Stavanger and Ships in Norway - Sepia Saturday

This week's prompt of ships in Tønsberg harbour is ideal for me.

Tønsberg lies on the west coast of Oslofjord just over 100km south-south-west of Oslo near the fjord's mouth onto the Skagerrak.

Stavanger where I worked for most of the 1980s, long after the first two of my photos were taken, is on Norway's west coast.

Ships along the quayside - 1902

(This is my photo of one too big for my scanner - so excuse the 'fold' in the middle)

The town centre is to the right of the the shot where ten years earlier the quayside had the replica of a Viking ship tied up alongside.

'Viking' the replica of the Gokstad ship - 1893

The Gokstad ship was found in a burial mound at Gokstad farm in Sandar, Sandefjord in Norway's Vestfold county - the same county where Tønsberg is located. Dendrological dating suggest that the Gokstad ship was built around 880 AD

After visiting Stavanger the Viking sailed crossed the Atlantic to appear at Chicago World Fair of 1893.

In 1978 the opening of the Stavanger City Bridge connected the city to the islands in the borough of Hundvåg where Rosenberg shipyard is located.

Rosenberg Verft on Hundvåg

The structure on the dock at the bottom is the main support frame for Statfjord 'B'. The 'inlet' to the right of this is a dry dock where previously Rosenberg had been building LNG tankers.

RV's last LNG tanker (from the Stavanger City Bridge)

I had the opportunity to see the Royal Yacht Britannia pass by Rosenberg in May 1981 when the Queen and Prince paid Norway a state visit.

Britannia passing dummy platform legs at RV - May 1981

I acquired a number of posters of platforms under construction during my time in Stavanger. The legs of Gravity Base Structures and concrete storage cells were outfitted at Gandsfjord close to Stavanger. We travelled there by boat out under the City Bridge to teach the site.

Mechanical outfitting Statfjord 'C' - 1981-1983

The concrete legs are over 100m tall and the storage cells beneath around 80m. That bridge linking the top of the cells was an interesting place to walk!

Before a platform is towed out to its location in the North Sea the legs are ballasted, sunk down with the completed deck floated over the top and secured to the legs.

Gulfaks 'A' Platform (not at Stavanger)

When it comes to big passenger ships the visits I remember during my time in Stavanger included SS Norway and the QEII.

QEII passing Statfjord 'B' deck at Rosenberg in July 1980

SS Norway with RV assembly shop in background

I guess I'd better end this maritime rambling before anyone gets seasick.

However for more salty tales check out the links at Sepia-Saturday-264.

Village Fences - Good Fences 45

A gate to a house and a double fence, one each side of a footpath skirting a field.

Entrance to Squirrels Leap

If it's curves you want then follow a village lane.

Moles must use an underpass?

In the village itself a rustic arch stands in the middle of a wooden fence.

But only the drive on the right is ever used

However you need a key code to enter through these more formal gates.

Paved drive and a George VI postbox pillar

Elsewhere a neat privet hedge is restrained with 'kisses' on a sunny winter's day.

But did it know that today it would have to brave the snow?

All these fences within a mile of my home qualify to be here at 

Childhood Memories - Thematic Photography

As I'm in my second childhood and my memory is not what it was, Carmi's theme this week has caused me some problems.

I've shown the house where I was born on more than one occasion.

100 High Street, Ketton

That stone wall didn't exist back then and there was another empty building behind it to the left, Our front had a double grey gate and a grey wooden fence; a rose-bedecked trellis lined the drive where box hedge is on the right. There where no hatched white lines on the road, just one line down the middle.

The traffic island didn't exist either; although this is main road from Stamford to Leicester, during the late 1940s it was safe enough to use it as a football field - with a tennis ball of course.

The oldest photo I have of me is aged 12 in Stamford School boxing team.

Stamford School Boxing Team, 1949

Just in case you cannot recognise me:-

My pastimes in my second childhood include watching and counting the birds in our garden and photographing them when I'm quick enough. Some just pose.

Wood Pigeon at the birdbath - 24 January 2015

even during the RSPB's Great Garden Bird Watch.

My wife says I'm playing when I'm out with my camera and uploading what I've taken to my computer. Here's one I took yesterday.

Two of five wind turbines - from Dent's Lane, Kirklevington

Not only do I play with Thematic Photography I also take part in Sepia Saturday. This week this involves me playing with some poster memories of my time in Stavanger.

QEII visiting Stavanger - July 1980

The structure on the left is the topside deck for the Statfjord 'B' platform under construction at Rosenberg Verft where I was working. I was too small to be seen in the photo and regret to this day never having a camera with me to take my own photos - not that I would have been allowed on the helicopter from which the shot was taken.

However my second childhood memory has been good enough to find the souvenir poster we were given.

For more childhood memories don't forget to look in on Carmi's childhood thematic-photographic-323.

San Marino, Shapes and Australia - Sunday Stamps II

I thought I had shown all my 'shaped' stamps before so I went looking for more this week.

The Republic of San Marino, in Italy, first issued stamps in 1877 but I do not know when these sporting triangles were issued.

San Marino

In 2003 Great Britain issued a set of Fruit and Vegetables which could be regarded as shaped stamps. Here's one I showed earlier.

Great Britain pair with  a Pear on the right

I have another stamp that I couldn't identify for years.

A Great Britain Lemon

Apparently the Fruit and Vegetable set was printed in sheets of 10 with the stamp pane accompanied by a pane of self adhesive labels with ears, eyes, mouths and hats etc intended for attachment to the fruit and vegetables depicted. That's why the answer is a lemon!

In looking for Australian stamps this week I've learnt a little history about Tasmania.

Australia - Bay of Fires, Tasmania

The Bay of Fires (indigenous name larapuna) on the north-east coast of Tasmania was given that name in 1773 by Captain Tobias Furneaux who saw fires of Aboriginal people on the beaches. Furneaux was on the ship Adventure; an English navigator and Royal Naval officer he accompanied James Cook on his second voyage of exploration.

Australia - Maria Island, Tasmania

The entire island is a national park. It was named in 1642 by the Dutch Explorer Abel Tasman after Maria van Diemen, the wife of the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. Tasmania was once called Van Diemen's Land.

This is a post linked to Sunday-stamps-ii-6.

Cornish Fences - Good Fences 44

My elder son lives in Fowey on the south coast of Cornwall in the south-west of England and I've shown fences from there before.

Mawgan Porth Beach (from a hotel window)

Much older is the view through the window of St Catherine's Castle at Fowey.

The Fowey Estuary 

The author Daphne du Maurier had a long association with the area and in 1929 wrote her first novel, 'The Loving Spirit,' in the house behind the blue fence.

Ferryside

At the right end of the house is the figurehead from the schooner Jane Slade. 

Daphne was inspired to write the book after discovering the wreck of the schooner in Pont Creek. The figurehead was added to the house at a later date.

The Slade family were shipbuilders in the nearby village of Polruan. Their life and history were used by Daphne to create the saga, in The Loving Spirit, of four generations of shipbuilders and mariners in the fictional Cornish village of Plyn.

Daphne du Maurier’s son and his wife live at Ferryside today.

For more fences call in at Good-fences-44.

Organisations' Special Events - Sunday Stamps II

I spent most of the 1980s working in Norway and that was the decade for the centenary of some of their organisations

Norway - Electricity Supply, 100 years - 1985

1981 was the International Year of the Handicapped.

Norway - 1981

There were two stamps commemorating the handicapped, the second at 2.20 Kroner. Both showed the handicapped as an equal part of society.

The Norwegian Graphic Artists Federation celebrated its centenary in 1982.

Norway - 1982

For other organisations/events just follow the links at Sunday-stamps-ii-5.

Step up to the Bar - Sepia Saturday

I couldn't find any photos that have been written on like this week's prompt.

But I have a few related to the law.

Flint Circuit Court, Michigan -2010

Ten new lawyers become members of the Michigan Bar by taking the oath before a judge.

Now relax and smile

Our daughter, Rachel, is third from the right.

Having signed in, she is now in practice as a Business Attorney.

I'm sure Rachel will correct me if I have not got the terminology right. After all she acts as an Adjunct Professor at the Thomas Cooley Law School where she teaches scholarly writing to law students as well as appearing in Michigan courtrooms.

For other legal eagles, or photos with notes, approach the bar and follow the links at Sepia-Saturday-262.

Infinite Fences - Good Fences 43

The Infinity Bridge, a footbridge over the River Tees at Stockton in the North East of England, was opened in time for the millennium. Its design is such that together with its reflection in the river, it looks like the  symbol for infinity.

The bridge itself has metal railings on either side of the walkway.

Infinity Bridge, Stockton-on- Tees

At various points the river bank has fences along its edge as you can see where the a local fire station practises with its Simon Snorkel ladder.

Fire practice ( Infinity Bridge in background)

There is no fence along the bank from where the slipway ends.

You will find more 

at Teresa's Good-fences-43.

Famous People - Sunday Stamps II

It wasn't until 1964 that someone other than the monarch appeared on stamps of Great Britain. That first person was commemorated on a set issued on his birthday - 23rd April.

Great Britain - Shakespeare Festival, Eve of Agincourt
(Henry V)

But the first person to appear who had been alive in my lifetime was - 

Sir Winston Churchill (8 July 1965)

Also in 1965 the pioneer of antiseptic surgery was honoured on the centenary of his discovery.

Great Britain - Joseph Lister.

It was 1967 before a living person appeared on a GB stamp and then you have to look hard to see him.

Sir Francis Chichester's Round the World Voyage.

Two years later it was the centenary year of one of the first foreign men that I was aware of as a boy, other than Hitler of course.

Gandhi Centenary Year.

Rather than show a Hitler stamp I'll show a German stamp.

West Germany

Our host has chosen a German stamp as well, to see this and follow the other participants please cross over to Violet at Sunday-stamps-ii-4.