Background stuff

Yesterday I spent four hours staring at very small 1930s newsprint on endless reels of microfiche.  I've been banging on to Dougal for a few days about how good it is to be able to look at all the old newspapers on microfilm but yesterday he reminded me I wasn't a spy and I've been looking at microfiche.  Film? Fiche?  It's all the same to me - it screws my eyes up. 

It wasn't an uninterupted four hours - I had to take time to top up my parking meter.  Maybe it was just as well.  My head was starting to feel a bit fuzzy and the fresh air did me good.

But I think all the peering was worth it.  I got a lot of background information like what the weather was like on the day Lipton died and on the day he was buried, what was on at the cinema and on the radio and what kind of events were in the headlines at the time.  And the adverts?  They are brilliant.  Did you know,

                               "if you value your health,
                                always insist on Gordon's Special
                                Dry London Gin. 
                                No artificial colouring matter,
                                No injurious ingredients."
           
                               And it's in the bottle with the square face.

Ha - I always knew it was good for you.

Today I've been wandering around Glasgow city centre having a look at the church his funeral service took place in.  so, I've got some stuff I can hopefully build a narrative from - so that I'm not just writing straight facts.

Oh - and the mystery I uncovered?  I got Inch High Private Eye (or was Hettie Wainthrope.  Maybe it was a mixture of both) onto the case but I think it's going to have to remain unsolved.  The relevant documentation to sort it out just doesn't exist.  I think a stonemason has made a spelling mistake and with a slip of a chisel has changed the sex of a child.  Oh well, it's not the end of the world, I can still use the information i've got - and everyone loves a mystery.  If you're desperate to find out more about this fascinating story you'll just have to wait until I get a publishing deal.  Or the next time you see me you can just ask - you know it doesn't take much to get me gibbering on about Lipton. 

Righ - I've got the information, now to get on with the hard part.