Books from Doncaster & surrounds

[SydneyRover]

My partner just read The Peppered Moth by Margeret Drabble who comes from Mexborough and is based on her mothers life. Her father used to own a factory called Drabbles.

My partner has read other books by MD but didn't know until this one the connection to Doncaster.

[Filo]

At the Coalface

The memoirs of a Pit Nurse at Hatfield Colliery

And

Dads do Cry

The Story of the 1939 cage crash at Hatfield Colliery

[Donnywolf]

Manuscript in a Red Box

Deals with draining of the marshes / Isle of Axholme etc - so its a historic look at "the differences between the local population who largely wanted life to continue as was" and the rulers of the day who didnt.

Fascinating reading about people riding horses etc back home and having to read to state of the tides in the ditches rivers etc to know they would make it.

I have looked up and here is a way to read it for free - I have seen them as high as £80 on Ebay. You can (or should see Page 1) and decide whether to continue
https://archive.org/details/msinaredbox00hamigoog/page/n19/mode/1up/search/market

[Donnywolf]

My partner just read The Peppered Moth by Margeret Drabble who comes from Mexborough and is based on her mothers life. Her father used to own a factory called Drabbles.

My partner has read other books by MD but didn't know until this one the connection to Doncaster.

Drabbles the Sweets maker perhaps ?
Googled - yes thats him

[SydneyRover]

Yep, that's the one Wolfy.

[River Don]

Ted Hughes went to school in Mexborough and wrote of his childhood in Old Denaby and Manor Farm (now a dining pub).

I've always meant to get around to reading some of his stuff sometime but I never have yet.

[ravenrover]

Walter Scott Ivanhoe

[roversdude]

There was one written by an old Balby lady, there was also one written by someone from Mexborough about growing up in 1970s that was really good but spoiled by them going to Millmoor

[IDM]

Loathe him or not, Clarkson has written quite a few books..

[BillyStubbsTears]

Loathe him or not, Clarkson has written quite a few books..

Very good of him. They'll come in useful after the no deal Brexit at the end of the year when we run out of shit roll again.

Meanwhile, did anyone ever sort out if the book that led to Get Carter (Jack's Return Home) was actually set in Donny?

[Mike_F]

I read on e called Danny Boy when I was a teenager. I remember it being ok but can't rememebr the author's name.

More recently, friend of Mine by the name of Will Templeton wrote a good one called Births, Marriages and Death. A bit of a slow burn to start with but it gets really engaging.

Then there's our own vivarovers AKA Glen Wilson with his first book titled W C L D N. I read it on kindle a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it so I'm delighted that it's being published.

[Pancho Regan]

I'm glad you've reminded me about Glen's book Mike.
I meant to order a copy but had forgotten, so I've just done so.

[roversdude]

Sorry it was Rawmarsh “ Kid on a Red Chopper Bike: A Ride Through the 1970's” by Tony Beesley

[scawsby steve]

I read on e called Danny Boy when I was a teenager. I remember it being ok but can't rememebr the author's name.

More recently, friend of Mine by the name of Will Templeton wrote a good one called Births, Marriages and Death. A bit of a slow burn to start with but it gets really engaging.

Then there's our own vivarovers AKA Glen Wilson with his first book titled W C L D N. I read it on kindle a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it so I'm delighted that it's being published.

How's Will doing Mike? Last time I saw him was in 2012, when we toured the community with our production of "Kes". He played the headmaster, I played the games teacher.

Great times. He's a good bloke, Will.

[drfchound]

You were typecast as the slightly balding Bobby Charlton mate.

[ravenrover]

Have you ever seen SS kick a ball? I haven't😁

[scawsby steve]

Have you ever seen SS kick a ball? I haven't😁

That's the whole point Raven, Sugden the games teacher couldn't kick a ball either; he was just a bully who thought he could.

At least I knew I was crap; and don't forget, the Rovers have had plenty of players who actually got paid for being crap.

[SydneyRover]

There was one written by an old Balby lady, there was also one written by someone from Mexborough about growing up in 1970s that was really good but spoiled by them going to Millmoor

Found it, 'An Ordinary Life' memories of a Balby childhood by Winifred M Renshaw.

[roversdude]

That was it SR as a Balby lad it was quite poignant

[Mike_F]

I read on e called Danny Boy when I was a teenager. I remember it being ok but can't rememebr the author's name.

More recently, friend of Mine by the name of Will Templeton wrote a good one called Births, Marriages and Death. A bit of a slow burn to start with but it gets really engaging.

Then there's our own vivarovers AKA Glen Wilson with his first book titled W C L D N. I read it on kindle a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it so I'm delighted that it's being published.

How's Will doing Mike? Last time I saw him was in 2012, when we toured the community with our production of "Kes". He played the headmaster, I played the games teacher.

Great times. He's a good bloke, Will.

He's alright, thanks Steve. I'll pass on your regards.

[Dr Fundlekrotch]

Loathe him or not, Clarkson has written quite a few books..

Very good of him. They'll come in useful after the no deal Brexit at the end of the year when we run out of shit roll again.

Meanwhile, did anyone ever sort out if the book that led to Get Carter (Jack's Return Home) was actually set in Donny?

I've just finished re-reading that, BST.  Shortly starting on the sequel - Carter's Law. 

He stops at Donny station to change platforms and take another train so it looks like it could be somewhere like Scunthorpe or Grimsby, sadly.  Neither town actually has the roads that Ted Lewis names in the book, so it seems to be an entirely fictional Northern Town, but Scunthorpe seems the most likely influence

[ravenrover]

Remind me isn't the film set in Newcastle?

[Ldr]

It is yes

[wilts rover]

Ted Lewis, the author of Jack's Return Home was brought up near Scunthorpe. He said Scunthorpe was the main inspiration for the town in the book although some scenes are descriptions of Grimsby.

The ending (which is a beachfront colliery in the film) is Barton Cement Works in the book.

https://www.tedlewis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/TreasureHouse.pdf

[Iberian Red]

I read on e called Danny Boy when I was a teenager. I remember it being ok but can't rememebr the author's name.

That was Jo Ann Goodwin. She used to live on Nether Hall Road,and was a Labour party activist. She went on to become a Parliamentary Secretary,and then write for the Daily Fail!
The book was hyped as being a Doncaster equivalent of Trainspotting. Lots of mentions of Edlo,Rosso etc in the book