PHIL MAXWELL

Has Whitechapel Road Changed?

September 4, 2016

Brick Lane has changed from the 1980s beyond recognition. Whitechapel Road however has not suffered an invasion from tourists; these recent photographs together with some from the 1980s show that it hasn’t changed that much. What do you think?

Whitechapel Road 1983

Whitechapel Road 2016

Whitechapel Road 1983

Whitechapel Road 2016

Whitechapel Road 1983

Whitechapel Road 2016

Whitechapel Road 1998

Whitechapel Road 2016

Whitechapel Road 1985

Whitechapel Road 2016

Whitechapel Road 1983

The Nags Head Pub Shrewsbury

September 3, 2016

Last week I had the good fortune to visit the Nags head pub in Shrewsbury. Situated on the historic Wyle Cop, the pub is a Grade II Listed timber framed building with an old style interior which reminded me of pubs I visited in the 1960s as a child! My nostalgic enjoyment of the place was enhanced by the fine beer on sale and the pickles and pork pie I enjoyed with my pint. It was a hot summers day so I made my way with friends into the large back garden. We sat under the timber remnants of a 14th-century hall house and screened passage. It turned out that we had picked a perfect day for our visit as it was the Shrewsbury Folk Festival. We were entertained by a range of musicians and dancers who were part of the festival. I hope to visit the pub again one day; apparently it has a reputation for being haunted.

The Nags Head Shrewsbury 2016

The bar in the Nags Head Shrewsbury 2016

The screened passage in the Nags Head garden. Shrewsbury 2016

Music in the Nags Head garden. Shrewsbury 2016

Enjoying music in the Nags Head garden. Shrewsbury 2016

Dance in the Nags Head garden. Shrewsbury 2016

You may also be interested in:

The Lord Hood Pub

Liverpool Pub Portraits

Whitechapel Pub & Cafe

The Golden Heart Pub Spitalfields

Sandra (30 min film)

Dhaka, Bangladesh In The Early 1990s

September 2, 2016

Dhaka, Bangladesh early 1990s

Bangladesh In The Early 1990s

September 1, 2016

Photographs from one of my first visits to Bangladesh in the early 1990s.

Bangladesh early 1990s

Liverpool Pride

August 31, 2016

This year thousands marched on the Pride March in Liverpool.

The Rainbow flag above St George’s Hall, Liverpool Pride 2016

I remember going to Gay bars, pubs and clubs in Liverpool in the 1970s. In particular I remember ‘The Bears Paw’, ‘Sadies’ bar & ‘Paco’s bar. At weekends they were crowded out and would stay open until 4am. In those days you could go out for a fiver and still have change left at the end of the evening! They were wild times but attitudes to the LGBT community were entirely different from today. You could walk out of a club and be arrested by the police. Although by then it wasn’t illegal to be gay police harassment was high and people lost their jobs because of their sexuality. It was very moving to attend the march because I remembered what Liverpool (and the rest of the country) was like decades ago. I could hardly believe my eyes as we marched past hundred of cheering and waving scousers. It was a brilliant day. Times have changed but we still have to be on our guard against different kinds of hate such as Racism, Islamaphobia and Homophobia.

Liverpool Pride 2016

Liverpool Pride is an entirely volunteer-led charity seeking to combat homophobia and transphobia across the Liverpool City Region and beyond.

Liverpool Pride 2016

Liverpool Pride, is one of the Liverpool’s most popular events. Established in 2010, Liverpool Pride returned this year for its seventh consecutive year and continues to be one of the city’s most visual and flamboyant events of the summer. The date always coincides with the anniversary of when murdered gay teenager Michael Causer tragically lost his life. The festival was specifically created in his memory as a way to celebrate his life and empower the LGBT communities. The theme for 2016 was Liverpool Icons, and festival goers were encouraged to go along dressed in their most wild and wonderful interpretations of the theme.