Old chimney pot

This old chimney pot is now located in our garden in Christchurch, New Zealand. Originally it came from the north of England. My brother, John Syrett, was an active rock climber in the 1970's, as well as having a strong collector's interest in things old. He acquired a number of old chimney pots from derelict houses in abandoned areas around Leeds, where he was at university. He and a friend used their climbing skills to scale the roofs and remove the pots. I have one or two faded photos showing John in action. This chimney pot spent a number of years in my parents' garden in the south of England, came with them to a new home in Butler Street, Opawa in 1987, then to our place when my mother moved to a retirement home earlier this year.

My parents had fitted a sundial into the chimney pot, but I intend to repatriate this to the northern hemisphere one day, as it doesn't, of course, work properly here.