History

I was born in the house on the left in 1956, the second of three siblings born there (My youngest brother was born in hospital).
It was my Grandparents' house from 1948 until 1987, when my Granddad moved in with my parents, returning the favour as my parents lived in this house from 1948 until the early fifties and occasionally after that.
Behind me is the harbour so the view is not bad. When my grandparents had it, there was a big flint wall across the road obscuring the view of the coal yard (later, cement works) located where I stood to take the photo. There was also a small steam train running from the coal yard across the bridge to the railway yard. All the traffic had to stop while the train puffed it's way across the bridge.
The bridge was a manually operated swing bridge: around twelve men would turn a capstan in the middle of the bridge to open and close it. Needless to say, the opening of the bridge and the steam train were endlessly fascinating for us kids. I wish they had kept the bridge.

I took my first picture with the first camera I owned on the steps of my grandparents' place: Christmas Day 1966. I've still got it.