A chance purchase led Chris Pocock on a journey through time. He discovered this beautiful leather-bound book, packed with nostalgic Victorian images from the 1880s, and just had to find out more…
So Chris began to trace the story of the album’s owner, Lydia Wiles. Lydia taught at the Female Orphan Asylum, which was once housed at the old manor house in Beddington Park.
This hefty album was packed with portraits and had been given to Lydia as a thoughtful gift from her students.
But what happened to Lydia, and could Chris reunite the book with any surviving relatives?
He compiled a fascinating video tracking his journey, which took nearly a year to put together on and off around family commitments.
“I recorded the whole video on my iPhone! Massive thanks to my husband John who recorded some of the footage and had to put up with me having mini-meltdowns for not being able to remember any of the lines I’d written! I have a terrible memory!!” Chris told Secret Carshalton..
We asked Chris why he ended up giving the album away.
“…it’s very simple. I love helping people. Once I found out Lydia’s story I knew the photograph album was part of someone’s family history and belonged with them. There was never any question of me keeping it once I’d tracked down Lucy,” Chris explained to Secret Carshalton.
“Lucy was over the moon when we met up and she said later that she and her Mum had spent that afternoon going through the album and her Mum was absolutely delighted. I was thrilled to hear that.”
So how did the story end?
Follow his full heartwarming story, and watch as Chris uncovers some fascinating local history:
To find out more about the orphanage and history of Carew Manor read our Carew Manor history
We asked Chris more about his passion for history.
“I’m fascinated by local history having lived in Carshalton and then Beddington my whole life,” he said. “My Dad was interested in history and my older brother works with old listed buildings as well as occasionally doing historical tours of All Saints church. So it was only a matter of time before I got immersed in it too!”
“I love old photos and I also love researching them as well. Where was this taken? What does it look like now? There’s always a story to be found. And I love sharing these photographs and stories with people. Our area is so full of history and I’m always really pleased that so many people are interested in it!”
“I think it’s very easy for items to disappear and then the stories and context are forgotten and that makes these things so interesting. It’s the normal people just going about their lives that get forgotten. It’s only the famous people or the rich that have that recognition. So it’s nice to balance that out.”
Over the years Chris has found other photographs and paperwork relating to historical people.
“I gave an original old photograph of the Hermitage in the grounds of Saint Philomena’s to the Carshalton Water Tower Trust. I have also supplied copies of photos that I have found of All Saints Church that are now on display and show aspects of the church that have previously not been seen before. I just like knowing these items are being seen by people and loved.”
And long may it continue, Chris.
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