1906 San Fransisco Earchquake and Fire

Some building remain from the 1906 quake in this photo but the fire virtually destroyed any left standing over the coming days. Hardest hit from the quake was the docks area, where the foundations for the building was poor and unstable to withstand any amount of friction.

Canadian soliders Somme WW1

I really like this photo, it tells us alot of things about the time and espcially how hard it was for those that were in battle at the Somme. Look at the Canadian soliders uniforms, how heavy and bulky it is. The amount of mud caked on these uniforms, with the deep mud it made walking and living conditions hell. No wonder trench foot and other nasty alignments was common amoungst those lucky enough to survive.

The Damned United

Brian Clough took over Leeds United in the mid 70's, he didn't last long. A movie called The Damned United was made about his short reign. This photo is from the famous Charity shield game at Wembley, when the captain Billy Bremner was sent off for fighting :) They were not called dirty Leeds for nothing!

Ypres 1919 There was once a city here?

Not much left from the destruction after WW1 hit the belgium city Ypres. Nice photo that pans across a wide shot of the centre. Press on the picture for a larger version.

WW1 Passchendaele destruction site

Pretty amazing photo, with the light over the battlefield. I believe this is the battle of passchendaele 1917 WW1.

Franz Reichelt (1912) I can fly?

Franz Reichelt (1912) – An Austrian-born French tailor, inventor and parachuting pioneer, now sometimes referred to as the Flying Tailor, who is remembered for his accidental death by jumping from the Eiffel Tower while testing a wearable parachute of his own design. Perhaps the urge to spread his arms and fly was so great that he stitched an overcoat into a flying contraption/parachute. He had notified the authorities he would use a dummy to test his contraption from the Eiffel Tower.

Cameras rolled, as Reichelt stood on the edge of the Tower’s 60m deck. After waiting 45 seconds, he jumped – and his loyalty in his parachute faded fast when it refused to support his cause, and he plunged to his death seconds later. Video HERE!

WW2 blitz Kids with masks

It does look a little freaky but during WW2 and the Blitz that hit the country children would wear gas masks when moving about in danger zones. Wonder how much they could actually breath in one of those! An interesting side note that one was sold on the show "pawn stars" this year :) I think he bought it for a decent chunk.

Complete devastation WW1 Ypres

The ruins of the Cloth Hall, the Cathedral and Bishop's Palace, Ypres.During WW1 many cities were flattened to the ground like this.

WWW1 Trench life!

Most WW1 photo's are soldiers in the trenches. This one for me is a little different. Clearly the troops are posing for the photo, even the soldier having a nap in his cove has a cheeky grin. The trench looks incredibly thin, not much room for movement.

Golden Gate Bridge construction 1930's

 

The Golden gate bridge San Fransisco!  Under construction in the mid 1930's. Having gone over the bridge a number of times I can honestly say its amazing, very large and exposed to the elements. Worth the $35m budget and 4 years to make.

Mother Shiptons Cave: The Petrifying Well

Mother Shiptons cave and the Petrifying well are located in Knaresborough North Yorkshire. 

The Cave, her legendary birthplace is near to the famous, unique, geological phenomenon - The Petrifying Well. See its magical cascading waters turn items into stone!

The Petrifying Well is England’s Oldest Visitor Attraction, first opening its gates in 1630!

London Blitz WW2

 

London Blitz started in September 1940 during WW2. This photo for me is really interesting, just look at the near total devastation caused by the bombing at this bookshop/Library. Yet the people are browsing the books what can only be hours or  days after it was hit. Carrying on normal life activities in the face of adversity! No wonder we won the war.

Manzanar Relocation center California 1943

Baseball game, Manzanar Relocation Center, Calif. [1943] Summary Japanese Americans observe an amateur baseball game in progress; one-story buildings and mountains in the background.

In 1942, the United States government ordered more than 110,000 men, women, and children to leave their homes and detained them in remote, military-style camps. Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps where Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II

Hostile Indian Camp 1891

"Hostile Indian camp" Bird's-eye view of a large Lakota camp of tipis, horses, and wagons--probably on or near Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. 1891. Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540

Allied troops in Germany 1945

The allies meet. May 1945. American and Russian troops meet in Germany