A scanned copy of The Cartmel and Lower Holker Almanac 1917 including all pages and illustrations, in PDF file format, on a CD-rom, which is readable on any computer with a CD drive and Adobe Reader software (free download from www.adobe.com). 103 pages in total.
The Cartmel and Lower Holker Almanac 1917 contains a wealth of information about the villages, with details of places of worship, lists of magistrates, county council officers, urban district and parish councillors, guardians of the poor, the Cartmel lighting committee, details of schools and educational establishments, the Cartmel Hunt, the agricultural and horticultural societies, the cricket club, the sports committee, local fire brigades, the orchestra and choral societies, a list of literary and philanthropic societies' committee members, sick clubs and benefit societies.
The almanac also includes a raft of information about the year 1917: moon phases, planting and gardening info, foods in season, and notes on the weather and other unusual events, with a review of the period Nov 1915 - Dec 1916, by Titiotorris. Data includes the number of deaths in the parishes, the tonnage of seafood landed, prices of hay and straw, agricultural returns and stock.
Articles included cover Wm. Penn, the Furness and South Cumberland Permanent Benefit Building Society, War and Food Prices, War Economy & Drink, Thomas Wright (stained glass artist), German Agriculture, Peace & War, and more.
Humorous and informative snippets abound, including a tale of King Alfonso (of Spain) and his candy, the Duke of Norfolk being paid tuppence to help push a cart uphill, the wonders of the body, trees which grow on the tops of trees, uses for waste materials, and the discovery of glycerine.
Black and white photos of the following are appended:
James Clarkson, Esq., Barrow
John Coward, Esq., Ulverston
The late William Gradwell, Esq.
The late William Park, Esq., Barrow
The late Benjamin Townson, Esq.
Mr Henry Percy Poole
Miss Ethel Mary Horne
Miss Margaret Elizabeth Levens
The late John Poole, Esq.
F.W. Poole, Esq.
Henry Inglis Orr
W.R. Nash, J.P.
Private Wm. Hutton
Mrs G. Teasdale
The late William Nash
Miss P. Nash
Miss Dora Horne
The late Miss Eliza R. Nash
W.R. Nash, 50 years ago
The late Mrs M.J. Nash
Private Francis Carter Hodgson
Private Henry R. Atkinson
Private John Pearson
Private James Townson
Private Christopher Young
Private William McGuire
Private Frank Webster
Private John Langstreth
Gunner Clement Mossop
The Cartmel and Lower Holker Almanac 1917 is a fascinating book, produced in the middle of the first world war, and gives an insight into life on the Cartmel peninsula during 1916 - 1917. The black and white photos illustrate business men and their families, and some soldiers in uniform. The data section includes a large number of names, places and activities, so if your ancestor came from the Cartmel area you will surely find this of interest, as will local historians and genealogists wanting to get a feel for life in the rural north during World War I.
The book has been scanned locally from an original copy and the CDs are produced in Cumbria. CD will be shipped in a protective padded envelope. The original book has staple holes and tatty edges to the pages, and the wartime paper has discoloured in places, so all this shows up on the scanned images, but the text is completely readable.
Some scans from the CD may be seen in the gallery here: GALLERY
The Cartmel and Lower Holker Almanac 1917 is now available on eBay, price £5 plus £2.50 UK postage: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130671778647.
