FAMILY
Alice in Wonderland woven
bookmark On the
As the saying goes, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.
As any bargain-hunter or antiques enthusiast
can testify, there’s no knowing when or where you might stumble across that must-have item but there are certainly plenty of places you can look. Whether it’s spotting a collectible in the far corner of a charity shop, discovering a piece of history at the local flea market or unearthing a precious object tossed in a skip, half the fun is in the search.
A love of all things vintage led one Ecclesfield woman, Maureen Ashley, to a hoard of discoveries in a Hoyland charity shop and she’s now turning sleuth and appealing for help to find out more. It was a wintery picture of two horsemen pausing outside an old coaching inn sticking out from a box that first caught Maureen’s eye. As she delved deeper, she found a host of miscellaneous objects from bygone times, some with connections to Barnsley, Rotherham, Sheffield and the surrounding areas.
The picture turned out to be the work of 19th century Gloucester painter Samuel Edmund Waller and appealed to animal lover Maureen more because of the subject matter than the artist. Among the other items to grab her attention was a collection of old photographs and postcards, some as early as the 1800s.
Maureen acquired the intriguing collection for the sum of £50 and brought it home eager to take a closer look.
“I was so excited to go through it all,” she said. “It’s a really fascinating collection and I’ve spent
hours on Google trying to find out more about the items. Some of them just appeared as soon as I started typing and I’ve been looking through the box whenever I get chance.
“It’s so easy to get wrapped up in it all and your imagination starts to work overtime wondering who used to own or use all these things,” she added. With each new discovery, Maureen became ever more enthralled by the items and the people associated with them.
A lovingly preserved pale blue bridal veil, bedecked with flowers and with matching gloves were carefully encased in card.
‘It’s so easy to get wrapped up in it all and your imagination starts to work overtime wondering who used to own or use all these things’
A pair of cutthroat razors were found in a presentation box marked By Special Appointment and an antique penknife bears the name George Wolstenholme, part of a well-known Sheffield family of cutlers.
Selection of old books
One particularly unexpected find came when Maureen opened up a fairly plain wooden box only to uncover a typed piece of paper explaining the container had been made from wood which had originally been part of an instrument box aboard a British ship that had been sunk during World War II and had “lain at the bottom of the Atlantic for 20 years.” Fuel coupons and bags for dried eggs during rationing were also kept neatly together as if straight from a history display while a silver long-service medal, a child’s spoon pusher and story books were among the more everyday items.
The collection even included an old school project about Sheffield which is illustrated with newspaper cuttings and photographs of local landmarks including the water wheel and grinding mill at Rivelin Valley.
Veil and matching gloves
Oh what a diverse range of things people throw away.
Maureen is also working her way steadily through a selection of cards and postcards charting all aspects of life from celebrations to bereavements which were found carefully bundled together, including messages sent during wartime. Maureen has poured over each item, researched many of them online and visited a local auction house for further insight. She has also earmarked certain items for friends and family such as an Alice in Wonderland woven bookmark destined for a cousin who is mad as a March hare on the Lewis Carroll character.
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She is still busy trying to find details about the origins of the items and is more interested in the stories behind them than their monetary value. “I would just love to know anything about the history connected with these things and the families involved so it would be interesting to hear from someone who might have any ideas,” said Maureen.
Anyone who might be able to help trace the background to Maureen’s collection can email:
cheryl@aroundtownpublications.co.uk. And, if you’re inspired by Maureen’s experience, why not take a trip to your nearest charity shop, support a good cause and start a mini local history project of your own?
Ration books, air raid manual and medal
Small selection of photo’s and postcards found within the haul
Rivlyn Valley Waterwheel photo
Special Appointment Razors
George Wolstenholme Knife
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