BYGONE Folk and Industries of the Duddon Valley A Brief History, by Geoff Stebbens. Uniprint of Lancaster University, £8.
Bygone Folk and Industries of the Duddon Valley is a timely reminder of how working life used to be, compared to these days of compensation claims for repetitive strain injury and stress.
Packed with detail and astonishing stories, unsurprisingly its chief concerns are the tough industries of the district and the even tougher tradesmen that worked them.
Clearly, endless amounts of time has been spent poring over material in record offices to produce the necessary documentary evidence which includes newspaper reports, advertisements and letters.
It reveals much of the author's awe and reverence of the people who populate his book, that he dedicates it "to the men who worked in conditions which would leave present-day safety officers speechless and most modern-day workmen seeking alternative employment."
January 2, 2003 15:00
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