My new and final book, Coal In The Blood is due for release on 9th June. It is published by Summerhill Books,and is of the Coal Mining Industry In Stanley & District. Some of the photos have been shown before but not in this way. I include most but not all of our local collieries and many of the people who worked in them.
The book is priced at £9.99 and is A4 in size with 104 pages. Apart from the photographs of collieries, there are accounts of famous local people such as the Mining Engineer John Buddle who was born in Kyo. Lord James Joicey who was born at Kip Hill. Tommy Armstrong, the Pitman's Poet, born at Shotley Bridge but spent most of his life in our area. John Pattison, the East Stanley Poet and others. There are also accounts of the Tanfield Railway, the Stanhope & Tyne Railway and the Causey Arch, plus so much more.
In my research over the years, I have struggled to decide which of the available historic accounts to accept as totally accurate, and have come to the conclusion it is indefinable. i therefore, where possible give the varying accounts and let the reader decide. I mostly stick to people like the former historian Fred Wade, the NCB accounts in Durham Records Office, and people like Eric Forster, who wrote the book "The Death Pit". But there again, who,s to say I am right in doing so. I always advise people to research the facts themselves, wherever they are available. History is a funny old subject. It causes more questions than answers, so if you can't handle criticism, don't put pen to paper, because there are a multitude of experts out there.
The book is selling fast, so if you don't want to miss out, then get your copy soon.
This is my sixth and final book. It will be on sale in local shops, It is remarkable that we have been able to keep the price at £9.99 as that was the cost of my first book, considering the price of inflation over the years. but it's not about money, it is more about spreading the word of local history. The ammount of emails I recieve indicate I must have influenced some of you out there. I do hope so. There is plenty left in the way of local history for you all to get at.
The book can be pre ordered by contacting my e mail address and I will pass your order on to the publisher. Don't miss oput, order early. I have just recieved a delivery date of 9th June or earlier.
best wishes
Jack Hair email jackhair@tiscali.co.uk