Barry Hayter Posted 8 December , 2006 Share Posted 8 December , 2006 Hello, Struggling to decide where to post this so apologies if it's a bit off topic. I've got to a point in my research where I've probably exhausted most standard documents and publications (though I hope I'm wrong!) and am now looking to find photographic records of the Battalions \ Companys my GGF served in. I'm thinking a Great War fair would be a good starting point ... however from the forums experience how often do you actually stumble across something? i.e. postcard of a Battalion or a member of it etc. FYI I'm looking for 4th Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Pioneers) and 237th Field Company, Cambridgeshire Royal Engineers. Any other thoughts or recommendations? I obviously don't expect to find pictures of the soldier I'm researching but something from where he served would be very interesting for my research! Any www links or recommendations re fair or shops \ stores etc? Thanks all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon R Posted 8 December , 2006 Share Posted 8 December , 2006 The big one in Pudsey ('Giant Leeds') is worth going to - but it is infrequent. Postcard sellers do attend (as they also do at Outwood Memorial Hall for the medals fair) and it is worth having a rifle through their collections. You really never know what you might find. Otherwise - ebay! Have managed to pick up some good stuff there, some stuff I haven't seen before and pertinent to 'my unit', but beware of those with bigger, deeper pockets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 8 December , 2006 Share Posted 8 December , 2006 where are you? there are many online sellers ebay, ebid, speedbid. then the online dealers, normal collett, frontier to mention just 2 then those who arent online such as GW Medals and Chelsea but do have email access. finally Mark Carter does around a dozen militaria fairs in the south/midlands area throughout the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Hayter Posted 8 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 8 December , 2006 Thanks for that, very useful. Am London based but happy to travel if a fair is worth visiting. Will check those www and also the Pudsey event mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 8 December , 2006 Share Posted 8 December , 2006 Thanks for that, very useful. Am London based but happy to travel if a fair is worth visiting. Will check those www and also the Pudsey event mentioned. Barry there is one at Chatham dockyard and I think it is this Sunday - which would mean the dockyard hosts one every second Sunday in the month. Not sure on entry cost. (I have received your email and will read it after Ihave trawled the Forum) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 8 December , 2006 Share Posted 8 December , 2006 Hello, FYI I'm looking for 4th Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Pioneers) and 237th Field Company, Cambridgeshire Royal Engineers. Thanks all. I've never been to a military fair, as I've assumed it would offer mainly hardware rather than the paper and card collectables that I seek, and that nearly all dealers offering the latter would have been at a postcard fair that I've attended recently. Hopefully dealers specialising in military cards have large stocks which are sorted into sub-categories. (At postcard fairs one usually ends up sorting through a box of anything to do with any army anywhere in the world.) I don't want to appear negative, but I think you'll be very lucky to get anything specific to these two units. There may be cards relating to a locality where they served at some time or other, but when it comes to UK camps these are often found within county sections. Currently I'm buying more on eBay than I do at fairs. Still, go along to a military (or postcard) fair and see what you think. The collecting bug may grip you. I started collecting ten years ago, when I went to a small stamp fair, idly looked under "Wiltshire" on a postcard dealer's stand and spotted a card of Codford Camp. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 8 December , 2006 Share Posted 8 December , 2006 2 replies in one.. if you are near Aldershot on 14th Jan there is a Mark Carter fair there at the Princess Hall, Moonraker, come down to Yate on 4th February, there are various epherma (sp) for sale, post cards, photo albums, large regiment pictures, handbooks, reading books, shells, medals, bayonets, probably get you a tank if you want!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 8 December , 2006 Share Posted 8 December , 2006 As a collector for over forty years and a visitor to many militaria fairs, my own experiences have shown that as far as photo's go you do find many, many more at postcard fairs as militaria fairs are generally disappointing for that sort of thing. It may pay you to contact a Welsh postcard dealer as well, as they obviously would sweep up photo's from that area. As for the 237th Field Company,R.E. again postcard dealers would be the best bet. Over the years that I've attended postcard fairs you find the Corps cards i.e. engineers, artillery, service corps are rarely snapped up, unlike infantry cards which are highly desirable. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Hayter Posted 9 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2006 Thank you all very much, I'll follow up those leads and see what I can find on the web, top tips and greatly appreciated. Good idea re location postcards too, will go back over the war diaries and check dates to locations, that would be a good insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 9 December , 2006 Share Posted 9 December , 2006 Langton, Previous topic here may be of interest. WW1 postcards, photos, deathcards, Any collectors? I used to visit all the fairs regurlarly but ebay has changed much of the market - far less to be found at traditional fairs these days. In the London area the main fairs are Bromley, Cheshunt, Chatham, Watford, Farnham and there is the military market every Saturday in Islington. All are worth a visit for the atmosphere and a pleasant Sunday morning browse but it's hard work to find any Great War militaria worthy of purchase at a fair any more. It's remarkable how things have changed in ten years. You will find the odd postcard/ephemera dealer at most of these fairs (Bromley especially) but as above dedicated ephemera/postcard fairs will be a better bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 9 December , 2006 Share Posted 9 December , 2006 what I do find is that at Yate militaria fair there is a general spread over all the wars (last 100 years), but going to places like Gloucester docks antique centre prices are higher and never anyone to haggle with. £5 or £6 for a postcard is a bit steep and a label on a medal says 'no trade' or T1 (£1 off ) could be got for less ata fair. Gloucester like Bath antiques markets have a mark up for their 'spot', but I do prefer a head to head instead of a definate NO or a can you wait and Ill give the seller a call. Same applied to Plymouth Barbican area shops when I visited this year. what you do find in a lot of places (like St Austel car boot) are market traders selling Army Surplus and current issue, cant justify dragging her indoors down to London on a sunday so have to put up with what we get here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolm1 Posted 10 December , 2006 Share Posted 10 December , 2006 Farnham Military Fair is on 17th dec 2006 thats not far from London Malc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now