Now the tank in question was one of those porcelain souvenir ones which were made and sold in huge quantities during the Great War.
It made perfect sense for the ceramic industry to switch from porcelain models of Blackpool Tower and Ann Hathaway’s cottage to war time themes.
The actual figures were pretty standard but wither it was a tank, or an ambulance, or even a battleship they could be marketed in towns and cities across the country with just the addition of a transfer coat of arms.
And that is where Mr Harrop comes into the story because he has quite a collection of tanks and ships carrying the badges of Manchester, Liverpool Southport and here Oldham.
Not that he is a stranger to Oldham.
It is a town he visits regularly taking the tram which now runs on the Second City Crossing east from Didsbury to Oldham.
I could at this point fall back on stories of his adventures in the town but am content with mentioning the exhibition he mounted of a few years ago featuring some of his collection of memorabilia from the Great War.
And will close with another outrageous plug for the book Manchester Remembering 1914-18 which amongst the many objects included in the story are another tank and battleship both bearing the coat of arms of Manchester.
Location; Oldham and Manchester
Pictures; Mr Harrop's superior porcelain souvenir tank, circra 1917-18, and the tram that takes him to Oldham, 2017 from thecollection of Andrew Simpson
Manchester Remembering 1914-18 by Andrew Simpson was published by the History Press in February 2017
Order now from the author, or the History Press, http://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/great-war-britain-manchester-remembering-1914-18/9780750978965/ and Chorlton Book Shop, info@chorltonbookshop.co.uk 0161 881 6374
*A new book on Manchester and the Great War, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/A%20new%20book%20on%20Manchester%20and%20the%20Great%20War
The actual figures were pretty standard but wither it was a tank, or an ambulance, or even a battleship they could be marketed in towns and cities across the country with just the addition of a transfer coat of arms.
And that is where Mr Harrop comes into the story because he has quite a collection of tanks and ships carrying the badges of Manchester, Liverpool Southport and here Oldham.
It is a town he visits regularly taking the tram which now runs on the Second City Crossing east from Didsbury to Oldham.
I could at this point fall back on stories of his adventures in the town but am content with mentioning the exhibition he mounted of a few years ago featuring some of his collection of memorabilia from the Great War.
And will close with another outrageous plug for the book Manchester Remembering 1914-18 which amongst the many objects included in the story are another tank and battleship both bearing the coat of arms of Manchester.
Pictures; Mr Harrop's superior porcelain souvenir tank, circra 1917-18, and the tram that takes him to Oldham, 2017 from thecollection of Andrew Simpson
Manchester Remembering 1914-18 by Andrew Simpson was published by the History Press in February 2017
Order now from the author, or the History Press, http://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/great-war-britain-manchester-remembering-1914-18/9780750978965/ and Chorlton Book Shop, info@chorltonbookshop.co.uk 0161 881 6374
*A new book on Manchester and the Great War, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/A%20new%20book%20on%20Manchester%20and%20the%20Great%20War
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