22 October 2026 — celebrating Walter’s 108th birthday

Today is Walter Day!

It seems particularly fitting that today, on what would have been his 108th birthday, Walter’s Story is bringing his life and experiences to a new generation of young readers.

Walter was born on 22 October 1918, into a world very different from the one children know today. Through his story, young readers can explore the social history of Ripon, changing shops and shopping habits, the money people used and the everyday routines that shaped people’s lives.

It also invites children to ask questions. How has Ripon changed? What would Walter recognise if he walked through the city today? Which things have disappeared, and which have remained surprisingly familiar?

There is another rather wonderful coincidence about today’s date. The reference that would ultimately help bring Walter to Ripon was written exactly 90 years ago today, on 22 October 1936. A small piece of paper, written long ago, became an important part of his story — and one of the things left behind that helped me piece together his life.

Walter’s Story is part of The Things Left Behind for Young Readers, a fully illustrated series introducing children to real people and the history preserved in the objects, photographs and documents they left behind.

The collection also includes:

• Tommy’s Story — following a young soldier from Ripon and his experiences of the First World War, including the Battle of the Somme.
• Ken’s Story — exploring the Second World War and the impact of conflict, separation and uncertainty on relationships and family life.

Each book encourages children to look beyond dates and events to discover the people who lived through history, and to consider what their experiences can teach us today.

All three books are now available on Amazon and at The Little Ripon Bookshop.

For me, there is something very special about knowing that Walter’s story, 108 years after his birth, can now be discovered by children who might otherwise never have known his name.

Happy birthday, Walter. Your story lives on.