The days when people in Frome lined the streets to watch teams of horses pull a newly-cast statue through the town to the railway station, are recalled in a new book that celebrates Somerset.
As the train, with the statue on board, pulled out of the station, spectators would cheer and clap and throw their caps in the air, says Maurice Fells, author of the book, who is a journalist and author in Bristol.
“I could not resist including stories like this in The Little Book of Somerset. They are part of Frome’s fascinating heritage.
“Discovering the history of J.W. Singer was one of the many joys of researching this book. The firm made so many statues that are now well-known and stand in London.”
Maurice also delves into the history of book printers Butler and Tanner of Frome and printing firm Purnell’s of Paulton.
The Little Book of Somerset is a compendium of anecdotes, curious facts and oddities about the county’s people and places, past and present.
Maurice said, “I spent many hours trawling through old newspapers and magazines, catalogues and brochures issued by Somerset firms, some of which no longer exist, to find out about the county’s past. The title is something of a misnomer, for the book runs to nearly 50,000 words.”
The Little Book of Somerset is the 12th local history book Maurice has written. It is published by The History Press, priced £9.99.
