[ J. Cuming Walters, editor of the Manchester City News. ] Correspondence (17 TLsS; 53 ALsS; 2 ACsS) from 63 individuals (mainly Lancastrians), regarding Walters' 'The Charm of Lancashire' and 'The Romance of Cheshire'.

Author: 
J. Cuming Walters [ John Cuming Walters ] (1863-1933), editor of the Manchester City News [ Lancashire; Cheshire ]
Publication details: 
Most letters from Manchester, and other places in Lancashire. A few from London, Bristol, Leeds, Northampton. 67 items from 1929 and 1930; and one apiece from 1924, 1931 and 1932.
£500.00
SKU: 20197

The 72 items (17 TLsS; 53 ALsS; 2 ACsS) are in good overall condition; with only three items exhibiting slight damage. In buff card folder with note in pencil on cover: 'LETTERS ON JCW's “The Charm of Cheshire [sic]”, “The Charm of Lancashire” etc'. By far the larger part of the correspondence concerns Walters' 'The Charm of Lancashire' (London: A. & C. Black, 1929) rather than his 'Romantic Cheshire' (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1930). There are two anomalies: a 1924 letter from F. W. D. Mottershead regarding a talk by Walters for 'the B.B.C. in Manchester', and a 1932 letter from Walter Browett regarding Walters' companion volume 'The Spell of Yorkshire'. There are a number of communications from those involved in the production of the volumes, but the majority of the 65 correspondents write with praise and appreciation, to provide further information, or to correct errors. Walters' book on Lancashire is seen by several as a landmark work in the appreciation of the county. Walters had discussed the contents of the book on BBC radio before its publication, eliciting the following response from Rev. Samuel Sidebotham, Rector of Ribchester, on 8 July 1929: 'I “listened in” on Saturday & greatly enjoyed your descriptive talk on “Unknown Lancashire”. […] Such a talk must create interest & I trust that one result of your efforts will be that Lancashire will become well known. Your work is timely, for misconception of Lancashire has had too long a place in the hearts of our people. […] I overheard some working men favourably referring to “a most interesting talk they heard on the wireless on Saturday on Unknown Lancashire.” | I am eagerly looking forward to the time when your book will be published, & this County, hitherto so little known as touching its beauties will have a chance of coming into its own.' On receiving a copy of the book, 5 November 1929, Sidebotham writes: 'I shall treasure the Charm of Lancashire for many reasons not only because of the personal connection between the Writer & myself, but for the work itslef. You have made Lancashire with its beauty spots & ancient places live as never before. A fresh value will be put upon this County & above the tall Mill Chimneys & Coal Pit Shafts there has arisen a hidden grandeur more majestic & sublime than the average man nor woman has ever realised. | I have only read “Where the Norman trod” & all along I felt like a child being led by the hand of a wonderful storyteller who opened out treasures from the dim unknown to the known.' Another cleric, Rev. T. C. Porteus of St John's Vicarage, Coppull, Chorley, wrote with similar admiration on the book's publication: 'It is not given to many to express, as you have done, a glamour which we feel; but find that it is not easy to embody in words.' Another correspondent, Arthur Williams of Stockport, writes: 'It has occurred to me that someone ought to write a book (if they could do justice to it) and entitle it | “The Versatility and Charm of Cuming Walters'. The correspondents are: H. W. Archer, editor Manchester Evening News (two letters, in one of which he writes 'I suggest that you must be the only author in the Charm series whose name appears on an Inn Sign in one of the illustrations'); P. W. Atkin of the Town Hall, Salford; Captain W. C. Bacon, on letterhead of Ship Canal House, King Street, Manchester; Louis Beale, General Manager, The Travel Association of Great Britain and Ireland, London; John Beckett of Fallowfield; F. E. Bradley of St Annes-on-the-Sea; Edith Bradshaw of Southport; S. Britten of Chapel-en-le-Frith; A. Brookfield (card from Queen's Hotel, Manchester); Henry Bromert of West Didsbury; his wife Gertrude Bromert; Walter Browett of Coventry (TLS from 1932, regarding Walters' companion-volume 'The Spell of Yorkshire', enclosing cutting); Dr Judson Sykes Bury of Manchester; Mrs W. Bentley Capper of Farnham, Surrey ('Late of 21, Oxford Road, | Manchester'), on her calling card as 'Hon. Sec. (Manchester Centre), | National Canine Defence League'; J. H. Carmichael, on letterhead of the 'Advertising Copywriting Agents' Carmichaels' of Manchester; Ralph Cecil-Warham of Bankfield, Upper Chorlton Road, Manchester; his wife Margaret Cecil-Warham; J. H. Chapman of Harrowgate; J. E. Clare, on letterhead of the Devonshire Library Ltd, Buxton ('Librarians, Booksellers, Stationers, Etc.') (stating that his firm 'are doing very nicely' with the book, and suggesting that Walters approach local papers, as this 'would be seen by many Manchester men who reside in Buxton'); T. W. Collins of the Leigh Literary Society; S. Compston of Rossendale; V. S. Couzens, of Acton, London; J. R. of ; John Duxbury of Blackburn; E. J. Griffith of the Manchester Literary Club; Charles Hargreaves of the Colne Literary and Scientific Society; Ralph Hodder-Williams, on letterhead of the London publishers Hodder & Stoughton (regarding 'a long distance telephone call to the printers' which 'saved the situation'; with pencil note by 'F G' to 'Mr Ogden': 'See peroration of Chap IX. On Galley-Proof a compositor alleged that “Cheshire enticed the dewy-feathered SHEEP”! Hence the long-distance phone-call.'); Hodder & Stoughton, London publishers ('Provincial Office: | 11, Albert Square | Manchester') (stating that the book 'is now entirely out of print. If there are any friends still wanting copies they had better hurry and buy same from one or two of the Booksellers in Cheshire, Manchester, and Liverpool, who still have copies available'); J. D. Hughes, on letterhead of the Manchester publishers and booksellers Sherratt & Hughes; Isabel Hutchinson of Bolton (damaged at edges); William Hyde of Colne; J. Kitchen of Wilmslow (two letters, one – to 'Mr Greenwood' – with a pencil caricature by 'F G' of a man in a bow tie on the reverse, with note: 'J C W/ | Whadyer think abaht this'); C. H. W. Knight of Dyserth, North Wales (ALS from 1931, pointing out 'a slight mistake' in the book); George Lee of The Princes Theatre, Manchester; J. Lawton of Moseley; S. T. Lord of Northampton; John Loudon of Birkdale; John Mackay of Burnley (letter annotated in pencil by 'F G': 'Mackay – a dear old man – custodian of Towneley Hall | to whom Walters was very kind'); Freda Mackay of Whalley Range; Stella Maguire of Whalley Range; Sir Ronald Matthews of Aston Hall, near Sheffield; Thomas Meadows, editor of the Wigan Observer (mainly regarding Walters' 'delightful, and inspiring, address delivered before the members of the Wigan Rotary Club'); F. W. D. Mottershead, on letterhead of the Faculty of Insurance, Manchester (damaged ALS from 1924, regarding a talk by Walters for 'the B.B.C. in Manchester'); Walter M of Roundhay, Leeds; Walter Newton of Davyhulme; Mrs Ceara Nicholson (C. J. Nicholson) of Hale (two letters); J. R. Nuttall of Thornfield; Edith Parker of Wilmslow (two letters); Eustace G. Parker of Altrincham, on his letterhead as 'Shipper, Manufacturing Jeweller, Silversmith, Diamond Mounter, & Jewellers' Merchant'; S. Pope junior, of Liphook, Hants; Rev. T. C. Porteus, St John's Vicarage, Coppull, Chorley; C. P. Price of Edenfield; Kate Qualtrough of Sale; T. C. Sanderson of Bristol; Rev. Samuel Sidebotham, Rector of Ribchester (two letters); Rev. Charles Smith of Sedgley Park; J. H. H. Smith of Leigh; W. J. Smith of The Newlands, Leigh (two letters); Howard Somers of Pendleton; Frederick Waterhouse, on letterhead of the printers Tillotsons (Bolton), Ltd; Fred W. Whittington, on his letterhead, Industry House, 57 Dale Street, Manchester; Arthur Williams of Stockport (two letters); David Williamson, damaged card. In addition there are letters from 'Betty' of Levenshulme and 'Norman' of Timperley.