LEEK & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

NOTICES for this month were to remind members to sign up for next month’s Christmas dinner at the Foxlowe. And also to invite them to bring along stories or things of historical interest to the Member’s evening on January 14.

On Member’s Evening in 2017 David Cliffe gave us a fleeting, but tantalising taste of the early 20th century photographs and postcards of WH Nithsdale.

He has now compiled these and more into a fascinating book on Nithsdale’s work which is available in Picture Book in time for Christmas.

Moving on to the main topic for the evening we were introduced to Alan & Judy Weeks from Swythamley, who proceeded to take us on a whirlwind tour through the life of Henry Courtney Brocklehurst, younger brother of Sir Philip.

Their research has been some years in the compiling but was much aided by the fortuitous find on ebay of 1,200 negatives taken by Courtney in the early years of the 20th century.

After spending the last two years developing them into prints there was the basis of a film show and hopefully, later a book.

See a future edition of our Bygones section for a full account of Henry’s life.

The next meeting will be the annual Christmas Dinner at the Foxlowe. Contact Viv Dixon or Joan Bennett to book your place if you haven’t already done so.

The January 14 meeting is our customary ‘Members evening’; again please contact Joan to let her know if you have something of historical interest that you would like to share with us.

That’s all for 2018, except to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.