AA Collection of Route Maps from 1930 to 1935.

Before the advent of road atlases, the roads of Great Britain were being built for automobile transportation and was being rapidly improved, expanding the capability to travel between towns and cities previously unreachable within a day. This called for a new way to map out routes and to keep them up to date.

The RAC and AA began as clubs that offered their members many benefits other than the camaraderie and brothership of the social club for men. These benefits were both practical and wide-ranging.

From 1912, road maps were handwritten and sent to members. By the late 1920s, 7,000 different routes were in circulation and with this increase came improvements to the cards and route maps offered. Members could request maps to be printed from any given start and endpoint in the British Isles. This development included their listings of local garages, hotels, restaurants and for route maps, places of interest. These maps could be requested in advance or with information slips from AA patrols offering advice on alternative routes and road conditions.

In addition to these personalised route maps the AA produced route maps to France and ‘Strip Maps’. From 1925, a ‘Foreign Routes Service’ was offered which covered France, to begin with. The AA sent two patrolmen to record main routes and encouraged their members to report back on suggested routes. ‘Strip Maps’ were produced from the late 1920s to 1930s. These maps were basic and often maps of town centres, the first A-to-Z Street Atlases.

The collection has been donated to the archive by our trustee, Angie who spotted them on a recent trip to Criccieth in August. The pack comprises routes from Nevin, Canaervon to locations such as Birkenhead, Cardiff and Moss Side (Manchester). There are also strip maps for Warrington and the Mersey Tunnel. Interestingly, the Mersey Tunnel map includes specifications, costs and instructions for motorists using the tunnel when it opened in 1934.

The photograph above shows a small selection of the items within this donation. This AA route map pack makes an interesting and informative addition to our AA and RAC members club collections.

The John Mollison collection of scale aeroplane modelling magazines.

Flying Models Magazine 1960s

Model Engine World Magazine 1990s

Radio Control Models and Electronics plus RCM&E Magazine 1960s to 1990s

These are the first catalogued selections from our John Mollison donation. The Flying Models Magazine are a highlight of this collection. It features typically colourful yet simple mid-century layouts and photographs with lots of interesting model plans.

More to follow!

Scientific American Journal 2 bound volumes July-December 1901 the full year 1914 plus 629 loose copies.

This American science magazine is very popular and has over the years features articles by famous scientists such as Albert Einstein, Martin Gardner, Douglas Hofstadter and James Burke.

Toyota Japan Geisha doll presented to Toyota GM dealers on a visit to Japan in 1973.

At the time of this blog being published, we have no further information about the specifics of this item and Angie is currently awaiting a call from Toyota Japan’s heritage and archive department in the hope that they can shed more light on the origins of this beautiful promotional gift. With luck, we will have more information in time for the open evening.

However, we can share with you some fascinating gift-giving rituals in Japanese business culture. Gift-giving is an important part of business in Japan and it is the ritual of gift-giving, rather than the gift itself, which is most important. This Geisha doll would likely have been presented to delegates at the end of their trip.

There are many rules tied to the ritual of gift-giving in Japanese business culture.

·        Gifts are presented with both hands.

·        It is customary for the recipient to say “tsumaranai mon” which means “it’s a boring thing”. This is a way of saying that the relationship between the gift giver and recipient is more important than the gifted item.

·        Expensive gifts are not seen as bribes. If presented with an expensive gift it should not be seen as an expectation or obligation of anything in return.

·        Gifts should be opened in private to avoid “loss of face” if the gift is poorly chosen.

·        Giftwrapping is plain and non-descript. No frills, bows or fancy paper.

·        Avoid giving red Christmas cards. Red is customarily used for printed funeral notices!

·        While a pair of items are considered lucky, giving four or nine of any item is considered very unlucky.

We hope that if you are ever in a position to give or receive a gift in Japan that these notes will come in handy!

All these items, plus a selection of additional new acquisitions which have arrived over the Bank Holiday weekend, will be available to view at our first open evening on 13th September 2021.

See you there!

Richard Roberts