Today’s bijou brainteaser is both accidental and personal. Beyond the break is a century-old Box Brownie snap of one of my great aunts. Can you help me identify both the photo’s location and date?
Thanks to these prominent billboard adverts…
…dating the picture should be relatively straightforward. The real challenge will be geolocating Auntie Vera’s lofty perch. Presumably somewhere in London – potentially somewhere radically transformed by the Luftwaffe during the war years – the spot boasts one fairly distinctive landmark…
ID the building with the dutch gables and odd finials – something I’ve been unable to do – and this fotofoxer should be as good as solved.
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SOLUTIONS
Friday Foxer # 262 (‘33 Things Wot are Spherical or Almost Spherical’)
1. SL = SLOE (CaptainBinky)
2. RP = EUROPA
3. MLTSR = MALTESER (Viscount)
4. CCHNNT = COCHONNET (Colonel_K)
5. SPBB BL = SOAP BUBBLE (Viscount)
6. BDNGBL L = BAODING BALL
7. SPCH PPR = SPACE HOPPER (Viscount)
8. RB BTDRPPNG = RABBIT DROPPING (Viscount)
9. VS TKDS CNTMDL = VOSTOK DESCENT MODULE (CaptainBinky)
10. BL CKPR LFT HBR GS = BLACK PEARL OF THE BORGIAS (CaptainBinky)
11. SWN GSMS TMPRS SVTRSTTT RCTN = SWANAGE’S MOST IMPRESSIVE TOURIST ATTRACTION (Colonel_K)
12. BHLDR = BEHOLDER (CaptainBinky)
13. RBCLM = ORBUCULUM (CaptainBinky)
14. BK NGBN = BAKING BEAN
15. NS DBLL = ANISEED BALL (Colonel_K)
16. FRRRR CHR = FERRERO ROCHER (CaptainBinky)
17. GNNSSWD GT = GUINNESS WIDGET (Colonel_K)
18. THR TNDRMDLL = THREATENED ARMADILLO (CaptainBinky)
19. FR TFT HL NDNP LN = FRUIT OF THE LONDON PLANE (CaptainBinky)
20. LFT LDG CKG G = LEAF-TAILED GECKO EGG (Colonel_K)
21. TRSTBS RVTNGN DL = TRIESTE’S OBSERVATION GONDOLA (Colonel_K)
22. STR GCNTN RFRV NYLCH LRD = STORAGE CONTAINER FOR VINYL CHLORIDE (CaptainBinky)
23. FLC NRYBLL = FALCONRY BELL (Viscount)
24. PNLMN TL = PAIN ELEMENTAL (CaptainBinky)
25. BL SHBCN = BELISHA BEACON (SunderLad)
26. CHN PSFLWR = ECHINOPS FLOWER (Colonel_K)
27. VRLSTNGGBS TPPR = EVERLASTING GOBSTOPPER (Colonel_K)
28. NHN DRDS D DDC = ONE-HUNDRED SIDED DICE (Colonel_K)
29. THFY LNGDLSR DMS = THE FYLINGDALES RADOMES (Colonel_K)
30. THC LV RB TFB R = THE CLEVER BIT OF A BIRO
31. THBS NS SN DFMR NN GST R = THE BUSINESS END OF A MORNING STAR (Zwack23)
32. THVN TRLTR RTFT HMM PHSB LL = THE VENTRAL TURRET OF THE MEMPHIS BELLE (Zwack23)
33. THR S NBM BSS DNT HL CBM BNG = THE ORSINI BOMBS USED IN THE LICEU BOMBING (Colonel_K)
Year = 1926
First boxing match between Tommy Milligan and Ted Moore for some middleweight titles on October 7th. Milligan won. Rematch in January of 1927, in which Milligan successfully defended his titles.
Since the bill for Alexandra Palace mentions the August Bank Holiday, I presume the photo was taken in mid to late summer.
Milligan defeated ‘Guardsman George West’ (it’s lack of names like this that explain the state of the country) on 12th July for the vacant British AND Commonwealth (formerly British Empire) middleweight titles. I presume the match against Ted Moore wouldn’t have been arranged until _after_ this date.
Amos Fairey & Son were in the piano trade ca 1906-1926.
They and Cooksey&Son were both in Upper Street, Islington, so we may well be around that area.
Fairey Amos & Son
– Lonsdale Square, Islington (1926)
– 178 Upper Street (1926)
https://www.lieveverbeeck.eu/Pianoforte-makers_England_f.htm
Cooksey and Son
– 266 Upper Street
– 52 Amwell Street
Similarly fancy finials can be seen at 154 Upper St (currently Aesop). Not quite the same, but similar.