Monday, March 23, 2020

probably the only footage of an icebreaker, a bicycle, and a motorcycle there will ever be! (Thanks Steve!)

ship built by Armstrongs in Wallsend (prob near Stings house) Newcastle.

Armstrongs 'house':

Cragside, the hydroelectricity dream home of Lord and Lady Armstrong – a Victorian house that was light-years ahead of its time. The Lord and Lady Armstrong used their wealth, art and science in an ingenious way.

What began as a modest country retreat quickly became one of the most technologically advanced homes of the Victorian age with Turkish baths and state-of-the-art central heating.

And the mansion has a six mile circular route called Estate Drive all round the mansion so you can enjoy the grounds from any of 9 parking spots along the way, and access the 30 miles of footpaths and lakeside walks.

In fact, its 140-year-old Scots pine tree has been verified as Britain’s tallest tree – measuring 131ft


Lord Armstrong was also a landscape gardener. He laid out 5 lakes on the Cragside estate, and planted over 7,000,000 new trees and shrubs throughout the estate. One of the unexpected side benefits of all those trees is that the endangered British red squirrel has settled in the Cragside woodland.

He even installed a 56 foot long Archimedes screw


There weren't many wealthy Victorian philanthropists, but this was one

and they were wealthy enough to be Victorian collectors, like seashells:




Armstrong even built battleships, and pivoting bridges, and here's an image that shows BOTH of those


thanks to Steve! (Steph23555) whose last name I can never recall.

The postcard is from a photograph in the Visitor Centre Vickers Rooms Cafe at Lord Armstrong's former home at Cragside

and the Armstrong Whitworth Engineering Company also made vans and cars, following the lack of artillery orders after the Boer War.

(thanks Steve!)








https://www.flickr.com/photos/bolckow/6191657702

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cragside/features/the-house-at-cragside
https://www.newgirlintoon.co.uk/2019/05/rhododendrons-national-trust-cragside.html
https://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=258
https://classiccars.com/listings/view/1027820/1911-armstrong-whitworth-b3-for-sale-in-carlton-vic-3053

3 comments:

  1. that's really cool!

    Can you imagine that happening today? Bikes, motorcycles, people, KIDS, all running around feet away from a big ship! Not in the nanny state we live.

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  2. JESUS CHRIST! Kids had no fear of anything back then. "Yup, let's just play chicken with the prow of this icebreaker. We won't get hurt. J "H" C! Even the adults are stupid.

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  3. Love it! It was a very different time!

    ReplyDelete