Wednesday 26 October 2022

Tomorrow in Urmston ........ Mr Billington presents ........

 Now long before text messages Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, there was the picture postcard.

For a small price our great grandparents, could write home to family and friends reporting on a holiday, passing on birthday wishes or just arranging to meet up.

And because they included a picture on the front the cards have become the stock of local historians to illustrate “how we lived”

All of which brings me to the new book, “Urmston, Flixton and Davyhulme: A Postcard Heritage”, by Michael Billington.

The press release says“The Golden Age of postcard collecting, known as deltiology, was between the years 1902 and 1914, an era when collecting became hugely popular.

With regular and efficient collections and deliveries it was common to see messages such as “See you at 2pm this afternoon”; the text message of yesteryear? 

Also “Here's another for your collection” and “one more for your album”.

This book looks at the development of the publication of postcards in the Urmston, Flixton and Davyhulme area. E. Mather of Flixton Post Office and J. Wride, who had a stationer's in Urmston, photographed the streets of the area as well as landmarks such as the pubs, churches, grand houses, parks, hospitals, railways, cenotaphs, canals and bridges.

"A Byeway, Flixton", date unknown

All are here in this book contrasted with more recent photographs taken by the author.

Michael Billington is an Urmstonian and this is his third book about the area”.

The official launch will be on Thursday October 27th at  7.30pm in Urmston Library and will be il-lustrated by a powerpoint presentation by Mike featuring highlights of the book.

Mike adds, “the guest of honour, who will say a few words, will be Joanne Harding, Labour councillor with responsibility for culture, leisure and strategic partnerships in the Urmston Ward. She also has responsibility for Trafford Poverty Strategy and Domestic Abuse.”

"You may expect me tomorrow", 1910

Free glass of wine and admission free but booking required at the Eventbrite link below.

Urmston, Flixton and Davyhulme: A Postcard Heritage Tickets, Thu, Oct 27, 2022 at 7:30 PM | Eventbrite

And that is it.



Location; Urmston, Flixton, Davyhulme

Pictures; from the collection of Michael Billington

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