Shropshire Mines Trust, sb, 132 pp, 82 photos, 19 illustrations

This was researched and written by members of the Trust, from interviews of surviving rerlatives an families of the Miners working in the Stiperstones mines. It contains a wealth of information on life in a lead mining community years ago. (All proceeds go to the Shropshire Mines Trust)

The following review by Dr Sharron Shwartz

Mike

All too rarely is history written 'from the bottom up', recording the lives
and times of ordinary people, and oral history is still often regarded as the
Cinderella of the historical order. Such approaches only serve to diminish
our understanding of the past and of the contribution made by countless people and their communities to our way of life today.

'Never on a Sunday', researched, written and produced by the Shropshire
Mines Trust, details the rich history of the former lead mining communities around the Stiperstones, an area of great beauty in Shropshire. Making extensive use of oral history, approximately 60 interviews were conducted in 1998-2000 with
many of the older residents of the area who were encouraged to share their memories with a team of seven who recorded them for posterity. Where possible,the information that such interviews yielded has been contextualised and checked for accuracy. The resulting publication provides a fascinating glimpse
into the lives and times of ordinary working people: their jobs, faith,
schooling, leisure activities, family and community life. Complete with
historic images, line drawings and modern colour photographs, it details the hardship that often existed in the early-to mid-twentieth century,
particularly during the war years, but through it all shines the warmth and
closeness of family and community. A highly recommended read.

Dr Sharron P. Schwartz
University of Exeter