On the day your concertina was first sold.

[Simon H]

For vintage Wheatstone owners - I found a fascinating way to connect with the times of your instrument.

 

First find your instrument in the Horniman ledgers http://www.horniman.info/INDEX.HTM from the serial number. I'm sure you already have done this before. Note down the date and then enter that date into Google.Then when you've exhausted that, keep Googling, use the year and month and the word "diary" "journal" and see what you find, You will find all sorts of amazing stuff.

 

Today I have read letters written by Canadian and English soldiers from the trenches dated on the very day. I've discovered so much about the First Battle of Ypres that I never knew. (I visited Ypres a few years ago before I got my concertina - unforgettable)

 

I have printed off a sixteen page facsimile of an edition of a magazine called the Youth's companion, issued the same day as my concertina was sold.

 

I've found relevent Wheatstone price lists, I've found the diary of a woman living in the hills in a remote part of the US. Short terse entries, killing hogs, gathering corn etc.

 

Using search engines in this way, following off into all sorts of sites, seeing the wealth of information available is fascinating. But for me thinking of those soldiers writing home about the shell holes, and the sights and sounds of the first battle of Ypres was a sobering thing.

 

What was happening in the world when your concertina was sold?

 

Simon

Edited July 10, 2009 by Simon H

[JimLucas]

What was happening in the world when your concertina was sold?

My Lachenal New Model? Don't know. No Lachenal ledgers.

 

On the other hand, we can use that same technique for other dates. Do you know what was happening in the world the day you were born? What about your parents, or grandparents (do you know their birthdays?)?

[yankeeclipper]

I'm a bit unsure about how to read the ledgers. My Wheatstone No. 21, s.n.26908, is in Ledger SD01, page 077, and appears to have been completed on Sept. 13, 1915...but the diagonal lines are confusing, and the date might be read as August 27. I have no idea what the 4th column is all about. Can anyone explain the columns and diagonal lines?

[Leonard]

I'm a bit unsure about how to read the ledgers. My Wheatstone No. 21, s.n.26908, is in Ledger SD01, page 077, and appears to have been completed on Sept. 13, 1915...but the diagonal lines are confusing, and the date might be read as August 27. I have no idea what the 4th column is all about. Can anyone explain the columns and diagonal lines?

A diagonal line in one or more culumns, over one or more rows, means: for these rows and columns it's the same as the one above.

So for #26908 this means:

Column 1: production date; the same as #26907: Sept 17th, 1915

Column 2: model No.; as #26900: No.21 (For description see pricelist 1915 on concertina.com)

Column 3: Special specifications; as #26900: Nickel Rosewood Polished S.V. W.S. (S.V.=air valve, W.S.=Wrist straps)

Column 4: Batchnumber: 21. (Number used during production on the various parts for this particular concertina)

Column 5: Serial number: 26908

[yankeeclipper]

Many thanks, Leonard! After Googling "Sept. 17, 1915 in history," I conclude that the only important happening on that date was the completion of my concertina!

[Patrick King]

I can't actually say what happened on the day of my concertina because my father bought it for me, and I don't know what day. I only got it in March '08. I think he bought it in somewhere between Sept-Nov '07. I have a faint idea that sometime around that period of time 'people' were trying to kill the East Temor president, Mr. Horda. But in between buying and receiving my Morse, I had 1 traumatic experience up in QLD by some hoon on the road and then on the same day, the 12th of Dec '07, my Nan died.

 

Regards,

Patrick