When I saw this scene I was reminded of those arithmetic puzzles we used to be given at school.... 'If it takes two men three days to fill in a hole in the road, how many days would it take five men to fill in the same hole, starting on a Sunday?' I never could work them out. Anyway, it was a Sunday and, in theory, the infamous Saltaire roundabout was a little quieter than usual. So this gang got to work with their tarmac and brushes and a roller. I think they were probably filling in a pothole. The bad winter we've had here has left the roads in a terrible state. I am using my mum's car at the moment and I have found you really need to keep your wits about you when driving, even on the motorways, as there are some dreadfully big holes around and they don't do your car a lot of good!
In the background, you can see the pub now called The Countess of Rosse. It seems to change hands with regularity and tries to appeal to a younger crowd with live bands, quizzes and Sky Sports. Not my scene! I am far more interested in the Countess herself, Mary Rosse (1813-1885) - a Yorkshire lass who was an accomplished blacksmith, pioneering amateur astronomer and photographer. She sounds a remarkable woman. She also found time to give birth to eleven children, though only four survived to adulthood.
PS: Found a bit more about Mary Rosse here. Fascinating.
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