Some old photos. Living with dangerous neighbours.

Well, the promised snow has been and gone, leaving just a trace of whiteness on the hills around here. Today is just rather cold and damp. 

I came across these photos of people attending the opening of the free public library in Ramsden Square in Barrow-in-Furness in 1922:

and of a march of unemployed men in Duke St, Barrow, setting off for London, also in 1922:

What strikes me is how formally everyone is dressed, and above all, how many flat caps and smart hats there are. Even the women wear hats or scarves. There are remarkably few women in these two pictures though. It would be completely different if such a crowd gathered today.

The photos come from a collection of photos taken from 1885 to the 1970s by the Barrow-in-Furness-based father and son Edward and Raymond Sankey. Here’s a link to more of their work. 

In Italy, animal rights groups are decrying the killing of a brown bear by forestry police in Trentino following orders from the president of the mountainous northern Italian province. The poor bear didn’t even have a name. He was just M90 and was deemed to be a “danger to public security” after he was alleged to have intentionally followed people on three occasions, most recently a couple of hikers who were walking along a mountain path 1,400 metres above the town of Ortisé in the Val di Sole. How do they know he “intentionally followed people”? Was he questioned? 

Presumably these brown bears are intelligent enough to work out that hikers usually have picnics - shades of Yogi Bear! But M90 had apparently done no more damage than breaking a fence and rummaging in bins. But bears have been seen close to residential areas - again probably seeing bins as a potential source of food. People get anxious in such circumstances. 

Ironically, bears were brought to Trentino from Slovenia in the early 2000s as part of a project aimed at reversing the area’s dwindling brown bear population. There are now about 100 bears in the province. Personally I’m always a little sceptical when groups start agitating for the fiercer wild animals, such as wolves, to be introduced (re-introduced) to parts of the UK. And I don’t think I’d choose to live close to a forest where large bears abound.  But those who choose to live there need to find a way to cohabit with their possibly dangerous neighbours. 

The same applies to people everywhere, of course. 

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!