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Just received this lovely book yesterday, I bought it from Amazon it is secondhand but in excellent condition. It is by Fred Wilde and on every page is a copy of his paintings from memory of things that he remembers from the 1920/30s, on the opposite pages he has set down his memories to accompany the pictures. I paid £7-95 for this hardback book and I have got a real bargain, I love it, just for the pictures alone, the text in parts is quite amusing it made me laugh on a couple of occasions as I was visulising what he was describing. I would recommend this book.

The clatter of clogs in the early morning.
Fred Wilde's vivid, naive paintings recreate scenes of his childhood and youth in Lancashire in the 'twenties and early 'thirties. He grew up in the distinctive, closely-knit community of workers in the cotton mills, in an atmosphere of neighbourliness and self help, where entertainments were largely home-made, where the cat's-whisker wireless was new-fangled, hardly anyone owned a motor car, a visit to 'the pictures' was a highlight, and many of hs neighbours had never seen the sea. He presents this now remote world not only in pictures painted with total recall, but also in commentaries written with humanity and gentle humour.
Fred Wilde's paintings have been compared with those of his fellow-Lancastrian, L. S. Lowry, but an art critic recently pointed out that whereas Lowry painted people 'who suffered their environment Fred Wilde's folk enjoyed theirs'. Yet this heartwarming book is no exercise in starry-eyed nostalgia; it is a document of social history, recording a unique way of life that no longer survives.


This book was published in 1982


Stephanie.

Sue mentioned this not long ago.

Have just placed my order through 'Abebooks'. £5 inc. p&p. They have several copies of this book listed, all in varying conditions, also a signed coy (or did I see 2 signed copies?)

I'm going to return home to loads of goodies

_________________
Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!

The Forward in this book is written by Edward Woodward, he and his wife Michelle Dotrice own three of his paintings.


Stephanie.

I've received my copy. Lovely book.
It was only when I read it that I realised who Edward Woodward is!

_________________
Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!