When a picture postcard doesn’t reveal a story ………

I doubt I will ever discover much about J Heath who inhabited 50 Port Street sometime in the closing stages of the Great War.

Tank in a street, undated

So far, I have only this picture postcard to go on which shows a tank on what might be a Manchester street with a reference to J Heath. 

It is undated and a brief sweep of the media for the period offers up no clues, but if it is Manchester it may have been in conjunction with Tank Bank which was a scheme to raise money for the war effort, and which involved a tank, lots of publicity, and expectation that heaps of money would be raised.

The Tank Bank came to Manchester in December 1917, and in just two days raised £870,444 which the Manchester Guardian proudly declared was more than Liverpool or Sheffield had raised.*

Either way it appears to be a “tank picture” marketed by J Heath, who may have been John Edward Heath who is listed as a printer in 1911 at 27 Newport Street in Rusholme.

But in 1911 the property in Port Street is occupied by a Frederick Armytage who was a confectioner.

All of which leaves me to say it is all still out there to uncover.

Port Street, 1985

Both 27 Newport Street and 50 Port Street still exist and in the case of Port Street has undergone a bit of careful restoration.

I can’t find the pictures I took a few years ago so have fallen back on this one from 1985.

Last year it was a hairdresser’s and 37 years ago was trading as the Salford Sewing Machine Centre, and I bet has been many other things.

Of course the tank might not even be on a Manchester street, and J Heath might have only marketed the card.

But happily someone will know.

And just a few hours after the story went live I had this interesting, informative and thoughtful contribution from Tankmanc,

"Hi. I've been directed to this article by a friend. I'm a) a Mancunian and b) if I might say so, a minor authority on vehicles, armoured or otherwise, of the Great War. 

You might care to have a look at our website. Anyhow, about your postcard. J Heath will be the printer/publisher. I am not certain that the tank is a Tank Bank. 

For a number of reasons, I think it could be a Presentation Tank, one of many that were presented to towns, cities, even villages, around the country as sort of war trophies. From memory there was one at Platt Fields, one at Milnrow, one at Crompton, and several more in Greater Manchester. Unfortunately, there is no number visible on this tank, or we'd be able to place it . 

The background, though, is interesting. There appears to be 4 or more fluted stone columns and part of a building. Putting 2 & 2 together: this could be the colonnade from the old Manchester Town Hall, which in 1912 was moved from King St to Heaton Park. It's still there. Have a google. You'll see what I mean. If that's the case, 

I would say this is not the Tank Bank but a Presentation Tank. What's equally intriguing is why the soldier on the right appears to be hand drawn and superimposed. History repeating itself. I could be wrong, but I'll put this before one or two people who are even better informed than I."

Location; Manchester

Pictures; Tank in a street, undated, from the collection of David Harrop, and 50 Port Street, 1985, M. Luft, 1985, m04948, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass

*The Tanks Second Try, Manchester Guardian, December 19th, 1917