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John Salter

postcard

Arundel Castle

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Stationer, bookseller, newsagent, printer and proprietor of a "fancy repository" opposite the Post Office in Arundel High Street. Salter was born in Arundel in 1856, and in 1885 married Kitty Laker (born in about 1856 at Billingshurst). Salter was already in business in Arundel High Street in 1891. He and Kitty had one child, Dora Salter, born in about 1887.

Salter stocked a great variety of postcards of Arundel and district at his shop, and was the author and publisher of a popular pocket guide to the town, which included 12 detachable coloured halftone postcards printed in Saxony. These were slightly smaller than normal size, but full sized versions could also be purchased separately. A multi-view collotype of Arundel with a minutely wrinkled surface is labelled "Salter's Copyright Series". He also sold sepia-tinted collotype cards, labelled on the back "Published by J. Salter, Arundel".

Salter seems to have issued only a very limited selection of black and white and sepia tinted real photographic cards of Arundel and district. The photographs now often badly faded and yellowed with age have wide white borders and handwritten captions in black Indian ink. The cards are labelled on the back "Salter's Photographic Series of Arundel", but include at least one view of Burpham. The photographs were taken in both spring and summer, sometimes in unusual locations, in all probability by a local person, perhaps even Salter himself. The cards are quite scarce today, which implies small print runs. Two 1906 postmarks have been seen.

Salter was still in business in 1918, but gave up by 1922. The 1918 Electoral Register records that he and Kitty were living in Tarrant Street. A Kate Anna Salter in the High Street may possibly have been a relative.

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