Lemuel Lyes

Fossil ammonite on display at the brilliant Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre

A new friend! A model ichthyosaur enjoying a snack at the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.

This is Mary Anning country - famous for its ammonites, belemnites, ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and other prehistoric friends.

Coastal cliffs at Charmouth - dating to the Early Jurassic period.

Thrilled to finally visit the Jurassic Coast! One of the world's most iconic paleontological sites, and a place I've wanted to experience since childhood.

Along with the wayside cross (the Latin style is unusual for Cornwall), the well was part of a larger complex that included a stone-lined pool.

Two holy well visits in a week! Aren't I the lucky one?

This time at St Cleer. This is the most elaborate well house I've visited, and the only example in Cornwall with this open-porch style, thought to resemble a saint's shrine or tomb.

I love how the tradition of visiting sacred springs in Britain both predates Christianity and has persisted - despite the Reformation - through to today. Regardless of beliefs, these are special places and a joy to spend time at.

Saint Nectan was a fifth-century Irish hermit who lived in a hut near this well. He was decapitated by robbers. One legend claims that four centuries later, he appeared on the eve of the Battle of Brunanburh, after which King Athelstan may have made a pilgrimage here.

Moss covered well-house, with stonework and a weathered and weary wooden door. Tucked away among the ferns.

Close up of the offerings inside the well house. Including a small bible, shells (the scollop shell is notable - a symbol often associated with pilgrims and holy wells), coins, a small candle, and other items.

Photo looking inside the well, behind a metal gate adorned with dried roses. On a platform at the top are an array of offerings. There is water at the bottom of the well.

I love to see holy wells that are still frequented and used for their original purpose - places with a long tradition of contemplation, pilgrimage, and healing. Here are some of the offerings left at St Nectan's Well, North Devon.

Thank you, this might be just what I need right now!

Photo of a section of an interpretation panel detailing different animals you can see on a coastal path in North Devon. The photos of the animals, including a deer, fox, hare, badger, mouse, and rabbit, are significantly weathered, creating a weird white blotchy pattern that looks like they are teleporting out of a 1960-70s sci-fi.

Close up of the rabbit on the sign - who has almost completely teleported away. Godspeed, friend.

According to this interpretation panel in North Devon, all the other mammals have had enough of this shit and are teleporting into another timeline.

Coastal cliffs at Hartland Quay - grey shales and sandstone folded together

Atlantic ocean smacking itself against coastal cliffs at Hartland Quay

Prop from Rebecca (2020 - Netflix) at Hartland Quay

The old Custom House and stables, now a hotel and bar.

Enjoyed checking out the insane coastal cliffs at Hartland Quay. Part of the Crackington Formation. Some impressive chevron folds!

Exterior of Gloucester Cathedral. Likely Edwardian era. The Schoolmasters Slides - associated with Chas F. Hayward. Lemuel Lyes Collection.

Back to my Schoolmaster's Slides series....

Edwardian glass slide of Gloucester Cathedral. During WW2, the Coronation Chair was temporarily relocated here, sealed into the crypt with a 13th-century oak effigy of Robert Curthose for company.

@gloucestercathedral.org.uk

A Christchurch City Council parking receipt, with GST and Tax Invoice numbers. Fee paid $1.10 at 12:29, parking paid until 12:51pm Tues 22/2/11. Lemuel Lyes Ephemera Collection

This parking receipt from the Christchurch CBD expired at 12:51 pm on 22 February 2011. The exact time that the devastating earthquake struck.

Thinking of all those whose lives were forever changed in that moment.

My Collection.

Stained vest and gloves, said to have been worn by Charles I at his execution. Photo taken at London Museum Docklands.

This vest was worn by the - checks notes - second-to-last senior royal to be arrested.

Mayflower Steps, Plymouth. Usually, the Stars and Stripes fly alongside the Union Jack, but it appears to have had an accident.

"The fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn't mean that they own the land"

Standing at the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, those words resonated particularly strongly.

😂😂 I had a copy of that on my office wall for a few years! Some American colleagues of mine had worked on an Apollo documentary and sent me a scan! Thanks for the memory!

B/W slide of the ruins of Dryburgh Abbey, likely taken c 1908 - 1915 by Birmingham schoolmaster and amateur photographer Charles Hayward. Part of the 'Schoolmaster's Slides' series of found slides, scanned and shared here for the first time. Lemuel Lyes Collection.

This Edwardian glass slide shows Dryburgh Abbey, in the Scottish Borders. Established in 1150, it was sacked by the English in 1322, again in 1385, and finally in 1544, with the Scottish Reformation snuffing out any chance of renewal.

The atmospheric ruins continue to attract many visitors.

Reverse of the postcard. "Dear Roger, I am having a beautiful time. This is where I nearly died with laughing, Love to all, Auntie Freda". It's sent to a Christchurch, New Zealand, address and features a 1/2d Exhibition stamp and an exhibition postmark. Lemuel Lyes Collection.

"I am having a beautiful time, this is where I nearly died with laughing."

Note the Exhibition stamp and postmark as well. I hope you've enjoyed this little series of ephemera and postcards. It's not much, but I wanted to contribute to the memory of this once-in-a-lifetime event.

B/W Postcard showing the entrance to the Fun Factory - a large moustached character wearing a helmet. A crowd of people stand around it. Lemuel Lyes Collection.

One last postcard from my collection to commemorate the centenary of the exhibition - this time featuring the entrance to the 'Fun Factory', one of the many amusement attractions.

B/W novelty postcard - similar to a fairground photo booth visitors to the exhibition could pose in a novelty set for a photo which was printed on postcards for them. These three women are posing in an 'aeroplane' flying over the exhibition grounds. Lemuel Lyes Collection.

Here's another souvenir 'flying machine' postcard from the NZ & South Seas International Exhibition, Dunedin, 1925-1926. One of the things I love about these cards is the little snapshot they offer of the era's fashion. These three look like they're enjoying their visit to the exhibition!

The 10th-century Exeter Book, on display at Exeter Cathedral.

Close-up of one of the pages of the Exeter Book.

Close-up of one of the pages of the Exeter Book - written in Old English.

Incredible experience to see the Exeter Book up close. I was genuinely starstruck. Written c. 970 and believed to be the oldest surviving book of English literature in the world!

At the Treasures Exhibition at Exeter Cathedral. I highly recommend this!

@exetercathedral.bsky.social

Interior of church, a broken memorial on the ground in front of the wall it fell from

The broken stone memorial, dated 1808.

Warning sign "Danger! Do NOT stand under any wall memorials"

The perils of church crawling.

Very sad to see a memorial in this state.

B/W postcard from the 1913/14 Auckland Exhibition. Five exhibition visitors are posing in a 'flying machine' set for a novelty photo. Lemuel Lyes Collection

I love novelty postcards like these. Some of my favourites to look out for.

The earlier 1913-1914 exhibition in Auckland had a similar 'flying machine' setup, but, curiously, the 1925-26 cards are harder to find. I'm putting it down to the postcard-collecting craze starting to wane.

My Collection.

B/W real photo postcard. Two men in suits and hats pose in a 'flying machine' novelty studio 'flying' over the 1925/26 Exhibition grounds. Lemuel Lyes Collection.

A souvenir from the NZ & South Seas International Exhibition, Dunedin, 1925-1926.

Don't this duo look absolutely thrilled to be flying over the exhibition grounds!? Visitors could pose in this novelty studio set for a fun little keepsake.

My Collection.

Illustration featuring an artistic rendering of a map of New Zealand, with a scenic view behind it. The words "Dominion of New Zealand". Lemuel Lyes Collection.

So it was nice to see the Dunedin organisers arrange a unique stamp design for the 1925/26 Exhibition.

Here's the reverse of the card.

Close-up view of the 1d stamp - a Red/Carmine colour. It features a view of the exhibition grounds, including the Grand Dome, bordered with a Maori taniko pattern. Lemuel Lyes Collection.

It's an attractive stamp - I used to covet these as a young collector.

NZ's first commemorative stamps were issued for the 1906/07 ChCh exhibition. Rather than issuing their own unique stamps, the Auckland 1913/14 exhibition simply overprinted their name on existing definitives.

Unused postal stationery from the 1925-26 International NZ and South Seas Exhibition, Dunedin. It features four b/w portraits - Sir Chas. Fergusson, Hon. J.G. Coates, Sir James Allen, and C.P. Hainsworth. In the top right corner is an exhibition postal stamp. Lemuel Lyes Collection.

Time for some philatelic geekery! The exhibition sold a special series of commemorative stamps - featuring a view of the exhibition grounds. There were 1/2d, 1d, and 4d varieties in different colours.

This 1d example is on a souvenir card, but hasn't been postally used.

My Collection.

B/W Postcard showing the Entrance Gates at the exhibition, the tops of hills visible behind the buildings and a large crowd of visitors waiting out the front.

Another postcard from the New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition, 1925 - 1926 - this one showing a mass of visitors outside the entrance gates. More queues were waiting inside for the various rides and attractions.

My Collection.

"Dear Mother, we are sending this card from the exhibition & we are having an enjoyable time & lovely weather. We are going to Waipori for the day next week some time if you haven't posted shoes, by the time this reaches you don't bother as these ones are all right now, with love from, Elsie & Jane (?)"

Here's the reverse of the card, with a message from a couple of exhibition visitors.

"At 11:45 p.m. the pipers of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders' Band headed a big procession round the grand court. Suddenly the orange and red lights of the big dome faded, and the lights on the band rotunda followed them. A minute later the dazzling entrance gates lights disappeared, and the Chinese lanterns and fancy lamps of the grand court disappearing plunged the scene in darkness. As the Old Year was dying bells began to sound. Then, as the last stroke of twelve sounded, all the thousands of lamps in the grand court blazed simultaneously, and the New Year was born. The band led the crowd in singing "Auld Lang Syne," and the 50,000 people who were present will never forget New Year's Eve at the great Exhibition."

This glorious scene was the backdrop for revellers counting in the New Year, as reported in the NZ Times, 2 Jan 1926.

B/W postcard showing the Grand Dome lights at night, and their reflection in the water in the foreground.

This is one of my fav postcards from the exhibition - showing the iconic Grand Dome at night.

The exhibition lights (17,312 of them!) were an attraction in their own right. The grounds were likened to 'a glow-worm palace in a grotto among the hills'.

My Collection.