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Bookmark on DeliciousPublished: Sep. 11, 2011
Words: 80911 (approximate)
Language: English
Ebook short description
A young lad grows up in a small farming community in Worcestershire.His name is James, and through his ability with horses, he makes his way from local farming to develop his livelihood in the Industrial Midlands. This is the story of his life and that of his extensive family.Extended description
Set in the Nineteenth Century, and based on factual family history, the story follows James as he makes his way through the trials and tribulations of his life.As the youngest and weakest son of a large family, he is unable to deal with the harsh rigors of farming, but his way with horses enables him to find a role in the family that is beneficial to all.
His marriage to a local serving girl further establishes himself and family as valued members of the community, but a need for more work eventually drives him to the Industrial Midlands to begin a business there.
As his family grows, he is torn between his Worcestershire home and his business in Staffordshire. But the relative peace and quiet of his home has to compete with the hard labour, dirt and disease that abound in the 'Black Country'.
The Waggoner is a family saga built upon the abilities of one man and how he deals with the problems of life as he encounters them.
Adult-content rating:
This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages. For more information, see the Support FAQ.
Tags
horses, sons, daughter, farming, disease, family history, black country, canals, wagon, deprivation, worcestershire, wednesbury, industrial midlands, waggon, family saga history, inkberrowAvailable ebook reading formats
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Reviews
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Review by:
Steph Bennion
on Feb. 09, 2012 :
I picked this book out of nostalgia for the English Midlands, particularly as it’s been a while since I’ve read anything set in my native Black Country. This was an entertaining read and is clearly written on the back of a lot of research; though this often resulted in some paragraphs reading like encyclopaedia entries. The episodic story has a nice pace and the book offers an interesting glimpse into life in the industrial Midlands during the canal-building mania (and later railways) of the industrial revolution. It is however somewhat lacking in drama, as the family that the story follows ultimate enjoy a fairly cosy existence considering the harsh reality of life for the working class at that time!
(reviewed within a month of purchase)
Review by:
Jonathan Maxfield
on Dec. 21, 2011 :
I have just finished reading your book the Waggoner and I really enjoyed it. It helped broaden my understanding of what great changes that my ancestors who lived in Coseley, Tipton, Wednesbury & Darlaston must have faced with the coming of the Canals and Railways. I also liked how you explained how people coped with the changing circumstances even though the work was hard and diease was everywhere. Sometimes i think we forget that there were many occasions where life wasn't all about work and I enjoyed your account of Bilston Wake and how people coped with relationships.
(reviewed long after purchase)