Category Archives: People

Thank you, Martin Parr.

Posted on December 7, 2025 by rhbblog

I was sad to see the news of Martin Parr’s death yesterday. I have come to appreciate and enjoy his work, much of which was documenting the ‘tasteless cheerfulness’ of what he saw. His work has been controversial at times, … Continue reading →

Posted in family history, Locality, People, Photography | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Absent friends

Posted on November 7, 2024 by rhbblog

I lost one of my oldest friends earlier this year and am still heartsore. We were very different characters and often on opposite sides of an argument. We met at secondary school and went to the same college at university … Continue reading →

Posted in People, Poetry | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Happy Anniversary!

Posted on October 16, 2024 by rhbblog

On Monday 16th October 1893, Frank Marsden, 22, married Sarah Helliwell, also aged 22, in Halifax Parish Church (St John the Baptist), now known as Halifax Minster. (The interior had been restored only a few years previously by George Gilbert … Continue reading →

Posted in family history, Locality, People | Tagged , | Leave a comment

140!

Posted on September 3, 2024 by rhbblog

I was reminded when logging on to do some transcription work for a family history society that it’s 140 years ago today since my paternal grandfather Frank Milton Dobson was born. As I really need to crack on and finish … Continue reading →

Posted in family history, People | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Serendipity

Posted on July 14, 2024 by rhbblog

Trying to plan an itinerary for a Saturday outing in the Gaillac area, I came across the Château-Musée du Cayla. I’d spotted signs in passing on holidays in past years but never taken the plunge to visit. On looking it … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses & Gardens, Journal, People, Travel | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Snapshot memories

Posted on April 3, 2024 by rhbblog

My much-loved late uncle, Nigel, had this treasured but rather battered photograph that he was rightly proud of and which we were pleased to be able to digitally restore for him some years ago. It shows him at RAF Digby, … Continue reading →

Posted in family history, History, People, Photography | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

‘Doing their bit’

Posted on March 12, 2024 by rhbblog

I found this little cutting stashed away in some files I was sorting: I must have seen and labelled it after mum died. It’s probably from the Bradford Telegraph and Argus. A quick search showed that Cllr. Coughlin served in … Continue reading →

Posted in family history, Locality, People, Philosophical | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Turn of the season – random snippets

Posted on October 28, 2023 by rhbblog

The clocks go back tonight. This always brings to mind a surreal conversation years ago with my mother-in-law & her sister, as we drove them back home. My m-i-l was watching a flock of birds flying overhead on their way … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour, Locality, People, Photography, Random, Seasonal, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lily, for remembrance…

Posted on July 19, 2023 by rhbblog

Not that I do, actually. Remember Lily, that is. She was one of my lovely great-aunts and she died suddenly, aged 62, when I was just 3. Lily was born 128 years ago today to Sarah (née Helliwell) and Frank … Continue reading →

Posted in family history, Locality, People | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

On this day…

Posted on June 17, 2023 by rhbblog

I had an email from a cousin a few days ago with the following message about a little discovery he’d made. “Now we know where our parents were 66 years ago! See attached picture of a signed beer mat from … Continue reading →

Posted in family history, People | Tagged , | Leave a comment