Like all good stories, it started with a discovery and a conversation.
The discovery was a hoard of treasures stored carefully in Peter’s attic for over 30 years and brought out into the daylight last week.
Those treasures ranged from an old cigarette packet, and tea carton dating from the 1930s, through to a selection of electronic consuls, and games from three decades ago, and in between were dozens of military cap badges, bottle openers and badges.
Having found them and knowing I would be interested, Peter sent over some pictures of the hoard, and from there we had the conversation, which roamed over the excitement of rediscovering the bits in the attic, to just what they said about how we lived.
And as they do the blog stories followed, which in turn inspired friends to offer up their treasures, which then led to more blogs, and by degree to the book, which we have called The Lost Stories of Chorlton-cum-Hardy In Our Attics, Cellars, Garages and Sheds.
It is as they say a work in progress, which at present has clocked up some wonderful items, all of which with a bit of research and memories from the owners, has taken me to the Great War, a textile factory outside Hebden Bridge, and an unforgettable night in a Yates Wine Lodge in Preston.
But this is just the start, because out of that conversation came a parallel one where we discussed just how to involve groups of people coming together with their attic finds and sharing the stories behind each one.
And here we have been joined by Jolene Sheehan, whose very successful community writing project culminated in the recently published book, The Stories of Our Lives.*
Just how this exciting part of the project develops is still in the planning stage, but it holds the promise of being fun, and rewarding.
So that is it, ………. just leaving me to make the appeal for more treasures, from your attics, cellars, garages and sheds.
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Location; Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Pictures; cover of The Lost Stories of Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Our Attics, Cellars, Garages and Sheds, featuring Linda Rigby's box of treasures, and selection of attic hoards from Peter and me.
* The Stories of Our Lives was a community writing project in Chorlton cum-Hardy which involved 50 local people coming together over four Saturdays in August to share their memories, which in turn were transcribed by a group of volunteers and became the book.
Those treasures ranged from an old cigarette packet, and tea carton dating from the 1930s, through to a selection of electronic consuls, and games from three decades ago, and in between were dozens of military cap badges, bottle openers and badges.
Having found them and knowing I would be interested, Peter sent over some pictures of the hoard, and from there we had the conversation, which roamed over the excitement of rediscovering the bits in the attic, to just what they said about how we lived.
And as they do the blog stories followed, which in turn inspired friends to offer up their treasures, which then led to more blogs, and by degree to the book, which we have called The Lost Stories of Chorlton-cum-Hardy In Our Attics, Cellars, Garages and Sheds.
It is as they say a work in progress, which at present has clocked up some wonderful items, all of which with a bit of research and memories from the owners, has taken me to the Great War, a textile factory outside Hebden Bridge, and an unforgettable night in a Yates Wine Lodge in Preston.
And here we have been joined by Jolene Sheehan, whose very successful community writing project culminated in the recently published book, The Stories of Our Lives.*
Just how this exciting part of the project develops is still in the planning stage, but it holds the promise of being fun, and rewarding.
So that is it, ………. just leaving me to make the appeal for more treasures, from your attics, cellars, garages and sheds.
Location; Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Pictures; cover of The Lost Stories of Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Our Attics, Cellars, Garages and Sheds, featuring Linda Rigby's box of treasures, and selection of attic hoards from Peter and me.
* The Stories of Our Lives was a community writing project in Chorlton cum-Hardy which involved 50 local people coming together over four Saturdays in August to share their memories, which in turn were transcribed by a group of volunteers and became the book.
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