5 THE  ART OBSERVER July 2010 one years and I enjoyed his company and his sense of humour. He cared a lot about the street and kept Warburton Street tidy. I have fond memo- ries and will miss him a lot.” David John Elliott “Having known Eric since 1968 we always found him to be generous to others particularly when he had done a good book deal. One of our more comical recollections is the way he never used to dress down for dirty jobs. We will never forget him seated on the ground in Warburton Street with his hands full of brake linings - covered in black oil/grease in the process of changing his car brake pads. He was also wearing a full suit, collar and tie - still done up !! and protected it like a Lion. He was the landlord of all the retail properties in the street, and he treated his tenants like part of his family. There is not the space here to mention all the individuals and organisations that benefited from Eric’s help, but at least those associated with him in Warburton Street can take this opportunity to pay tribute to Eric: “Eric worked very hard in the shop and his knowledge in the old books was brilliant. I remember each Saturday when he brought his books down and I used to put them on the table to sell for him. I will miss him greatly, especially on Saturdays. He was a clever man. I have worked for him for over twenty He used to play one of the seven dwarfs especially when someone tried to spoil the character of Warburton Street - yes the “Grumpy One” - and he usually got his own way. Yes it is still cobbled! He will be sadly missed by us all.” Trevor & Jean Whitehurst Warburton Street....more like Morten Street....Eric   Morten’s community built & evolved over several decades by a very focused astute businessman who never forgot where he came from. Passionate about the street. Eric was always very protective. Woe betide anyone who would park their car in a space which was meant to be used by a tenant or customer of the street & then go off into Didsbury Village ...they would return to a Morten ear bashing ...I am sure that they would have opted for clamping or even being towed away. Eric was always ready to help people in need whether it be an individual, a tenant, a charity or even a school not just monetary help was provided but his advice was given and more preciously... his time. Personally I do not think that Eric was given the recognition that he deserved in respect of this but I am sure that the people he helped will never forget. A colourful   complex character will be sadly missed but never forgotten. Ed Jenkinson “Eric has left me with so many memories over the years. I am very happy to have known him.” Tina O’Shea “We’ve been at 2 Warburton Street since 1992 which is when we first met Eric. He was much much more than our landlord. He was full of advice & wily wisdom. He was kind & helpful & supportive. He would often pop in on a Saturday & make himself comfy in one of the chairs & tell such funny & won- derful stories about his life & people he’d encountered. You could always talk to Eric if you had any problems or wanted some advice. He was always there to help. We’ll miss him.” Robert & Marjorie Middlehurst, Orchard Interior Design “I’ve known Eric, the bookseller, by reputation for many years since I moved north to live in Didsbury, but it was when I approached him to trade in Warburton Street that I began to know Eric personally and on a business level. It became clear why he was so successful; he was passionate about his busi- ness and very concerned that all his tenants trading in Warburton Street should be equally success- ful. His commitment and sup- port were evident on a daily basis and it’s a tribute to him that Warburton Street is a thriv- ing and successful business com- munity. On a personal level there is rarely a day goes by when I don’t think ‘I must men- tion that to Eric’. Truly missed on a daily basis.” Irene Bayliss, Harriet & Dee “Eric, a character who will be remembered by many for numerous reasons, for us a man who gave us the opportunity to realise our dream of finally hav- ing our own restaurant business, to do what we love with the encouragement and support of a man who loved to see people succeed in what they want to do, just has he had. He loved to tell the story of how he had started out and how he reached his success. He was like a proud grandfather who considered everyone his family and just loved to watch you grow and be happy.” Nina & Paul Burton, No.4 Dine and Wine And as for me, I feel very privi- leged to have known Eric for about thirty years. My husband, Mark, knew him for much longer - nearly fifty years. Mark used to work in Eric’s shop when he was a schoolboy and it was Eric who instigated and nurtured Mark’s lifelong love of books and book collecting. I used to have the Pitcairn Galleries in Knutsford but gave up the premises so that I could be at home to bring up my chil- dren. Some years later, when the children were in their teens Eric and Shirley were having supper at our house and Eric asked me if I felt ready to open another gallery. He had just developed some new property on Warburton Street and there was a part of it that would make a lovely little gallery. I seized the opportunity and regained my career as a gallery owner. Eric was delighted to see my business grow and could not have been more helpful. The Wendy Levy Gallery would not be here if it had not been for Eric - and I will be eternally grateful to him. Eric is no longer here to yell at people who speed down our cobbled street and stop people from parking where they should- n’t park. We will now become the mighty defenders of Warburton Street. We will look after it for you, Eric. We will. Wendy Levy, Wendy J Levy Contemporary Art Ltd Warburton Street, Didsbury Eric J Morten’s Bookshop on Warburton Street, Didsbury