MR. FRANK COUPE undertook a labour of love when he set out to write “Walton-le-Dale, A History of the Village” published by the Guardian Press in an attractive limited edition, available to subscribers.
A man of wide and vigorously pursued interests. Mr. Coupe has always had intense interest in history natural history. and, probably more importantly the story of mankind. particularly the story of the village in which he was born and has always lived.
He traces his family connection with Walton-le-Dale back to the beginning of the 18th century.
He is related to Joseph Livesey, the great social reformer. about whom he produces interesting new facts told him by his mother, a great-niece of the redoubtable cheese factor, who founded the “Preston Guardian.”
GREAT EDUCATOR
Mr. Coupe finished his formal education at the age of 12, but he passed on to that great unofficial university which has sharpened many other alert minds and provided them with a store of sound knowledge-the printing industry. He always wanted to write the story of Walton-le-Dale, and to this end “camped” old residents, collecting, checking and classifying facts about the village and its people.
The present book, which is readable, reliable, and comprehensive, was written by Mr Coupe during the winter evenings in the past five years.
The story begins in pre-Roman times, and while it recounts much that is well known it also contains a great deal that is new and really fascinating.
It can be consulted at many libraries, and those who have possessed themselves of the book, will find discerning friends eager to borrow it and browse browse through through its pages. Mr. Coupe’s labour of love has certainly not been in vain.
C. H.
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The Walton story
“The Walton story” is an article about Frank Coupe, who wrote a book about Walton le Dale that was published in 1954. The article was in the Lancashire Evening Post that was published on Wednesday 29th December 1954.
Lancashire Archives and Local History have a copy of the book, and somebody had cut out the article and stuck it on one of the front pages.
The British Newspaper Archive:
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000712/19541229/104/0004
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