Abraca :

Design & copywriting for print, web & video

Then & now places

A DVD I recently produced showed old photos of Melton Mowbray, comparing views of the same scene then and now. As part of the project I created an image box which fades between the two photos. And now that I've moved back to Buxton, I'm hoping to create a similar collection showing scenes of the Peak District. To view a 'then & now' fade, simply click on any of the thumbnails. (Flash required.)

Then & now faces
The fades also work really well with faces. View some examples.
The Opera House, Buxton
Buxton's famous Opera House, photographed sometime in the early 1900s. It was a fairly run down 'flea-pit' cinema in my day. But now it hosts a wonderful programme of events, including one of the UK's most prestigious cultural festivals.
St Anne's Well, Buxton
Probably taken in the 1920s, this image will be instantly recogniseable to anyone who knows Buxton. It shows the natural spring at St Anne's Well, opposite The Crescent. Mary Queen of Scots stayed in Buxton to take the waters, but its history goes back much further - to before the Romans.
The Baths, Buxton
This early 1900s view of Buxton shows the Baths, alongside the Crescent. Note the line of invalid carriages ready to take those seeking a cure for various ailments for a drive around the town.
Spring Gardens, Buxton
This early 1900s photo is taken from the far end of Spring Gardens - near todays Spar Shop - looking towards the centre of town. Today it's a pedestrian shopping area.