In 1858, after visiting the pretty spa town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England, Charles Dickens described it as,

"The queerest place with the strangest people in it leading the oddest lives..."

This comment made me wonder what sort of oddities Dickens encountered in this rural

idyll of antique shops, cosy cafes and cake-obsessed residents.

Those thoughts led to the following drawings, which I hope will amuse and delight both my fellow Harrogatians and others yet to visit.

For those of you who live outside Harrogate, it may be helpful to know the meaning of the following...

The Stray

An area of open parkland that runs through the centre of Harrogate

A Fat Rascal

A Yorkshire cake with two cherries on top

Bettys

A local tea room and popular tourist spot

Menwith Hill

An ultra high-tech American radar/listening base situated 
just outside Harrogate


Sir Edward Elgar
The English composer would often holiday in Harrogate


Old Mother Shipton
A local 15th Century soothsayer who "foresaw the future"

Each drawing is available as a black & white postcard and costs one English pound. 
Or you can buy twelve cards for ten pounds. 

Just email me your order at
markattic@btinternet.com

Now, on to the drawings...

(Clicky to embiggen)