Friday 4 May 2012

Added Value: Things found in books - The Captain's Cabin

Today's find is this newspaper cutting from 1974;

This is the "Captain's Cabin," in Ullapool. Earlier this week, the extremely charming owner, Gillean Troughton her bonny daughter Katrina and this column met in an Edinburgh hotel.

The "Captain's Cabin" was opened twenty-six years ago by Mrs Troughtons Mamma (great grandfather built the Fourth Bridge). It is a treasure trove of quality merchandise which includes glass, china, tweeds, knitwear, crafts and kitchen things, beautifully and efficiently run by Jean Gough. Laird-Portch kilts and Hamish Murray mohairs are best sellers here.

"We have now expanded into the former tearoom area," Mrs Troughton told me. And as the owner is based near London, she gets a variety of "stuff" you don't see in Edinburgh." Mail order is excellent too. Tel. 2356. 

I haven't visited Ullapool, but a quick search on Google tells me that it's a fine little seaport on Loch Broom – the remotest  on the north-west coast of mainland Britain, yet only an hour or so from Inverness by road. It also confirms that the Captain's cabin is still in business, see pictures here















I love finding these little pieces of social history!


Found in The Naughtiest girl Again; Published by Newnes, 1960.
The naughtiest girl again is now sold, thank you for your interest. 

Have you ever found a newspaper cutting in an old book?

12 comments:

  1. Every time you find something in a book it always gets me wondering about who left it in there and why. I think it is great that you found this clipping and what fun to see what it looks like now. Who knows what will be found next!

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  2. I agree with Jess, I also wonder why they kept that particular clipping or item in a book.
    I have found some newspaper clippings and other 'things'.

    Last year at a book sale I bought two books about banks, they were brand new, got them home and found a crisp, clean older $20.00 note. I still have and won't spend it because I keep all the stuff I find in books except the dried up spiders and bugs and left over food.

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  3. barbaraannefisher5 May 2012 at 07:21

    Hi Jess, I wonder that too – and why leave that particular clipping in an Enid Blyton book? It makes me wonder if the Ullapool book shop (next door to the Captain’s Cabin) sold second-hand books – if they did maybe the naughtiest girl was bought from there. Or perhaps someone was going to Ullapool on holiday and tucked the clipping into the book to remind them to visit the Captains Cabin.
    I never know what might turn up next – so watch this space!

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  4. barbaraannefisher5 May 2012 at 07:40

    What a fantastic find! I keep everything too (not the bugs!). If a find is connected with the book in some way I keep them together. I sold a copy of the young visitors by Daisy Ashford earlier in the week and inside was a promotional postcard advertising the film of the book and a newspaper clipping talking about the book – so I sent those off with the book. But the Captain’s cabin cutting in the naughtiest girl doesn’t have a connection (or not one that I can think of) so I’ve taken that out and added it to all the other’s I keep. The problem with newsprint is that it can stain the pages, so I do tend to remove cuttings.

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  5. Megan @ Storybook Love Affair5 May 2012 at 10:02

    That is a great find! I would love to visit The Captain's Cabin, they make it sound so enticing. How lucky you are Barbara to find all these wonderful old snippets of history.

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  6. I once found a bookmark in the shape of a leaf with the Buddha's inscriptions in an old book from the school library, but no newspaper cutting. A seaport in a remote town sounds mysterious & quaint. I'm not familiar with the towns and cities in Great Britain, but when I read 'Inverness,' I immediately thought of Macbeth ~

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  7. barbaraannefisher5 May 2012 at 16:39

    Hi Megan, I would like to visit it too! If I do I will be sure to take some pictures for my blog.

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  8. barbaraannefisher5 May 2012 at 16:43

    Did you keep the bookmark? It sounds like an interesting find. I’m not familiar with that part of the UK, but I feel a visit coming on! Thanks for calling in.

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  9. Sharon Souter5 May 2012 at 19:56

    I did enjoy this - great find Barbara. I don't know Ullapool at all. My husband's family came from Lossiemouth which is also a little 'fishing village' on the north coast of Scotland (although nowadays I think it is better known for the airforce base situated there). We visited once and it was marvellous. Lovely part of the world.

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  10. barbaraannefisher5 May 2012 at 20:22

    I've just been on the Lossiemouth website; it looks very interesting … I feel a holiday coming on! It’s amazing how a small piece of browned and brittle paper can have such an impact. I don’t think I would have looked up Ullapool if I hadn't read the cutting, and you probably wouldn't have mentioned Lossiemouth – now I’m planning a holiday! It will have to be next year though because our new grandchild is due any time, so we will be visiting Australia later this year.

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  11. How lovely it is. I so enjoy seaports, especially with all the historical significance.

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  12. barbaraannefisher7 May 2012 at 09:06

    It does look lovely I hope to visit one day.

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I really appreciate your comment. Thank you!
Barbara xx