The group of thirteen met in the loft at Mark’s Victorian former fishing warehouse on the headland between Yarmouth’s harbour and the beach. The area appears disused, derelict and lacking a sense of community but this hides the very vibrant history which in many ways remains just below the surface. Mark himself is dedicated to ensuring this history is not lost, being an expert on the nineteenth century photographer Peter Henry Emerson, and having lived and worked in the area for a long time. Mark enthusiastically revealed his knowledge and commitment to the area. Whilst he was talking to us, we had a reminder of the industrial life that is still very present because right next to Mark’s warehouse is a metal galvanising plant from which there was a constant rumble as a fork lift truck moved metal stock from yard to lorry/lorry to yard.
After we’d heard from Mark about his own work and that of P. H. Emerson and viewed some of his photographs, we all went into the streets around Mark’s building with our cameras to capture some of the industrial beauty that is definitely still there. We viewed over the river Yare towards Gorleston to a view Mark pointed out had been photographed over a hundred years before by P. H. Emerson. As it turned out, we were not alone walking these streets because the very next day images began to appear exactly where we’d walked which, it was later revealed, were the work of Banksy.
We spent about an hour walking between the former industrial and fishing area around the harbour at the river Yare across to the huge Nelson’s monument, known as the Britannia memorial (it is Britannia not Nelson standing on top) towards the pleasure beach and most recent buildings created for entertaining tourists. We returned to Mark’s building for a review of our findings, a further look at Mark’s wonderful photographs taken in the area we’d walked and welcome refreshments.
Some of the participants have sent us their chosen best photographs which are shown here.
Ann Follows
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- Philip Williams
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- Mark’s building, Ann Follows
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- Mark’s loft, Ann Follows
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- Mark Cator, Ann Follows
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- Rach Buck – taken on the Mark Cator walk in Gt Yarmouth
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- Deborah Holmes
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- Philip Williams
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- Philip Williams
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- Philip Williams
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- Ann Follows
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- Tracey Jones
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- Ricking the Reed, the River Blyth at Blackshore, Emerson