Please click here to go to the flip book
In 1898, my grandfather, produced what was to be the first of three editions of a book on the history of St Oswald's Church, Hooe. I have a copy of the first edition, which is, now, after 110 years, dog-eared, discoloured, spotted, and, generally, in a sad state – but it is still quite readable and I have managed to scan into the computer reasonable images of each page.
My grandfather says, in the postscript to the first edition, that it all started when he could find no answer to a simple question regarding the church. One wonders whether he would have ever written the book if the question had been answered!
The book was all hand-written by my grandfather who, also, produced all the drawings and sketches. He then printed each copy, by hand, using a small, rotary hand press - rather like, at least I imagine, an old-fashioned washing mangle - for those, that is, who can remember such pieces of laundering equipment! I can and loved to use my mother′s just to see all the water oozing out of the washing. Unfortunately, it could break the buttons on my shirts and other things, if tightened too much, but it got more water out!
Looking at the pages of this small book, I think about the time and effort he must have put into it. He, obviously, enjoyed history, and local history gave him the chance to research and write down a small part of England's history that was all his to do; I get the same feeling, with researching my family history, that he must have got.
The images are shown in the form of a "Flip" book, so you need to move the cursor over the top, right-hand (or left-hand) corner of each sheet (you will see the corner bending over, ready to turn). Click on the corner and the page will 'flip' over or click on the outside edge of either page and, holding down the mouse button, turn the page as normal.
To go back, just reverse what you did before. To enlarge or reduce the image, right click on the page or picture and select either "zoom in" or "zoom out". Of course, the normal browser "Back" button will take you to the previous web page, anyway!
