By Bert Sanders (Area 15).
There are quite a few of our members, and I have no doubt are in the majority who are
retired and are now looking for things to do which they never had time to do whilst
they were working.
One of my pastimes is visiting the main Towns and Cities in the Principality on Market
Days. Not only do I find these day trips very very interesting in all aspects it gives
my Wife a chance to go off on her own and leave me to concentrate on a wonderful
array of subject matter for my camera. From character studies of the market traders to
the rugged weather beaten countenance of a hill farmer at the cattle market along with
the ever photogenic animals.
One of the difficulties I encountered was finding out when market days took place at
different Towns and Cities throught the principality. I wrote to the Wales Tourist
Board and in no time at all they sent me a pile of photocopies a half an inch thick of
all the market days and festivals throughout 1994, a mine of information without a
doubt. It is really worth doing this owing to the fact that more and more people in all
walks of life are becomeing more and more aware of their history and heritage and a lot
of festivals and local historical events and customs are being revived which more often
than not take place on Market Days. Some Towns and Cities also have their ancient
monuments and placess of historical interest which also make good subjects for the
camera.I have often advised in the past that the first port of call when visiting any
Town or City is the local Tourist Information Office and dont forget to pick up
plenty of leaflets,they make excellent title matereial for slide sequences;
incidentally you could enhance your slide sequence no end by taking a tape recorder
with you and recording all the background noise you require for your slide seqence,
especially the sounds of the cattle market, the lowing of the cattle, the bleating of
the sheep and especially the Auctioneers selling the stock. There are numerous
produce and stock markets throughout the Country which are so good that coach firms
run day trips and trips with an overnight stop,the Nottingham Goose Fair being a very
popular one. Up to now I have only managed to obtain a copy of Market Days in the
Principality of Wales which is include herewith but I shall now try and obtain copies
of Market Days throughout Britain.