Sharing a day at the Lloyds ….. with friends … some silly history …. a bit more

I have always maintained and maintained most strongly that you should always have some fun when launching a new book.

Books and a guest writer, 2023

My first one was in the Horse and Jockey and was accompanied by a folk group.

And since partnering up with Peter Topping, we have celebrated the launch of our books in local libraries, Ken Foster’s Cycle shop, an art gallery and a few times by the Narnia lamp post on Chorlton Green.

Reading the book, 2023

More recently we have been the guests of the Lloyds Hotel which has given us the large side room in full view of the rest of the pub.

Over the years we have invited a host of local singers and writers to perform at our events. 

They have included the artist and folk singer Susan Parry, the poet Melanie Neades and this time the writer Stephen Smythe.

It may seem odd that during the promotion of our own book we should want to share the moment with others, but that is part of the fun.

And there was fun this Easter Monday when the writer Stephen Smythe joined us.  He was born and grew up in Hulme and still lives locally.  

Stephen Smythe sharing hist stories, 2023

He came late to writing and is a master of the 40-word story which presents his take on life, often drawing on his own experience of family and work, and invariably concludes with a funny punch line.

One of my favourites revolves around a work mate who long ago acquired a nick name.

These have always fascinated me, like the day a school friend called Peter Driver, fell into the swimming pool fully dressed and was was for ever known as “Dribble”.

Lindy shares a moment with Stephen, 2023

And like the “Dribble" nick names arise out of a particular moment which then stick.  

They can be witty, sometimes a little cruel but always a clever observation on the character of the individual.

Stephen’s story was no exception and I can see why he has won awards in writing competitions and been invited to festivals.

He was warmly received at the launch, which leaves me just to mention our own book which is the fourth in the series of “nothing to do in chorlton”, and is entitled, The Lych Gate and Grave Situations Beyond

Like all our books it tells “the stories behind the doors”, concentrating less on the great and the good but exploring the lives of the “little people” who at best history has forgotten but mostly never even bothered to notice.

Friends and interested readers, 2023

People like Mary Crowther who was the last woman in Chorlton to do penance in St Clement’s Church, Samuel and Sarah Nixon who ran a beer shop on Beech Road for half a century and the unknown mother and child whose bodies were found underneath a side aisle of the church.

That said we do also acknowledge the important role of Thomas Walker who despite being an important Establishment figure in Manchester during the late 18th century campaigned for the abolition of the slave trade and was indicted for sedition for supporting the values of the French Revolution. 

He lived at Barlow Hall and was buried in the graveyard.  And for me what makes this collection of stories the most important to date is that it is linked to efforts to restore the parish graveyard, along with the Lych Gate which are in need of some tender care and attention.

At the Lloyds with the book launch, 2023

But all of that and more is in the book which is available from us at  www.pubbooks.co.uk  as well as Chorlton Bookshop.

Location; The Lloyds Hotel, Chorlton

Pictures; Easter Monday at the Lloyds celebrating the launch of The Lych Gate and Grave Situations Beyond, by Andrew Simpson and Peter Topping, 2023, from the collection of Andrew Simpson