Beneath the Shelter of an Ancient Tree by David Brown

Beneath the Shelter of an Ancient Tree by David Brown

A voyage of family discovery reveals poverty and imprisonment in the West Country; the development of new trades in the industrial revolution; a Rabbi who doubles up as a pawnbroker; and middle-class prosperity and tragedy in the Birmingham jewellery trade. Starting with only minimal knowledge of widely dispersed ancestors this journey tracks down ancient relatives from Wales, the West Riding of Yorkshire, Somerset, Dorset, Poland and Russia. Two mayors make fleeting appearances (one in Gloucester, the other in Moonee Ponds, Melbourne). One great uncle is found to have designed the iconic gantries in the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast where the Titanic was built. A great, great, great grandfather has questions to answer about the treatment of child labour in his Calderdale spinning mill.
Starting in the late 18th century Beneath the Shelter of an Ancient Tree catalogues how and where these diverse characters lived, how they made their living, and the ups and downs of family fortunes. It comments on some of the pivotal moments that affected their progress, and draws on contemporary sources, some family memoirs, and genealogical records to build a picture of how working people and artisans gradually - throughout the Victorian era - improved their lot in life.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781398462519
ISBN 10	1398462519
Title	Beneath the Shelter of an Ancient Tree
Author	David Brown
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Austin Macauley Publishers
Year published	2023-01-06
Number of pages	190
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.