Born in Bacup, Lancs in the 1930's, George Clarke left school at age 15 and joined GPO as a telephone engineer apprentice. He became a fully qualified telephone engineer after a two year hiatus wduring which completed National Service in the Royal Signals. He was married at age 23 and fathered two children, a boy and a girl. Later, he spent some years as in a career as a Domestic Appliance Engineer.
In 1986 George had a car accident which regrettably curtailed his working career. In the 90's he decided to write and enrolled in college to advance his writing skills. From there on-in his career as an author has not looked back and George has published three books to date.
Burston Brass Band is a village band in Lancashire. It already had a history before Joe Clayton joined as a young member during the Second World War, but this is its history from the time he joined.
It is the amusing story of that special breed, the brass bandsman. Drawn entirely from the author's own experiences and knowledge, we share the bandsmen's drinking sprees, their feelings when first appearing on the contest stage, the way they 'nobble' other players and the awful rejection when disqualified from a contest after weeks of practice. And also the great camaraderie and the tremendous effort put into their playing, and the way the local community relied on them to be there, even when it meant tramping for hours through the snow on their regular Christmas Eve 'farm visits'.
Their dedication to playing is only surpassed by their dedication to drinking. Wherever they were playing, certain bandsmen would know exactly where to go to find an open pub or club - even when it meant 'special opening hours'! They often found themselves busking for ale, and the brass band was a good excuse for many to escape the guiding wifely hand.In a direct and witty narrative we are introduced to the great individuals who make up the band and whose often hilarious antics leave us aghast and amused. Buy from Amazon.
Young girl orphaned at five years old. Brought up by a doting aunt, beautiful but selfish and spoilt she was ostracized at school, eventually leaving to get a good job, but due to her demeanor she soon lost all jobs that came her way until eventually she found herself out on the streets. After a vicious attack she was hospitalized and taken under the wing of a lady Doctor who restored her to her fit and healthy self but only in body. After her recovery she vowed vengeance on all her former adversaries. Buy from Amazon.
Georgian England, at the start of the Industrial Revolution, just four years after the Battle of Waterloo. Two children, from poor families and in dire circumstances, each have good reason to run away and seek better life. Brought together by chance; staying together from loyalty and the need for human companionship. Developing into loving young adults with strong sense of justice and humanity, the two are appalled by the plight of the common workers. It is August 1819, and they journey to Manchester to attend a meeting. There, at St Peter's Field, the radical orator, Henry Hunt, is to address the crowd. A rude shock awaits them and not all return safely to their homes - there is blood on the field. A compelling love story set in the atmosphere of oppression, class division, hatred and violence that accompanied the Industrial Revolution in general, and the 'Peterloo Massacre' in particular. Buy from Amazon
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