AN archive charting a century of life in a local village is going up for auction.
The collection of pre-internet material relates to Barton-under-Needwood and was collected by Joan Smith, who lived at Wood Cottage.
A keen historian, she collected newspaper articles, postcards and other local interest items during her life.
The collection has been stored away since her death in 2012, but will now the items offering an insight into village life in yesteryear will be sold.
The lot includes photographs of St James’ Church, parish records, leaflets, marriage notices and newspaper cuttings covering stories such as a woolly mammoth tusk find in 1971, flash floods of 1987, A38 plans, Gulf War personnel, Prince Edward’s visit and the Stop The Maggot Farm campaign.
Auctioneers have placed a guide of £200 on the archive – but say it could fetch far more on sale day.
Rob French, ephemera valuer Richard Winterton Auctioneers, said:
“It is a wonderful archive of the history of Barton-under-Needwood collated over many years without the use of the internet.
“Joan spent a lot of time going to car boot and postcard sales to collect.
“If someone were to try to put this archive together now from scratch it would be a near-impossible task.
“It is a treasure trove of ephemera mapping out the fascinating past of this beautiful Staffordshire village.”
The archive goes under the hammer on 13th October. The catalogue goes live a week beforehand at www.richardwinterton.co.uk/auctions/auction-calendar.