Saddlery in waiting......

Sadly the little saddlery will be demolished, her roof from the front portion of the building has been lifted and I guess by the end of the following week she will be no more. This is because of the on-going earthquakes which hit Canterbury in September 2010.

She started out pre First World War, an impressive addition to the central commerical area of High Street. Her entrance facing High Street was an elaborately decorated brick and stone facade. She was known as the Rink Stables with her proprietor being John Burt. Her long building running back from the road was constructed of brick and concrete with stalls and loose boxes for about forty horses on either side of a carriage-way leading back to a cart park in the rear. Mr Burt also held horse sales in these stables.

Over the years she has changed and housed a variety of businesses including McKenzie's Machinery Service, a furniture, land agent and auction business and a stock and station agency. Now with a modernised shop frontage she was home to two businesses with a tiny door leading into the saddlery which was in the rear of the building. This small part of the building was dark inside, roasting hot on summer days and cold during the winter, it was easy to step back in time with her character and the smell of leather from the saddles which were hung from her walls.

Perhaps I'll be able to get another treasured shot of her before shes gone.  

This is a backblip - thought I was getting better but I've found myself going backwards after yesterday's remarks of feeling great, that'll teach me! Very drained - an early night for me.

Other "One Street" shots