Chairs - Centenary Square

I sometimes arrive early for events that I intend to photograph.  Here are some chairs in Centenary Square, Bradford.

Man With Office Chair

I was photographing these road works in Bradford town centre when this man walked into the picture pushing an office chair. I thought it was a bit of an odd thing to do, and took a picture of it. He probably wondered why I was taking pictures of road works as it is an odd thing to do.

Veterans Day - Centenary Square

The weather was warm and sunny for the Veterans Day service and open-air tea dance which took place today in Centenary Square, Bradford.

The day started with a centuries old Drumhead Service.  Traditionally soldiers in the field would make an altar by placing their standards on neatly laid drums.

The afternoon continued with a real party atmosphere.  There was jive dancing with the incredible 'Jiving Lindy Hoppers' backed by the equally impressive 'Swing Shifters' band.

Cycle Fest 2010 - Lister Park

This is Jimmy Biondi giving an impressive display of twisting, spinning and balancing on his BMX bike at the Bradford Cycle Fest 2010.  Jimmy travelled all the way from Strasbourg in North Eastern France to give this performance in Lister Park.

Yorkshire Regiment Parade

The Yorkshire Regiment paraded through the streets of Bradford today with their newly presented colours flying.  The Regiment were accompanied by the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas followed by the Colours Guard.

Keith McCarter Sculpture

Passing motorists are probably unaware of the existence of this stainless steel sculpture by Keith McCarter.  It stands near a very busy road junction in Bradford town centre,  I only really noticed it mylself because I was on foot and had time to look around.  The building to the right of the sculpture is the former Odeon Cinema with its distinctive domed frontage.  This building has gradually deteriorated since its closure and now appears to be in quite poor condition.

Bike Breakfast

In an effort to encourage more people to cycle to work, cyclists were treated to a free breakfast this morning at City Hall, Bradford.

Mirror Pool

Constuctiuon work is continuing on Bradford's ambitious City Park Project.  The area pictured in the photograph will eventually be transformed into a mirror pool.  Some businesses in the city centre are struggling to survive while the disruption continues.

Mughal Gardens - Lister Park

This water garden uses a combination of Islamic and Indian styles with its fountains and canals.  The entire park was renovated several years ago and the water garden was introduced as a new feature.

Mayor's Civic Parade - Bradford

This brass band is part of the Lord Mayor's Civic Parade.  In the background you can see the hoardings for Bradfords famous 'Hole'.  The 'Hole' is a huge area of the town centre which was demolished to make way for a major retail development.  This project has been on hold for several years.  Work is due to recommence when the recession is over, in the meantime there are plans to grass over part of the area.

Mayor's Parade - Bradford

The Lord Mayor's Carnival Parade took place today in Bradford town centre.  This years theme was the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity using the iconic image of the tiger.  The Lord Mayor's Civic Parade also took place simultaneously, the two parades joining together a short distance from their City Hall destination.

Illingworth Tomb - Undercliffe Cemetry

This is the tomb of Alfred Illingworth and his wife.  The Illingworth family were walthy Bradford mill owners.  The structure of this unusual tomb is based upon the ancient Egyptian 'mastaba'.  The mastaba was the tomb of the Egyptian social elite and consisted of an underground burial chamber with an above ground chapel.  The family would bring food and other offerings for the soul of the deceased to this chapel.

Circus Preparations - Bradford Mela

This circus peformer was preparing for a show later in the day.

Annapurna Indian Dance - Bradford Mela

This Indian dance company uses storytelling and rhythmic Indian dance in its colourful performances.  The company visits festivals, schools, and theatres to help promote a greater understanding of Indian traditions and culture.

Street Theatre - Bradford Mela

I think this scary looking fellow might be Ravana the ten headed monster.

Jasmine Kennedy - Bradford Mela

This is talented singer/songwriter Jasmine Kennedy who gave an excellent performance on one of the smaller, more intimate stages at the Mela.

Steet Performer - Bradford Mela

This is one of a band of street performers promoting the music and performing arts of North India and particularly Rajasthan.

Dhol Drummer - Bradford Mela

This musician is playing the dohl, a drum which is widely used in the Punjab region.  Use of the instrument dates back to the 15th century and it is used in both modern and traditional Indian music.

Bradford Mela

Tomorrow is the start of the Bradford Mela weekend which is held annually in Peel Park.  Mela is a word used in the Indian Subcontinent and means 'gathering','meeting' or 'fair'.  This picture was taken at last years Mela

Lister Park in the rain

The park would normally be busy at this time of year, but the recent wet weather seems to have kept people indoors.

Labor Omnia Vincit

This coat of arms was displayed  on buses belonging to the old Bradford City Transport.  The inscription reads 'Labor Omnia Vincit ' (Hard work conquers all things).  It is different to the current Bradford coat of arms.

Double Decker Bus

I spotted this former Bradford City Transport Bus at the Skipton Festival of Transport.  These buses had an open platform at the rear and relied on the conductor to make sure passengers were safely on or off the bus.

Halima Cassell Sculpture - Lister Park

This sculpture by Halima Cassell is situated in front of Cartwright Hall, Lister Park.

Halima Cassell visits Bradford

It was raining heavily as I wandered around a deserted Lister Park today.  To escape the rain I decided to visit the recently re-oponed Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, which lies within the grounds of the park.  In one of the galleries was an exhibition by sculptress Halima Cassell.  In the gallery, working on one of her sculptures was Halima herself.  Halima allowed me to take some pictures of her at work.  Halima was born in Pakistan, but grew up and  lives in Lancashire.

Chapel Street

This amusing sculpture can be found at Chapel Street in the Little Germany area of Bradfords town centre.  The mill owners chair, mirror and grandfather clock are the work of sculptor Timothy Shutter, and were commissioned by Bradford Council in the early 1990's.

Made in Yorkshire

Window sticker, Jowett saloon car.