Banstead Village

Congratulations Lewis on yet another masterpiece. How you turned a photo of over a 100 years into such an interesting book is a marvel.

Those young girls lives were so interesting. I found Aileen, Maggie Muggeridge's sister reminiscences so good I could have been there, thank goodness Nicola asked her Granny and her siblings to write their life stories down.

I really liked Emily’s character and very nice to see 'Lind-er' standing by the well and the happy picture on the back cover.

You have spurred me into pulling out the old suitcase of nameless old photos and I will be naming all the people I can. Yes thank you Maggie Muggeridge for having the foresight to name yourself and the other girls as without that act we would not have the excellent book we have today.

My word Lewis, what a beautiful book, it is so well done and I really love the challenge you throw out at the end. It is so important to capture memories of our loved ones, the way they lived because generations come and go, the world turns and everything changes so quickly especially in these days.

Thank you so much for taking this whole project on board and really running with it, it is such a good job and so well done.

I feel really privileged to have been a part of it and hope that the book is a great success. It is a magnificent accomplishment.

I found ‘The Post Card’ book a fascinating insight to the period and people of that era and to where life had taken them and their subsequent families. Coming from that particular area of Banstead I can relate to many of the places mentioned and indeed playing in places mentioned, as a small boy some forty odd years after the photograph was taken. I am so glad that pieces of work such as yours have recorded the human side of our village which now stand alongside historical changes of the physical side to Banstead.
Well done to you and all the people that contributed to the contents of the book. It's undoubtedly a success to be proud of.
Peter W.

NOTE: email sent to the author and replicated here.

Thank you to Lewis Wood for this treasured account of my Grandmother Glady’s life which he originally instigated from this fascinating postcard.
The book is an historical replay of seven remarkable women who each carved out their important lives beginning in Banstead.
Amazing research has led to this enthralling insight into past lives starting from this idyllic location."

Nicola Styan, artist


NOTE: email sent to the author and replicated here.

I have just finished reading The Post Card and can quite see why it took so long – they all had such large families – thank you for including the family trees.
What a wonderful record of just a few people who lived in Park Road 115 years ago and their stories were all so different. Thank goodness for Maggie Muggeridge who gave you the clue.
I am not sure which I enjoyed the most – possibly ‘Queenie’ with her description of a carefree youth around here.

MW

NOTE: email sent to the author and replicated here.

Lewis - You really did a beautiful tribute to the young girls who stopped by the well to accommodate a photographer back in 1909. Thank you for tracing their steps from the well out into the world. Masterful and beautifully designed and formatted. A book to treasure. Thank you for your creation.

Hello Lewis

I really found your book fascinating and so interesting.

I couldn’t put the book down because each girl’s story is so amazing and different.

How wonderful that Nicola Young encouraged her Granny Aileen and her Great Aunt Maggie to write their life stories.

SK

NOTE: Email sent to author and replicated here.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I came across many entertaining and endearing humane examples which still resonate today. These amusing details were inserted between the well-researched historic details. I found myself fascinated by the insights of the very different life in those days, that actually came to life as I read on.

On occasion, I felt that the author purposefully provoked me into trying to piece together some of the unavoidably unravelled bits myself!

There are also some rather enlightening historical facts, incidental to the main stories, many of which I found exciting to read.

I also actually caught myself manoeuvring the pages such that I could align the portrait photographs side by side whenever I was curious to see the face change from child to adult.

A delightful account which makes me wish for more ... and to visit Banstead itself!

I enjoyed reading The Post Card very much. I admired Lewis Wood's ability to see the potential in an old postcard dating from 1909 and use this as a starting point to undertake research and write/develop this fascinating book which gives us glimpses into the life stories of the girls on the postcard.

As a former nurse in Banstead Hospital, I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Dorothy Crawley whose parents worked there. The photos and postcards on Banstead Hospital are of high quality. Indeed this is true of other photos or pictures throughout.

This book is beautifully printed and the price is reasonable. It will make a good birthday or Christmas present for people who are interested in Banstead history and life stories in the Edwardian era.

My Mum bought me this book when it was first published, but I have just recently had time to sit down and read it. I have found it fascinating. Reading about what exciting lives these women lived all those years ago. And seeing the names of lots of places my Mum has spoken about in Banstead. I haven't completely finished the book yet, but I am really enjoying it.

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