This is My Home Town

[Sparrow]

The city in which I was born, Bradford, Yorkshire recently came last in a report on 72 European cities making it the worst city in Europe, finishing behind places like Sarajevo and Belgrade despite not being bombed for many years.

A bit like the place in the Springsteen song

The only time I return there now is to drop c41 and printing off at a lab just outside the centre I’ve not lived there for 25 years Anyway recently when I wanted to test a new to me camera I wandered round the city centre and shot a film off, and for the first time I can remember I felt constrained by the edgy atmosphere, weather fear, or just my lack of motivation recently I found it impossible to get in close to people.

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co....jibe_over_report/?action=complain&cid=6365139

 

[Sparrow]

few more

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19217760@N05/

 

[Mauro]

Beautiful pictures, I like them!
I have spent several summer holidays in Hastings-East Sussex, attending to language courses, and you pictures take me back to those years. I would like to visit it soon again!

 

[Sparrow]

thanks Mauro 🙂

 

[Yammerman]

Hi Stewart

Stumbled across these and rather like them especially the tones. They seem to reflect the sense of dislocation you describe.

I'm returning to my own home town of Plymouth tomorrow and had thought abbout doing something similar.

Thanks for posting.

Ian

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

My hometown is Fort Wayne, Indiana. Ft. Wayne is the second largest city in Indiana with nearly 300,000 people. I actually grew up in the area of town called Waynedale, which is what i'm showing here. Waynedale was once an independent small town; it became part of Fort Wayne more than 50 years ago. Despite being part of a large city for so long, Waynedale still looks and feels like a small rural town. Most of the businesses are locally owned, and people tend to know everyone else here.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Some more from Waynedale:

 

[Andrew Sowerby]

Here's a non-rangefinder picture of the most notable landmark in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia:

I can see it in the distance out my office window right now.

 

[Nh3]

This is a view of Toronto's skyline and I live here. Toronto is the most hated city in all of Canada...

 

[pesphoto]

My current home town, ice skating downtown in the winter.

 

[Sparrow]

Hi Stewart

Stumbled across these and rather like them especially the tones. They seem to reflect the sense of dislocation you describe.

I'm returning to my own home town of Plymouth tomorrow and had thought abbout doing something similar.

Thanks for posting.

Ian

Thanks Ian, you should it was an interesting experience I wish I had documented it more over the years.

 

[capitalK]

Toronto is the most hated city in all of Canada...

Bwahaha that gave me my first belly laugh of the day. I moved from Toronto in 2006 to a small city in Northern Ontario and I'd have to say, yes. People here hate the "center of the Universe". Me? I miss it.

 

[charjohncarter]

I never believe those best and worst lists about places. Yesterday, I read that Mexico is the second worst country in the world. I live in California right next door. I can tell you I would rather have Mexico as a neighbor than many nations. You can guess which ones.

 

[dwaoka]

About 20 pictures about my home town Kielce, in Poland. I made an small exhibition last year in Dublin.

http://dwaoka.wordpress.com/moje-kielce/

 

[marke]

Chris, your hometown reminds me a lot of my own, the village of Brown Deer, Wisconsin. Brown Deer is a suburb of Milwaukee, and my dad was one of the original businessmen to help incorporate the village. In fact, your last picture reminded me specifically of him,. because he had his own television and electronics sales & service business for 35 years in the village. Brown Deer has an "original" section where the buildings still maintain most of their original architecture. Here is my great uncle's store, "Larry's Brown Deer Food Market". I used to wak to this place with my grandfather over 40 years ago, to get hot dogs and nickel candy bars.

 

[Schlapp]

Great thread. My home town is Bath in Somerset but have not lived or been there for years and would love to see some snaps from there. In the meantime, I live on the Western Isles and the nearest town is Stornoway.

 

[Nh3]

Bwahaha that gave me my first belly laugh of the day. I moved from Toronto in 2006 to a small city in Northern Ontario and I'd have to say, yes. People here hate the "center of the Universe". Me? I miss it.

Well, if you miss Toronto so much, look for a job here and move back.

 

[capitalK]

Well, if you miss Toronto so much, look for a job here and move back.

I have my old job waiting for me if I ever decide to move back, or so they say. We moved up here to raise our family, which I wouldn't necessarily do in downtown Toronto. I go back once or twice a year for a visit and to see old friends.

 

[Monz]

@Stewart: about 10 years ago, I nearly got a long-term job in Bradford. Before the interview, my then boss and I drove around the town on the way back from a meeting (to get a feel for the place). We both felt very depressed afterwards and I pulled out of the interview! Your photos bring back memories of that drive although things look better in your photos.
--
Monz

 

[Sparrow]

Monz, It was still a rich place when I was a kid, the wool trade, my granddad always said at one time it was the worlds third wealthiest, don’t know if there’s any truth in that but certainly a lot of the 19th century stone buildings are monumental if one looks past the grime.

Still glad I moved out