#BlogTour Richard Coates. Tuppeny Rice & Treacle and Tunes on a Penny Whistle. @authoright26/1/2018
Tunes on a Penny Whistle
Introduction (Page 3) This account is based on my memories of rural life during the First World War and its aftermath. Though it is set in a Derbyshire village, it is of more than local significance. The picture portrayed could be equally true of a village in the Welsh valleys, or in the small spinning or weaving communities of Yorkshire or Lancashire. Here one would find parishes that were not full of pastoral scenes based on farming, under the patronage of the landowner in the big house. They were outposts of industry, engaged in occupations usually centred on towns. The social structure was different, but they were close-knit communities, sharing the problems and pleasures of their age. Working people then had few of the rights we have taken for granted today. There was no protection against bad employers, no unemployment pay or sick pay, no right to free medical care or secondary education, a limited electoral franchise and a tiny old-age pension at the age of seventy. This sounds grim, but it was not a generation of miserable people. There was courage and resourcefulness, and often a great capacity for fun and simple pleasures. Self-help and mutual support was the order of the day and everyone worked together to alleviate hardship through such organisations as Friendly Societies, mechanics institutes, burial societies and nursing associations. The practical benefits of these organisations were usually combined with social pleasures. Then, of course, there were the churches and chapels and sports and pastimes. Perhaps in most communities there were characters like my father, always ready to take the lead and inspire others to greater effort. I write this partly in tribute to this remarkable man who was always in the forefront of any activity. He worked long hours in a shoe factory, but lived life to the full, finding equal satisfaction in cycling round the surrounding villages collecting news items for the local press, conducting choirs, public speaking, taking parties of children for picnics, or playing his organ or penny whistle. Context This extract from the Introduction sets the scene for the book. Doris was born in 1908 and grew up through the First World War and the 1920’s in considerable hardship. Tunes on a Penny Whistle paints a shocking picture of rural life in that period, describing in detail the appalling working conditions in the shoe factories, and the continual challenge to make ends meet. It also describes how the community met those challenges, and the leadership role that her father, Harry Dawson, played in many areas – the fight for union recognition, mutual self-help societies, the Liberal Party, chapel, social, sporting and musical activities. Tunes on a Penny Whistle: A Derbyshire Childhood The early 1900s were a period of great hardship for many working-class families, particularly in rural areas. However, they were also times of pride and self-sufficiency, with fun and laughter derived from simple pleasures as well as mutual support and courage when poverty could have become unbearable. This book is a personal history of a childhood in the village of Eyam – known as the Plague Village – in the Peak District of Derbyshire. Doris recalls how her mother confronted tough living conditions without labour-saving devices and often with little or no money. She remembers, too, her father, who fought for the right for union representation, worked for self-help groups, and organised political meetings and village entertainments. He was a talented self-taught musician, producing a wide range of music on his Canadian organ and penny whistle. His fighting spirit made him a remarkable and influential character within the village community. Both humorous and shocking, this description of domestic and community life at the beginning of the twentieth century is illustrated with many contemporary photographs, documents, and line drawings by George Coates, the author’s husband. Purchase from Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/2D3e5ZW
Tuppenny Rice and Treacle: Cottage Housekeeping 1900-1920
Feeding a family on a limited budget is always a challenge. Yet even with a budget as low as ten shillings (50p) a week in the early part of the twentieth century, it is remarkable how interesting and varied the menu could be. This delightful book draws on recipes compiled by Doris’s mother in Derbyshire and mother-in-law in Cumberland, and contains detailed records of weekly expenditure. It includes numerous recipes for nutritious and filling meals for working men and growing families, taking full advantage of what was available - hearty meat dishes, with lots of root vegetables, puddings and dumplings to fill them out, cakes and buns, sweets and jams, and beverages to go with them (some highly alcoholic!). The recipes work just as well now as then. It is also full of household and cleaning hints and products, illustrating immense pride in the home, as well as medicines, lotions and potions that would ‘kill or cure’. Purchase from Amazon UK - amzn.to/2ARDfEK
About the authors:
Born in Eyam in the Peak District of Derbyshire, Doris E. Coates achieved a successful and varied career as a teacher in both Derbyshire and later in Norfolk. Along with her husband George, she was an active member of her community promoting local groups, enjoyed singing in the local choir and, after retirement, turned her talents to writing. Her son, Richard Coates, now based in Bath enjoyed a happy childhood and grew up appreciating the importance of a strong education. After gaining a scholarship at Oxford University he went on to read Politics, Philosophy and Economics. Later as a management consultant he worked for international companies including Audi, British Airways and Mars in both the UK and oversees and continues to sit on the board of Davos Consultancy. Now retired, and in memory of his mother, Richard has decided to republish her books with fascinating new additions after researching further into his family history.
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