millions are being spent on new office and residential developments, I think it’s a scandal that beautiful old buildings such as Everton Library are standing empty and neglected. A friends group are doing what they can to save the building, but funding and support are needed. Surely it should be possible for even small percentage of the millions spent on these developments to help restore libraries. The closure of libraries reduces peoples opportunities and works exactly against what Andrew Carnegie, William Gladstone and others were trying to achieve. I’m sure they would be horrified if they could see what has happened to some libraries in recent years.

Libraries are being brought back to life.
But there are some examples of regeneration and renewal. In West Derby, Liverpool, Heritage lottery funding has been secured for the renovation of a unique and magnificent library originally funded by Andrew Carnegie. It will reopen as a centre providing services for the local community.

Please visit a library.
Many people take libraries are granted. Some people have never set foot inside one. I hope after watching this some people will make more use of libraries and and perhaps go and visit some of the libraries I’ve highlighted here. Do libraries have a future? Yes of course they do. And my closing words are: Long live libraries!

Currently in pre-production. Release date: 2020

32 of my best images of Stockport in a free photo e-book

2020-04-19 By @AidanEyewitness

As part of my photo e-book project, I’ve made a selection of my best photos of Stockport and presented them in a free photographic e-book. My aim is to present my entire portfolio on different places in a series of photo e-books. I decided to start with Stockport as it’s my home town.

I was born and grew up in Stockport and I’m based here today. My childhood memories of Stockport are of a grim northern town like the one featured in the film ‘A Taste of Honey’. It was smoky, industrial and predominantly working-class. We often view that era in black and white, but there were splashes of colour – the trees and flowers and the shiny red and cream buses.

In 1974 the local authority area was expanded to include surrounding villages and residential districts and suddenly, the place called ‘Stockport’ became a lot bigger and more diverse.

There isn’t a specific theme, I just chose from all the photos I’ve taken of Stockport over the years, including some very recent ones. My favourite motifs in Stockport are:

The Market Place – in Germany this would be designated ‘Altstadt’ – old town. Still, it looks very attractive, parts of it have been restored and it has a wide variety of architectural styles. St Mary’s Church is interesting because of the stonework. When it was renovated, they inserted new stones. It reminds me of the reconstructed Frauenkirche in Dresden. The Market Hall looks great. It has been restored and lovingly painted. The effect of the glass and colours is superb.

The feature I photograph the most is probably the railway viaduct. It dominates the town and is a masterpiece of Victorian engineering that is still in daily use. I travel over it normally a few times a week. There are great views of the town and looking west over Cheshire. I took some photos in the 80s of the viaduct, which at that time was in need of renovation. The renovation took place and today it looks good. The best time to photograph the viaduct from the town centre is in the morning and from the west of Stockport is in the afternoon. I have taken it pretty much from all angles. I also drew a sketch of it, based on my 1980s black and white photograph.

Click on the image above to download the e-book. If you would prefer it in epub format, click here

Another great feature of Stockport is the River Mersey. I often cycle along the river to the west of the town. I include one dusk photo of the river taken from Heaton Mersey at the very end of the book.

The town hall is a major landmark. I’ve been impressed with it since I was a child. The intricate stonework and the perfectly shaped clock tower are a marvel and completely different from buildings constructed today. Diagonally opposite the town hall is the War Memorial Art Gallery, which reminds me of civic buildings in Washington DC. When I was a child I had winning paintings displayed here two years running and I won a camera each year. I didn’t realise at the time that it was a foretaste of what was to come.

Another feature of Stockport I find visually captivating is the M60 motorway. I’ve taken lots of dusk and night photos with light trails. From Wellington Road North, the view along the motorway, under the railway viaduct, is stunning and you will see another major landmark of Stockport, The Pyramid, formerly occupied by the Co-operative Bank.

Stockport has countless parks, gardens and green spaces. The town is criss-crossed by all kinds of footpaths and wooded valleys, some only a short distance from residential districts. I’ve lived in cities with virtually no green spaces, so it’s great to live in a place with so much greenery. In my opinion, Stockport has some of the most desirable residential suburbs anywhere in the country. They have developed around villages, which still have a strong character of their own. These include Cheadle and Bramhall, which are featured in photos in the book.

I chose Bramall Hall for the front cover because it is Stockport’s oldest and possibly most famous landmark. It’s a half-timbered mansion begun in the 14th century and extended in the 16th and 19th. It is impressive even by today’s standards. We can only imagine what people thought of it in the Middle Ages. Also the photo of Bramall Hall has space for the title in the sky area at the top! Cover images have to have available space in the right places. There’s also some space underneath for the author’s name.

Why am I using the e-book format?

Because I love looking at photography books, both printed and electronic. I like putting together a cover design, I enjoy doing layout and it’s nice to package up my photos in a self-contained format that people can keep. It’s independent of any website and can be forwarded from one person to another. The layout is very simple but I may try more complex layout in future.

I’ve collaborated on some book projects in the past, including Liverpool Then and Now, Manchester Then and Now and Around the M60, Manchester’s Orbital Motorway. At present I prefer to concentrate on smaller e-book projects, like this one. The book can also be printed on demand.

I find it frustrating that many people don’t select their best photos, presenting them in a continuous, never-ending stream on social media or dumped on their computer with no curation or organisation. I like the idea of curating, which simply means to choose.

I also think it’s important to describe the photos, though in these e-books, the captions are brief. I am planning extended versions with a longer text.

The text is in three languages – English, German and French, my native language and my two foreign languages. I studied German and French at Trinity College Dublin, majoring in German and I’ve taught them for many years.

Through the e-book format I can bring together my two main areas – photography and languages. Actually, many photography books are presented in two or more languages. Photography is a medium that spans cultures and languages. I would like to promote the local area to an international audience.

I want to bring my languages as much as possible into my creative work. I can help my students to learn and I also learn myself when I am researching the titles. It helps me to know how to describe local landmarks, and I can use this linguistic knowledge if I’m giving a local photographic tour to German or French-speaking visitors. I’ve made a vocabulary sheet for language students. It’s called the Vocab Extractor sheet.

The photos were taken on a variety of cameras. The black and white photos of the viaduct were shot on my first camera, the Fujica STX-1, loaded with Ilford HP5 black and white film. The two townscapes were taken on a Nikon F50 film camera – I decided not to remove the dust and scratches! Other photos were taken on a variety of cameras, most recently the iPhone 8 Plus.

The Stockport e-book is the first in a series. Other titles include Manchester city centre views, The Liver Building, Monochrome Manchester and many more.

This photography e-book is free of charge. That’s because it is really a showcase of my photography and I’d like as many people to see it as possible.

I’m asking people to support me on Patreon, so I can continue my artistic and educational projects.

Click to download the PDF version or the EPUB version, which can be read in iBooks on the iPhone and other readers.

The UK and German healthcare systems compared

2019-11-11 By @AidanEyewitness

I’m a coach in languages and so I am keen to explore languages – especially German. I want to provide useful content for a wide audience on issues concerning the UK and Germany.

Following a suggestion from a colleague, I decided to look at the question of the UK’s National Health Service and how it compares to the health system in Germany.

I’m giving a very brief overview of a complex subject. I’m going to give some personal opinions as well as general information based on my research. There are some statistics as well. I’ve tried to ensure everything is factually correct, though some information may go out of date.

Which health system is better? The British NHS or the German healthcare system?

It’s complicated! So let’s look at some key facts, and by the way I’m going to give some useful words and phrases in German later.

OK, so what is the fundamental difference between the UK system and the German system?

The UK NHS is owned and run by the state and it’s free at the point of use.

The German system is mostly free at the point of use but it’s paid for through contributions to a health insurance scheme that’s closely regulated by the state.

In Germany people pay for the health system by paying social insurance contributions into a health fund – Gesundheitsfonds . The money then goes into a Krankenkasse or health insurance ‘pot’. The money is taken directly from salaries and the employer also contributes 50%.

In the UK, the money to support the health system is provided by the government, mostly through general taxation.

The NHS was launched in 1948 at what was then Park Hospital in Urmston near Manchester. Today it’s Trafford General Hospital. A blue plaque commemorates the launch.

British people are proud of their NHS and often compare it unfavourably to the US system. They like the fact that it’s free, unlike the American system which relies mostly on private health insurance.

Aneurin Bevan – he was from Wales and that’s a Welsh name – was Labour health minister and he is credited as the father of the NHS. A statue of him is in the centre of Cardiff, on Queen Street.

The Charité hospital, East Berlin (GDR) 1985.

The UK system is more like the old East German system and that’s not a criticism. The East German health system provided a good, basic service, though without the expensive equipment found in the West.

After the end of Communism – nach der Wende – the West German system was introduced into the East.

The German system goes back to the late 19th century, when under Otto von Bismarck, Germany pioneered the welfare state.

This system is still in use today. Krankenkassen are non-profit making organisations, that are governed by strict regulations.

The biggest state-run Krankenkasse is the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse. There are many private Krankenkassen offering a range of packages at different contribution levels.

You are required by law to pay into a Krankenkasse. You can see it on your pay slip. If you earn above a certain amount, you can insure yourself with a private Krankenkasse. Many cater for specific professions.

In the UK, the National Health Service is paid for by the government. The amount paid by the government varies depending on which political party is in power, whether Labour or Conservatives or a coalition.

Statistics indicate that the NHS received considerably more money under Labour governments than the Conservatives, though the Conservatives dispute this.

It’s important to note that the UK also has a private healthcare system which people can gain access to by paying for private health insurance. People also receive private healthcare as a benefit or ‘perk’ of their job.

So in theory, whether you are in Germany or in the UK, if you have a higher income and/or a better job, you can get better healthcare by paying more. To what extent that is true lies outside the scope of this essay!

Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital

The NHS has had a funding crisis for many years – German system is not perfect but it’s well-funded.

Due to Brexit, the NHS has a serious staffing crisis and it’s getting worse. Many staff have left and fewer people than before are being recruited from the rest of Europe. A no deal Brexit would be very bad for the NHS for many reasons.

How much do both countries spend on health? Germany spends 11.1% on health care, the UK, 9.8%.

Which hospitals are reputed to be the best in the UK and in Germany? I don’t think it’s possible to give a reliable answer to that question, but here are are some well-known ones: in the UK, Guys Hospital in London is famous, also Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, The Christie in Manchester and more.

Cologne Uniklinikum

In Germany the Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, the Charité in Berlin, Asklepios Klinik Barmbek – Hamburg and the Uniklinikum in Köln are all highly regarded.

What are the practical differences between UK and German hospitals? To find this out, I went for a walk around a few hospitals in the UK and in Germany.

One thing I noticed walking around the Uniklinik in Cologne is that each department or unit functions as an independent practice – eine Praxis . I saw a children’s emergency Praxis behind the main building.

In the UK most departments and units display the NHS logo. Services based around for instance, a hospital or the local ambulance service are organised as an NHS trust. This arrangement is intended to provide more autonomous control. Some medical services are provided to the NHS by outside companies, for instance Fresenius, a German-based company.

Fresenius Medical Care, Stockport NHS Dialysis Unit

At UK hospitals you’ll see adverts for fundraising – which is often needed to pay for basic hospital equipment, such as scanners.

In Germany you just don’t see this, pretty much all main medical services in Germany are fully funded.

This is especially true of hospices. St Ann’s Hospice near Manchester receives just over a third of its funding from the NHS. That means it needs to raise around £20,000 every day just to keep the hospice running.

They organise glamorous celebrity dinners, midnight runs and many other fun events. They operate charity shops as well, but is it right that a facility providing a basic healthcare service needs to do this to raise money?

In Germany hospices are fully funded.

Here are some more differences I found:

The emergency ambulances in Germany have a two-tone sound, but in the UK, they have an oscillating tone. The German siren is called the Martinshorn, named after the company that makes it.

In the UK the emergeny ambulances are yellow and green and in Germany they’re red, like the trains. In both countries you often see the same basic vehicle, the Mercedes Sprinter.

On the side of the ambulance in the UK, you’ll see the emergency number 999 and you can dial 111 for non-emergency medical issues and advice.

In Germany and other mainland European countries, the emergency number for fire brigade and ambulance is 112. The 112 number also works in the UK and on any GSM phone anywhere in the world.

In recent years, smaller hospitals have closed and their services, including A&E have transferred to larger single-site hospitals.

This means ambulances have a longer distance to go than before. I hear many ambulances passing every day in the UK but when I’m in Germany, I seem to hear fewer? Is that really the case? I’m not sure.

Parking at hospitals is an important issue. At German hospitals, it’s generally free for a period, then there’s a charge.

This is also the case in Britain, though some have very expensive charges, for instance Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport.

If you are a citizen of another EU state visiting Germany, you can receive healthcare on the same basis as German nationals

Thanks to the UK’s membership of the EU, citizens from other EU nations are treated for free by the NHS – or more exactly, the NHS charges the cost of the treatment to the home country.

And UK citizens travelling in the rest of Europe can receive treatment on the same basis as nationals. It’s not necessary to take out medical insurance, as you do when travelling to the United States, for instance.

I once had a bike accident in Germany, and I was given first class treatment at the local hospital. The bill of 233,50 Deutsche Mark was charged to the UK and I didn’t have to pay anything.

If you’re from the UK and are unfortunate enough to suffer illness or an accident in Germany you’ll be able to gain first hand experience of healthcare in Germany and so you’ll be better able to answer the question of which has the better system, the UK or Germany.

But before I come to that question, I’m going to give you a short German language lesson.

What do doctors ask you when you go and see them?

Doctors in the English speaking world say ‘What seems to be the problem?’ or ‘What can I do for you?’ or maybe ‘How can I help you?’

German speaking doctors might ask you ‘Was fehlt Ihnen?’ – What’s wrong with you, literally what’s missing from you? Also ‘Was kann ich für Sie tun?’, What can I do for you? or maybe ‘Wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?’ – How can I help you?

Let’s look at a few complaints
Ich habe Kopfschmerzen. – I have a headache.

Ich habe Halsschmerzen. – I have a sore throat.

Ich habe Magenschmerzen. – I have a stomach ache.

If the pain is coming from your hand, foot or leg you can say ‘tut mir weh’ – (it) hurts

Meine Hand tut mir weh.
Mein Fuß tut mir weh.
Mein Bein tut mir weh.

For other parts of the body, consult a good dictionary!

If there’s been an accident and you need to phone 112 you can say:

Es gab einen Unfall. – There’s been an accident.

Es gibt Verletzte. – There are injured people.

Okay, so let’s get back to the important question: Which system is better, the UK healthcare system or the German health system?

In doing my research I found an interesting video on the BBC website (link below) with some interesting information:

Waiting times for operations are shorter in Germany, typically three to four weeks in Germany.In England most people wait 22 months for orthopaedic operations.
Germany has three doctors per 1000 population, but the UK has two.
Germany has three times as many hospital beds compared to the UK.
Germany spends 11.1% of its GDP on health, Britain 9.8%.
Most Germans pay 7% of their income for healthcare. Their employer pays the same.

Most people I’ve spoken to who are familiar with the German healthcare system say it offers a higher standard of service. But people in Germany have to pay for their system directly out of their salary. Some pay many hundreds of euro each month.

The British healthcare system provides a good system too, and though people don’t pay contributions directly towards the health system, the NHS is paid for through taxation and a share of National Insurance contributions.

Despite its current difficulties, the majority of people in Britain are proud of their health service and they appreciate the work done by medical professionals at all levels. By and large they still support the original idea of the NHS, that is, to provide free universal healthcare and most people are reluctant to move towards a US-style system.

So that’s it, a quick, hopefully informative and maybe entertaining overview of a very complex subject. I hope it will arouse your curiosity and encourage you to look for more detailed information online.

If you’re interested in learning German, go to www.aidan.co.uk/german/.

If you’re visiting Germany, I wish you gute Reise! and if you’ve visiting the UK, enjoy your trip. And to all EU nationals visiting another EU country, don’t forget to bring your EHIC card!

Here’s the link to the BBC video I found.

Photos of Edgeley and Cheadle Heath, Stockport from my portfolio

2019-10-09 By @AidanEyewitness

On this page I present photographs of Edgeley and Cheadle Heath from my portfolio of photographs. I have a special interest in the area as this is where I grew up as a child. Click on the images to view the pictures at larger size, with captions.

St Matthews Spire, Edgeley, and rooftops, seen from platform 4, Edgeley Station, now known as Stockport Station. The weathervane at the top of the spire merges with the dark clouds above Edgeley.

Grenville Street Stockport, with setts, which have since been tarmaced over. On the right is my VW Beetle. Captured on Ilford HP5 film, 1988.

View along Edgeley Road Cheadle Heath towards flats, Wythenshawe. This is the same viewpoint as my earlier, grainy view, but a wider field of view.

Sykes Reservoirs and birds 26.07.2019

Rainy window – Still from my short film The Train to Funky Island, set in Edgeley, Stockport. This view is actually in Chorlton Manchester, where a friend lives and shot this videoclip for me.

Bench, Sykes Reservoirs, Edgeley, Stockport. This image was used by Stockport Borough on their social media. 26.07.2019

Grainy view over Cheadle heath from Edgeley Road, close to where I grew up. In the distance are the blocks of flats in Wythenshawe

View of St Matthews Church and Hollywood Park steps from Heaton Mersey, Stockport

Berlin Road, Edgeley, Stockport 01.01.2019

View of Edgeley and snowy Pennine hills from Heaton Mersey, Stockport. The spire of St Matthews Church is in the centre. The chimney is Stepping Hill Hospital 6.2.2019

St Mathews Church steeple, telegraph pole and rooftops, Edgeley Stockport 08.10.2019

Remaining Monkey Bridge, Cheadle Heath, Stockport.The previous bridge was much longer, a cast iron lattice work footbridge dating from around 1902 when the line and nearby Cheadle Heath station opened. On the right is Bilson Drive.

Still from the film ‘The Train to Funky Island’ – Sykes reservoirs

Canada geese on Sykes reservoirs, Stockport. Capture date: 21 November 2000. As a child I played near the reservoirs, but at that time they were closed off by a fence. After closure and demolition of Sykes bleach works, the reservoirs were opened up for public use.

Lamp post, telegraph pole, chimney, aerial, rooftop late afternoon, Kensington Rd Cheadle Heath, Stockport

Bowling pavilion, Alexandra Park, Edgeley Stockport. I have happy memories of playing on the crazy golf course here as a child, and watching people playing bowls on the green. 19.05.2019

Still from The Train to Funky Island – Michael looks for a crocodile in the pool – next to Alexandra Park, Edgeley, Stockport

Berlin Road, Edgeley, at dusk

Black and white image of a footpath behind houses on Bilson Drive, Cheadle Heath. As a child I rode my bike along this footpath, which leads to the Monkey Bridge. It has since been closed off. 15 August 1994

Woods, library and steeple, Alexandra Park, Edgeley, Stockport 11 Feb 2011

Path between the reservoirs, Edgeley, Stockport. The posts prevent cars from entering the path. I often rode my bike here as a child.

Snowy, Alexandra Park, Edgeley Library and houses in midwinter 21.2.2010

Sykes reservoirs, Edgeley at dusk 02.03.2011

Dale Street, Edgeley Stockport and 328 bus – Another still from my short film The Train to Funky Island, made in 2012 and 2013.

Cheadle Heath, Stockport – Eva Road with setts. I grew up not far from here.

Panorama of the reservoirs, Edgeley, Stockport

Old Berlin Road street sign, Edgeley, Stockport

Edgeley Road, Cheadle Heath, Stockport. I lived in the house immediately to the left of the lamp post and bus stop sign, number 140. Photo taken 11 Sept 2002

Edgeley Library is close to where I grew up in Cheadle Heath. This is the first library I ever used. 05.05.2019

Kensington Road Cheadle Heath at dusk

I grew up in the neighbouring suburbs of Cheadle Heath and Edgeley in Stockport, just south of Manchester.

I lived on Edgeley Road Stockport and went to Our Lady’s primary school, Edgeley.

As a small child, I played in Alexandra Park with its bowling greens – some now fenced off, its pavilion, children’s playground and woods.

Sykes reservoirs, to the south of Alexandra Park are one of the most striking features of the area. They belonged to Sykes Bleach works, which was later closed and demolished. The reservoirs were then opened for public use.

They are overlooked by rows of terraced houses. There are footpaths around and between these small stretches of water, which at various times of the year are populated by birds.

On the south side of the reservoirs are residential streets with interesting names – Vienna Road, Berlin Road, Stockholm Road and Petersburg Road. As a child I never imagined I would eventually live in Berlin.

Then, as today, Edgeley seems a long way from Berlin. Planes to and from Berlin and other destinations fly directly above Edgeley on their way to Manchester Airport.

The area has a quiet nostalgia about it with streetscapes that have not changed much since the 19th century.

Unlike Cheadle, Chorlton or Didsbury, Edgeley is not regarded as a fashionable or sought after place to live, For some, it’s a just stepping stone onto the property ladder, as there are usually inexpensive terraced houses for sale.

The photos I present here are taken over many years. When taking the photo I am often trying to recapture my childhood. The grainy view over Cheadle Heath is what I saw as I walked home from school. The trees and footpaths of Alexandra Park are mostly the same as they were when I was a child.

As for the reservoirs, I could only look at them through the fence, but I imagined them to be a remote coastline or lake in some far off country, maybe the United States, where I also lived.

A few years ago I was inspired to make a short film drama set in Edgeley. It is available to view by invitation.

All photos are copyright Aidan O’Rourke. Some of them may be suitable for licencing or as prints. Please contact to order.

Video: 7 reasons to use ‘analogue’ photography – Editorial style video presented in two languages

2019-04-09 By @AidanEyewitness

In 2018 I made a video entitled ‘Is it time to go back to film?”

In 2019 I decided to do a new version of the video using my new bilingual format, presented in English and German. The ratio is roughly 90% English and 10% German. This is part of my Campaign for Languages initiative. I want to promote language learning and incorporate foreign languages into my videos so that a wide range of people get to see them and experience them. The video is fully accessible to English speakers.

So here is the exact wording of the voiceover. All photos are by me, Aidan O’Rourke and were captured on film from around 1980 to the present.

In this video we look at Seven reasons to try analog photography and as part of my campaign for languages the headings are in German

Reason number one,
Film has a particular ‘look’.
Film hat einen besonderen ‘Look’

I first became interested in photography in my final year at TCD. I wanted the best picture quality, so I used Kodachrome because of its rich, saturated colours.

The positive image is captured within the emulsion of the transparency – das Diapositiv. There’s no print, you needed a viewer or projector to view them. But in the digital age, a scanner – ein Scanner – or even a smartphone – ein Smartphone – can be used to import them into the digital medium.

With a film camera, the depth of field – die Tiefenschärfe – is fantastic giving a background that’s nicely out of focus.

I continued my photographic explorations in New York. I taught myself photography from the book ‘The Complete Photographer’ by Andreas Feininger, (1906-1999) his father was the German-American artist Lyonel Feininger (1871-1956).

My first long exposure photo – meine erste Langzeitbelichtung – was of 9th Avenue, taken on the Fujica camera I bought in New York.

My first long exposure photograph, taken using my first roll of Kodachrome 25 film

Number two

Film photography can make you into a better photographer.
Filmfotografie kann dich zu einem besseren Fotografen machen.

I continued taking photogaphs on visits to Berlin, east and West. When you use a film camera you have to be patient and selective. It forces you to think carefully before you press the shutter – den Auslöser drücken.

In England I photographed my home region of north west England and wanted an element of nostalgia. That’s why I used Ilford HP5 with its grainy, atmospheric quality. Black and white film still has that effect.

It was exciting to scan the photos and open them in Photoshop and transform them using digital enhancement. Film and digital can be used together. They are not mutually exclusive. They are complimentary.

The Manchester Ship Canal and Trafford Wharf before the Imperial War Museum was built.

Number three
You can experience how photography used to be
Du kannst erleben, wie die Fotografie früher war.

It’s great to use similar equipment and materials to those used by the great photographers such as Lord Lichfield, Helmut Newton, David Bailey, Ellen von Unwerth and many others.

Whilst working in the Middle East, I used Kodak Ektrachrome as I was able to develop it at home and I used 35mm and medium format cameras.

Number four
A film camera will set you apart from others
Eine Filmkamera hebt dich von anderen ab.

Film will give your photos a different look – and a film camera is a talking point.

When I started photographing Manchester in the mid-90s, film was still the only affordable medium. I took literally thousands of photos on film, had them developed – or developed them myself, scanned the film and enhanced them.

It was a hybrid form of photography – capture on film, enhancement in digital. I went over to digital around 2000.

Number five
Good film cameras are inexpensive
Gute Filmkameras sind kostengünstig.

Today it’s possible to buy film cameras that used to cost hundreds or even thousands. In Manchester I went to the Real Camera Company where I got an Olympus OM30.

Number six
it’s fun to use a film camera
Es macht Spaß, eine Filmkamera zu benutzen.

Putting in the film – den Film einlegen – can be difficult at first. You’ll learn about the lens – das Objektiv – the aperture – die Blende and the shutter der Verschluss.

The large, bright viewfinder, the stunning depth of field, the ability of good quality film – such as Kodak Ektar – to capture subtle shades, these are some of the many plus points of using a film camera.

No 7
Developing and scanning are inexpensive
Entwickeln und Scannen sind kostengünstig.

There are plenty of places where you can have film developed. I used the online service Photo Hippo, based in Burnley in NW England. Or with a tank and some chemicals you can develop the film yourself – du kannst den Film selber entwickeln.

For my website Eyewitness in Manchester (1998-2005) took literally thousands of photographs . Many of the places and people – such as the Hacienda and Tony Wilson – are sadly gone.

In the early days of digital enhancement, scanning was slow and computers couldn’t cope with large file sizes, so I have many photos only at small size.

Dusk view of Manchester from Werneth Low, captured on grainy colour negative film

As digital photography became more established after 2000, I used film less and less. but recently I’ve partially gone back to film. I still like to take photos with a nostalgic quality, and for that, film is ideal – dafür ist der Film ideal.

There are Photoshop filters that emulate grain and the look of certain films, but I think in this age of fake news and digital dishonesty, it’s better to use the real thing. Oh, and I can’t stand the term ‘analog’ photography, for me, it’s film.

Not all film photos are technically perfect. There are spots, colour casts, but those imperfections can make the pictures unique.

I’m glad I had the opportunity to use film photography and I think everyone who is seriously intereted in photgraphy today should use it.

It’s not for professionals – in fact most professional photographers don’t use film any more – film is for everyone an additional format alongside digital.

So here again are seven reasons to use film photography
Sieben Gründe, Filmfotografie zu benutzen.

this time only in German!

Film hat einen besonderen ‘Look’

Filmfotografie kann dich zu einem besseren Fotografen machen.

Du kannst erleben, wie die Fotografie früher war.

Eine Filmkamera hebt dich von anderen ab.

Gute Filmkameras sind kostengünstig.

Es macht Spaß, eine Filmkamera zu benutzen.

Entwickeln und Scannen sind kostengünstig.

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Vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen – Many thanks for watching and Auf Wiedersehen.

On the Kings Road 1986, showing the out of focus background it’s possible to achieve using a 35mm film camera

Review of the Strawberry Studios exhibition at Stockport Museum

2017-02-27 By @AidanEyewitness

What’s Stockport famous for? It’s the last stop on the West Coast line from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, it’s seven miles south east of the city centre and it’s my home town! But what else is it famous for? Oh yes, it’s the home of a groundbreaking recording studio that existed from 1967 to 1993, Strawberry Studios.

So what made Strawberry Studios different? The first thing is that it wasn’t in London. The music industry has been mostly based in London – it still is. But in the mid-sixties, a visionary group of people wanted to set up a studio in the north.

The driving force was Peter Tattersall and Eric Stewart. It was named after Eric’s favourite song, Strawberry Field, which was released in 1967.

It originally started in another location but moved to an industrial building on Waterloo Road in 1968. Incidentally this is just by the location of the Stockport air disaster of 1967.

They wanted to provide a recording facility to match those in London, but close to Manchester. They offered cheaper rates at night so that local bands could afford to record there. They made full use of the latest recording technology.

The band 10cc were closely involved in the studios and they recorded many classic songs there, the most famous of which is “I’m Not In Love”, which featured groundbreaking use of tape loops to create rich layered vocals. It was a number one UK hit in 1975 and reached number two in the US. Many other artists recorded at Strawberry, including Paul McCartney, Neil Sedaka, the Bay City Rollers and most notably, Joy Division.

Despite the success of I’m Not In Love, 10cc split in 1976, continuing as two separate entities. The studio sadly closed in 1993, but the name survives both as a legend of music and as the name of the building.

In the seventies I lived just 10 minutes from Strawberry Studios and though I was active in music in the eighties, I never had any involvement there. The achievements of 10cc and Strawberry Studios are a source of local pride in Stockport and so in the year of the 50th anniversary of the setting up of the studio, it was natural that there should be a commemoration and exhibition.

It opened on 27 January, 2017 and though I couldn’t make the opening, I attended in late February. It’s housed in Staircase House in Stockport’s historic Market Place. The house contains exhibits about the history of Stockport on five levels and I can highly recommend it.

For me, the high point of my visit was entering the 10cc exhibition in the basement exhibition area. The two adjoining rooms are packed with many fascinating objects, musical instruments, photographs, videos and audio recordings.

Eric Stewart’s Gibson ES 335 semi-acoustic guitar is proudly placed in a display cabinet. The guitar was used on all four 10cc albums.

The exhibition is packed with lots more artifacts, including 45 rpm discs, badges, amplifiers, music cassettes, brochures, post cards and the original sound equipment used by producer Martin Hannett.

I was intrigued to see an original Marshall Time Modulator, and another piece of equipment which had the name ‘Martin Hannett’ inside the case. There was also an example of the ‘gizmo’ a device invented by Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. An electronic copy of the studio bookings diary from 1980 to 1981 contains many famous names.

I was overwhelmed by just how many fascinating items of memorabilia have been crammed into such a relatively small space. I found it all fascinating and absorbing.

I was lucky enough to meet the curator of the exhibition, music historian Peter Wadsworth. He told me that the exhibition was an extension of his PhD thesis, which is on the subject of Strawberry Studios.

For anyone who is interested in the history of music in the Manchester area, this exhibition is a must-see. And if like me, you lived through the Strawberry Studios era, and remember the artists and songs of that time, it will bring back many happy musical memories.

I am in Love – runs from 27th January 2017 until 29th January 2018. Stockport Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 11am-5pm. Entry to the exhibition is free. Stockport Museum is located at 30 Market Place, Stockport, SK1 1ES.

Photo-impressions: Heaton Mersey Dusk Skies

2016-06-20 By @AidanEyewitness

On a walk by the Mersey on 28 Dec I unexpectedly got two very interesting twilight views down the river, with the lights of the M60 out of focus in the distance. Earlier I took a photos series of the sun setting over Wythenshawe. The trees of the Mersey Valley visible in the lower part of the picture. The sun is setting behind one of the blocks of flats. A mobile phone mast is silhouetted on the right.

There are opportunities for amazing images all around us. You really don’t need to go to a distant location to capture striking images. I love the atmosphere as twilight fades into darkness.

When I posted this image on Facebook, I joked: ‘This image is taken from 100 views of the Meru Sai river by the celebrated Japanese printmaker Eidan Oroku.’ I love Japanese woodblock prints, especially Hokusai and I think this image has the quality of one of his prints – the pink coloured sky, the view through the plants and the river which could perhaps be the Sumida river in Tokyo in the 1860s. The lights are on the M60 motorway. In the middle is the weir near Vale Road, Heaton Mersey. I love the out of focus street lights effect, and this is used on the film Lost in Translation set in Tokyo.

Dusk lights through branches Heaton Mersey

On my dusk walk by the River Mersey, I was struck by the ‘Chinese’ quality of what I saw in front of me. The branches form the shape of a diamond with a view through them into the distance. I moved back and zoomed in a bit, throwing the street lamps a little more out of focus – I love that effect. Below the river Mersey flows towards the west. This image has shades of traditional Chinese art, although there are no birds sitting on the branches! I am often inspired by art of all kinds. It’s essential for photographers to develop an artistic visual awareness. The best way to do that is to study art.

Heaton Mersey is in Stockport Metropolitan Borough about 6 miles south of Manchester city centre. There are great footpaths along the river and along the disused London Midland railway viaduct.