As a company that is proud of its roots in Norwich and surrounding Norfolk, we like nothing more than to get involved in a project with strong local connections. For that reason, when we were recently asked if we would be able to help with the reprinting of a local 1920’s guidebook we were only too happy to offer our services.
The original guidebook, entitled ‘North Walsham, With the Compliments of John Dixon’, is believed to have been produced around 1927 and was intended to be used as an “illustrated guide of interest to the home-seeker”. It contained a number of photographs, engravings of the town, information about North Walsham and advertisements from several local businesses.
Among the photos included in the guidebook was an image of soldiers and nurses outside Wellingtonia, at 113 Mundesley Road. During the First World War this building was used as a Red Cross Hospital.
John Dixon
As well as owning the Corn Hall in Bank Loke, the author was also a well-known businessman in the local area and held a number of roles including:
- An auctioneer
- A valuer
- An estate agent
- Manager at North Walsham gas works
- Superintendent registrar of Smallburgh Rural District Council
- Chairman of the North Walsham bench of magistrates
- An organist at North Walsham Parish Church
The original copy of the booklet, still in surprisingly good condition, was discovered by a couple who were in the process of moving out of a property in the town. It was handed to the owner of North Walsham’s Showcase Gallery, who approached Colour Print to find out if it would be possible to have the guide reproduced and reprinted.
Those Were The Days
Having been carefully reproduced by our team the booklet will form part of an audio-visual display to be launched at the town’s Atrium on 15th November. The presentation, titled ‘Those Were The Days’, will be given by the North Walsham Community Archive Group and will show how areas of the town have been transformed over the last 50 years.
If you have a project that you think we can assist with, do not hesitate to get in touch. You can contact us by calling 01603 488001 or by dropping us an email to websales@col-print.co.uk.
