A retro exploration of Norfolk

I'm not ashamed to admit it, I'm a little bit of a camera geek. So in my gear bag is normally one of THE best cameras ever made, the point and shoot Olympus Trip 35 as championed by David Bailey. It's a little camera and is a brilliant and fun to use. I have two of these little gems, and normally keep one loaded with colour film and the other with black and white. It has a fixed focus lens, so it means to focus you move either closer or further away from your subject matter.

My Olympus Trip 35 has accompanied me on many trips around Norwich and Norfolk. Here are a few of my favourites, with a lovely retro effect that only comes with using out of date film.

Enjoy!

Fishermen's Rest, Winterton on Sea

Mid Norfolk Railway, East Dereham

East Somerton church

Maltings, East Dereham

Potter Heigham

Huts, Winterton on Sea

Cromer beach

Cromer

Pill Box, Happisburgh beach

Church Rooms, Swaffham

The Guildhall, Norwich

Anglia Square, Norwich

41 All Saints Green

At 41 All Saints Green, Norwich, stands a grand grade II listed, late 18th Century Merchant's House. Three storeys tall, it is actually the little side building that caught my attention. With blue doors, and looking very weathered of late, it is strikingly different to nearby neighbour John Lewis,. It has also clearly taken a beating at some time, with substantial brick repairs evident. The yoga room behind is now closed, and taking a look at Norwich City Council's website, planning permission has been granted to convert the building into 2 commercial units and 7 residential dwellings.

Interested to find out more of the history of this place.

 

The Railway Mission

Prince of Wales Road, Norwich.

A place that tends to have rather a reputation for bars and clubs of all kinds, excessive drinking, fighting, and a heavy police presence and the SOS bus at the weekend.

But amongst the nightspots, taxi ranks and takeaways at the Riverside end of the road stands a fantastic little Grade II listed building. I am ashamed to confess I didn't notice it for years, mainly because I normally rush down this road as quickly as possible, concentrating entirely on my destination rather than the surroundings. It is a fantastic little building, and apparently quite easy to miss if you're not paying attention. Opposite Mercy and Rocco's, it is now occupied by the Norwich  Evangelical Free Church.

The brick colours are fantastic, and the detail on the Railway Mission sign very pleasing. The building is also in very good condition but for a small bit of graffiti. A total treasure of a place.

The Railway Mission itself is a British Mission and charity devoted to those in the railway industry and was founded in 1881. This building is apparently one of the best examples of a Railway Mission hall left standing. See http://www.railwaymission.org for more details.

These photos were taken over the course of two days, as there is a time restricted parking bay in front of the building. I love the colour of the building in the sunlight. It makes all the different building materials really noticeable, with the bricks at the bottom of the building having a shiny finish.

Turner's Shoes

On the junction of Esdelle Street and Edward Street in Norwich is a curious little place, Turner's Shoes. I've driven past it for years, but never actually stopped to look a little closer until yesterday. I was always under the impression that it was a shop that had been closed for years, with the teetering boxes of shoes in the window never seeming to move, and the main display never changing. The blue paint is faded and flaking off the shop front, in some places covered over by a scrawled graffiti tag.

Yesterday there was a hand written note on the door and a neighbour confirmed that Turner's Shoes is still operating, and has in fact just been closed for the last couple of weeks due to illness. Situated a stones throw from Anglia Square, I'm not sure how it has survived in this location for so long? Maybe there are people more curious than me who instead of driving by, took a good look long ago?