GOING to a car boot or antique fair is at times like seeing parts of your life flash before your eyes.

It is like wandering around Xanadu as if you were a Charles Foster Kane from the film Citizen Kane.

Xanadu was Kane’s mythical home in Florida where he stored everything he had ever had from his life.

Indeed the key word in the film is Rosebud which without ruining the film.

I feel like this at any of these two events as I see items I remember from a time in my past like cups, mugs, plates from a certain era and annuals I still have or those which I recall being printed at the time but I never bought or was I given them for a Christmas or birthday present.

What I feel like now when I hunt for children’s annuals which were around when I was a kid or those in the years after I long stop having them, is a chance to put back in place items I wish I had kept or those I wish I had been bought.

I used to have Hotspur annuals, Warlords, Dr Who annuals and a smattering of Beano and Dandy’s.

Thankfully I kept all of mine in good condition.

I have added to the run of years and taken the run back to 1967 in the case of the Hotspur and ending it at 1979 (for the moment).

For others like The Victor I have slowly extended the number of annuals, buying some in bulk and building up a run like an embroiderer creating a patchwork quilt.

Bridgwater Mercury:

The run is not complete but the fun is looking and trying to find the missing years.

Why children’s annuals?

A number of reasons which I would say were:

• They are very collectable and many people had annuals when they were growing up as children.

• There is a nerd in all of us and getting annuals means we can build up a collection year by year.

• Annuals take us back to our childhood and some can be an investment.

For example some Dr Who annuals can be worth £40 up to £100.

Some even more if they are signed by the actor who played Dr Who.

• There is a good feeling when we spot something from our own childhood and for whatever reason we did not have but now can buy for £2 today.

• There is always a market for them as collectors are looking for the annuals they need to complete or continue their collections.

The array of books on sale can vary from as I said from children’s annuals to DIY books, gardening books, books about trains...you name it you will find a subject.

There are a number of things you should look out for if you want to find a good clean copy of an annual.

• Check it is unclipped. This means the original price has not be torn or cut from the page.

• The spine and covers should be in good order and not torn or suffering from damage.

• The pages should all be there and all still attached to the binding.

• Many annuals had puzzles or quizzes. The collector does not want any of the puzzles filled in or drawn on or any writing on the pages at all.

• Make sure there is no marks on the cover of the annual and the condition is as near perfect for what is a second hand book.

One series of books (and I have not got the lot) I have bought lots of were Ladybird Books.

I just bought them in bulk from car boots and the number I have just grew and grew