Autograph books

 are apparently still available. I looked on line. I did it out of curiosity because I came across the one I was given yesterday.

It was in a small box of things belonging to my mother. It was there with the one she had been given as well. 

Mine was given to me by my maternal grandparents as a birthday gift one year. I remember being rather puzzled by it. Why did you ask your family or your friends to write in a book like that? The idea that you might ask someone "important" to write in it alarmed me. I was never going to do that.

I looked through the book. I knew my family members of course but the other people? Yes, I knew who they were at the time - mostly my class mates (female only) and teachers from school. There is one from Alan Marshall but that is stuck in. He wrote the note on a piece of paper - without me asking him. (He slipped it into my pocket as he left the school.) I think my mother must have glued it in.

My maternal grandmother kept demanding to see the book. I was supposed to let her know who had been asked to write in it. She was "very disappointed"  I was not taking more interest in it. The problem was that I had no idea who to ask. The idea that I could actually ask other people to write in it made me feel extremely uncomfortable. I was old enough to know that I knew some "quite important" people, people like our local Member of Parliament. He would sometimes come and have a cup of tea with the Senior Cat. I didn't need him to write in the book. We knew one another. 

Looking back I realise I did not appreciate the intended function of the book but even knowing that would have made no difference. I would not have asked people to write in it.

My mother's autograph book was a little more interesting. There were names in there I recognised, her friends, my great-aunts and uncles. My maternal uncle is there with a rather naughty message. There are some names from the world of ballet. (My maternal grandparents had "connections" in that world.) Her book has more signatures than mine but it is still far from full. I suspect she was doing what was expected of her rather than what interested her.

I sat there considering all of this. It would have been possible for me to fill my book with some very famous names indeed. I could have made a nuisance of myself at Writers' Weeks and asked all manner of people. It never occurred to me - and if it had I would not have done it. 

Years later I threw out boxes and boxes of correspondence relating to International Literacy Year. There were some very famous names there as well. I remember a former Senator being absolutely appalled that I had not kept a handwritten letter from a Nobel laureate. I just shrugged. I saw no point in doing it. The job was done. I didn't think anyone else would be interested. It was really nothing to do with them.

I know it is possible that they would have been of great interest to someone, that I should perhaps have kept all the correspondence and passed it on to the national archives. Really though I don't think it matters that much. It wasn't why I did what I did and I don't want people writing about it later.  They are almost certain to have the wrong ideas about it all.