The silly bits of Chorlton’s history

Now I never turn down an invitation to talk about our past.

The story, 1904

And yesterday was one such invitation, which was part of Chorlton Book Festival which closes today with Superhero You!

In all there were 15 events ranging from the literary to the historic, with plenty of practical activities and of course the Manchester Poets and the ever popular Pub Quiz at the Beech Inn.

And having started the Festival with a walk around Chorlton’s past we were back at the end with a mix of silly objects, more than a few stories of how we used to live and because it was the Book Festival there was a session on 

“When Art met History and became a book”.

The Earth Rod

It was a change to the advertised event and pretty much took up the afternoon with a break for tea, coffee, cake and biscuits.

In the two hours we explored the joys of darning socks, remembering old 78 rpm’s, while extolling the merits of the iconic Nokia 3310, and puzzled over a 45 cm brass bar which in the 1920s was used as an earth rod to aid the reception of an old wireless.

And finishing off with a genuine Viking oyster shell.

Followed by a romp through the Chorlton of 1904 and the story of how art and history combined with modern technology turned my friendship with Peter Topping into six books, which may seem outrageous self promotion ..... which it was.

All of which just leaves me to thank Beverley Smith and her colleagues at the Library, who have made the Book Festival such a success, and to thank Kay Luxon and Peter who recorded the event in pictures and to the 40 or so members of the Grand Day Out group who turned up on a cold dismal November afternoon.

The audience

And for any one wondering about the silly objects, the Viking oyster shell came from the Jorvick excavations in the 1970s. 

The 3310 was my trusty phone for years, a mobile, which you could drop, and it just bounced, had a battery which didn’t run out in half an hour and played snake.

The silly objects

While the earth rod was one of 60 found in my Dad’s shed in south east London which had been made by Frederick Smith at the Anaconda Works in Salford.

Location; Chorlton

Pictures, the event, 2018 courtesy of Peter Topping, & Kay Luxon and from the collection of Andrew Simpson

* Superhero You!..... for all “incredible families to come along to Superhero craft day at Chorlton Library between 11am-4.30”, part of Chorlton Book Festival, www.chorltonbookfestival.co.uk

When history met art and became a book ....... and then a “happening”

If you recognise the term “happening”, then you will be have had your teen age years during the 1960s, when along with the Beatles, Pop Culture and Woodstock there were “happenings”.

Bernard "warms up" the audience

These, for those not in the know, were instant pop up events, where art, music and politics collided.

And a full half century on, those who might have gone to a “happening” were with us yesterday in the great hall of St Ninian's, courtesy of Chorlton Good Neighbours who had invited me and Peter to talk about the book The Quirks of Chorlton-cum-Hardy and pretty much anything else that took our fancy.*

So 60 Good Neighbours heard us talk about a collaboration which has now produced five books, that 80 meter installation, and exhibitions and history displays which are all over Chorlton.

Modesty prevents us from showing pictures of the two of us in full flow, although in truth that has more to do with the simple fact that we couldn’t take our own pictures while performing in front of the audience.

But I know that Bernard and Helen were taking pictures, so in the fullness of time I am sure we will be posted across social media.

In expectation of the "happening" to start

For now I shall just say that it was a grand afternoon, and according to the organizers the attendance was the best ever.

So, that just leaves me to thank Chorlton Good Neighbours* on behalf of Peter and me, and say we happily accept their invitation to return later in the year for another talk.

Not that this is the last the world and Chorlton will hear from us, because at the end of the month we are invited to talk to the residents of Chorltonville and starting next month, in collaboration with Chorlton Voice (Chorlton Civic Society), we shall be hosting a series of history walks.  The walks will feature some of the more quirky bits of Chorlton’s history and will be fun as well as free.

The programme will be published in the blog and on social media, as well as in shops, pubs and bars across the township.

And because all such events as well as “happenings” need a prize to finish with, the question for walk one is who said “the World has not heard the last of .. ......"?  Two words, a film, the 1960s

Pictures; in the great hall of St Ninian’s, 2018, from the collection of Peter Topping

*The Quirks of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Andrew Simpson & Peter Topping, 2017. Available from us at http://www.pubbooks.co.uk/ or Chorlton Book shop, 506 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9AW. Tel:0161 881 6374

**Chorlton Good Neighbours, https://chorltongoodneighbours.org/