Books by David Clayton

Born in Horwich, and a graduate of Merton College, Oxford, G.D. (David) Clayton, as Senior History Master of Burnley Grammar School, published a significant international work on 19th century international relations - Britain and the Eastern Question:Missolonghi to Gallipoli (Hodder and Stoughton) in 1971. Following a career including 8 years as Deputy Head and 17 years as Headmaster in Burnley, he has more recently turned his attention to local history, publishing a celebratory assessment of post-1944 Act grammar school's early years - The Hayward Grammar School, Bolton: the first decade 1955-1965 (Phillimore) in 2008. President of the Bolton branch of the Historical Association since 1987, and a resident in the Lancashire village of Brinscall since 1965 he began in 2009 to explore the reasons why there are so many ruined farmhouses on the nearby moor. Why and when were the farms built, and why and when did they fall empty? Why were they previously demolished? Who had previously lived there and why? As usual, events do have causes, in local as in national and international affairs. A fascinating story emerges in Brinscall - not only of irresistible economic change but also of positive achievement, triumph over adversity, and sadness mingled with success.