Four and a half years ago I found a tattered passport photo and posted it on this site, kicking off an unexpectedly long run of noticing and posting similar stuff, one item at a time. It turns out that a lot of other people do the same; there must be something about the anonymity of found items and the anonymity of most of our readers that compels us to connect the two.
Over Christmas 2004 J. and I stayed in Wimbledon, which as home to the legendary Wombles holds a special place in the hearts of found-item aficionados. Sure enough, it was there that we struck found-item gold. (Which means that we found, um, some items. Not gold.) Someone had emptied a huge pile of stuff into a skip in a quiet street, half of it overflowing onto the pavement—including dozens of sheets of blue cardboard covered in peeling rain-damaged photos.
It took a while to wash, dry, scan and sort them—more than the twenty minutes I usually devote to these things—but at last it’s done. Ladies, gentlemen and Wombles, I give you:
- The Web’s Largest Collection of Found Photos of Footcare!
- The Web’s Largest Collection of Found Photos of a Food Court!
(See, I said I’d post something interesting.)
16 October 2005
Ah, you have made me nostalgic for the days in which Ribena came in glass bottles embossed with a pattern of tiny blackcurrant leaves, and we were allowed some after tea (make sure to brush your teeth afterwards).
We did indeed buy it at the chemist's (in Portobello High Street) and in those days you could get money back on the empty glass bottles.
The "Museum of Antique Food" shot reminded me of the www.candyboots.com recipe cards... but you probably know about those already.
I love "Found". Thank you.
Added by Kirsten on 17 October 2005.
Thanks, Kirsten. Every time I do one of these I brace myself for a “too much time on your hands”, so it’s nice to get a vote of confidence.
I think I’d seen candyboots in passing, but it was worth a closer look—thanks!
Added by Rory on 17 October 2005.