OK! A funny thing happened to me in Chatham today. As you may remember, I am interested in 'over the shop-window' architecture. I am hoping to raise the awareness and eyes of the general public by publishing photographs of examples of 'extras' on the faces of buildings. I also want to provide a little bit of the history of the area and the buildings. I am concentrating on Chatham because the town (part of the city) is going through a 'renaissance' at present and there is always a chance that something important will disappear overnight. I have already missed some unique features in, or near, Gillingham High Street.
Next door to Woolworth in Chatham is a bookshop which has recently lost its own identity and become part of the Waterstone chain. I looked to see if they had any books in their local section which might help with my research, secretly suspecting that I really need to go to the historical archives in Strood. There were a couple of books that might have been useful but I considered £15.99-ish to possess two or three photographs was a bit exorbitant.
An assistant, for want of a better description, was standing quite close to me but behind a desk. I asked if there were any books on the subject of local shop buildings and decorations. I felt as though I had addressed him in Chinese-Arabic. I've always had a feeling that if someone worked in a book shop, they would have a passing interest in most subjects and would show a bit of interest if an unusual request came their way. How many people have asked about architectural detail and shop-history in one day? His reply was along the lines of "No, we don't have anything like that! I don't think we would carry it anyway!'
I explained that if people raised their eyes above the window-level they ... he interrupted my discourse with "I don't raise my eyes in Chatham ... it's so depressing!"
I asked if he knew where the art-deco elephants were in Chatham (about 100 metres from the shop). "No and I don't think I'm that interested!"
I left the shop with a determination to write an article or book on this very subject so all was not lost.
My thoughts as I left the shop were unprintable so I shall stop now.