Welcome to the October 2021 edition of our ‘virtual finds table’ where we have a roundup of all the fabulous new items which have been acquired by the archive.

Don’t forget – you can see all of these fine examples of advertising and periodicals at our open evening on Monday 11th October from 7 pm-9 pm.

The Architects’ and Builders’ Compendium

We are lucky enough to find a rare copy of their fifty-fifth-anniversary edition from 1941.

Bricks

Bricks, collected on a walk near Wincle, Macclesfield

VITROS

The North Staffordshire Brick & Tile Co. Ltd. had extensive works at Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs.

VITROS seems to have been a trade brand that the the company used for a number of its products.

ARMITAGE

George Armitage & Sons Ltd., Robin Hood, Lofthouse, Wakefield. The history of the company has been traced back to 1824 when stonemason John Armitage joined fellow masons to work a quarry at Robin Hood.

In 1864 one of his sons established the firm of George Armitage and Sons, also at Robin Hood, and expanded into brick-making by exploiting the blue shale or marl which was found along with the sandstone. The Company expanded to open several brickmaking sites around the Leeds and Wakefield area including Woodlesford, Lofthouse, Morley & Swillington.

In 1988 the brickmaking business was sold to Marshalls of Halifax and from them, it passed to the Hanson Group. Bricks impressed with the “Armitage” name may have come from any of their works.

To read more about the fascinating and often overlooked history of bricks please visit the Old Bricks blog by Dave Sallery https://www.brocross.com/Bricks/Penmorfa/index.htm

COOK’S WEEKLY

103 of the first 118 issues. First published 10 Nov 1984

Golden Book

4 copies of Golden Book, American magazines from the 1920s.

Note the remarkably modern layout of the front cover. This features advanced, creative techniques in the print setting of the cover designs.

Haynes Motor Museum donation

Graham Skillen is a great supporter of the archive and is a volunteer at the Haynes Motor Museum.

Through his connections there Graham has been able to obtain us their duplicate copies of MOTOR magazine. The first instalment of these has just arrived and we look forward to adding them to our collection.

Motorcycle magazines

Donated by Max Smeed of MAX SMEED MOTORCYCLE RESTORATIONS.

Max’s workshop is very near to us and he often pops in for a coffee and peruses the collection. These magazines came from a neighbour of his and comprise about 400 copies of Motor Cycling and Motor Cycle from the 1940s and early 1950s.

Pictures of...

Pictures of 1910 (Pictures from the Royal Academy. This is in addition to the 2 others we acquired recently.)