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Harry Fancy was born in Stockport, Cheshire in 1937. Leaving school virtually innocent of academic qualifications, he embarked upon a career in horticulture - to whit - he became an apprentice gardener in a public park! Within a short time he was compelled to undertake his two-year stint of National Service in the Royal Tank Regiment at Catterick Camp in Yorkshire. On returning to Debdale Park, Manchester, he undertook an intensive two year, extramural course in Scientific Horticulture at Manchester University. Success in this course secured him a place on a two-year full time course at the Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Wisley.
After gaining an Honours Diploma from Wisley, a career in horticulture seemed inevitable, but almost immediately he completely changed course, becoming general assistant to the Curator of Vernon Park Museum, Stockport. Then, after a two-year period as Senior Assistant at Luton Museum, Harry was appointed Curator of his old museum at Stockport. He remained in that post for seven years (1968-1975). He and his family then moved to the historic, yet almost forgotten town and port of Whitehaven, Cumbria. For the next 21 years he was Curator of the museum, which towards the end of his career, was rehoused in a purpose-designed building called “The Beacon”. This overlooks the historic harbour, the scene of the last raid on the English mainland by an enemy power. This was an expedition commanded by “The Father of the American Navy” John Paul Jones, who had actually been trained as a seaman at Whitehaven. His first experience of the odious slave trade as third mate of the Whitehaven-built slave ship King George.
In 1985 Harry was instrumental in acquiring for the museum the Whitehaven Slavery Trade goblet, arguably the finest specimen of English enameled glass in existence (being examined in the photo by the author). It was decorated by William Beilby (1740-1819) and is the “odd man out” in his series of “Royal” goblets, of which eight survive. All bear the meticulously painted Royal arms of George the Third. Seven feature the feathers of the Prince of Wales and were produced to commemorate the Christening of the young prince in 1763. The Whitehaven example is instead embellished with the painting of a sailing vessel with the legend “Success to the African Trade of Whitehaven”. It was used to celebrate the maiden voyage of the King George and is probably the highlight of the museum collection. Whilst the museum was temporarily rehoused in the Civic Hall, inadequate security led to the goblet being stolen and held to ransom. Beilby’s masterpiece was eventually recovered, thankfully undamaged.
Throughout his career, Harry was a compulsive writer, producing a considerable number of information sheets and booklets. In different years three of his more substantial works were entered in the “Lakeland Book of the Year” competition. One was Highly Commended, another was the runner-up for the Rollinson Prize and the other won the Barclay Prize in 1992. For his own amusement, he wrote and continues to write, short fictional stories–from which the thirteen tales in this compilation were selected.
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