Now I like the way you can still turn up rare and unseen pictures of Chorlton.
So, I was pleased when an old friend emailed me with the news
“Jennie unearthed a packet of six postcards of Chorlton in an envelope which you may or may not have seen. I suspect there will be nothing new here, but I thought I'd send you them nonetheless just in case.
I particularly like the one of Hough End Hall with the handcart".
The six are of familiar Chorlton landmarks, but I have only ever seen one of them before, and the remaining five are all taken from an unusual angle or contain little bits of detail which make them both fascinating and unique.
And Michael is right about the one of Hough End Hall, with its handcart and views out across open fields, which makes it special enough to be featured later in the week.
For now, it is the picture of Chorlton Park, with the Southern Hotel in the distance and the barn at the junction of Nell Lane and Mauldeth Road West which interest me.
The postcard was never sent, and so bears no postmark, nor is there a date on the card.
But we can at least get a rough starting date, because Chorlton Park was opened in1928, while permission to build the Southern Hotel was granted three years later.
And for those interested in such things, mighty had been the tussle to gain permission, with opposing parties commissioning rival polls of the residents, fears that it was too close to a local school, and if built it would draw people in to Chorlton for the sole purpose of drinking.*
The first poll of 1,665 people in the neighbourhood showed that only 570 were in favour of erecting the pub on the corner of Nell Lane and Mauldeth Road West. But a subsequent poll of those living on the Council estate surrounding the pub showed a majority in favour which was enough for the Committee of the Council to grant permission to build it.
All of which just leaves the mystery of the company who marketed the card.
I only had the initials R.A.P.CO Ltd, London EC4 to go on.
It wasn’t a firm I was familiar with but as you do a trawl of the internet revealed that this was the
“Rapid Art Photography (R.A.P. Co. Ltd) and were based at Chelsea Bridge, London EC4 as well as offices in Brighton, Eastborne, Bournemouth, Croydon, Dover, Folkestone, Southsea and Hastings..
R.A.P Co. Ltd and the logo ‘R A Series’ appear on many postcards, usually accompanied by a local publisher’s name”.**
And that in turn threw up a short but detailed history of R.A.P Co. Ltd, which I shan’t steal, but instead direct you to the link.***
Leaving me just to thank Jennie Brooks who found the six picture postcards, and Michael Billington who sent them across.
Location; Chorlton Park, date unknown
Pictures;
Chorlton Park, date unknown, and envelope of, R.A.P Co. Ltd, courtesy of Jenni Brooks
Next; Hough End Hall
*A New Chorlton Hotel, Manchester Guardian February 6, 1931
**Postcards Of The Past
Old Postcards & Photographs,
http://sandgrownlass.co.uk/old-postcards/postcard-publishers
***Rapid Art Photography (R. A. P.) of Brighton, Eastbourne & Hastings,
http://photohistory-sussex.co.uk/EastbneRapidArtPhotographyRAP.htm
