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A Mixed
Harvest: Stories of New Mills
Maurice Hope
A Mixed Harvest: Stories of New Mills is
a fresh look at the history of this Peak District
town, perched atop the torrs above the gorge of the
River Sett. By turning his focus on the people of
New Mills and the stories of their lives, Maurice
Hope deftly draws pictures of a changing town: recreating
the atmosphere of the Industrial Revolution, the two
World Wars and the modern technological revolution
through details of everyday life gleaned from books,
newspapers, parish records, advertisements and other
published sources.
Here are the people of New Mills through the years,
at work and at leisure, bringing to life the history
of the town – a cast of often forgotten but
fascinating characters. Nineteenth-century industrialists
and philanthropists lay the foundations of the modern
town: homes, almshouses, factories, libraries and
schools. Six young men vounteer to fight in World
War One, but not one of them returns home at the end
of the war. A generation later, as revealed through
another man’s story, history repeats itself.
Yet whenever the town has a chance to celebrate, whether
it be VE Day, the Festival of Britain or the Coronation,
the people of New Mills rise to the occasion and fill
the streets with stalls, parades and decorations.
This engaging account of life in New Mills is lavishly
illustrated with photographs, postcards and other
ephemera and offers a fascinating insight into the
social history of the town. As the Torrs Riverside
Park and the Millenium Walkway become symbols of New
Mills’ future, it seems appropriate to acknowledge
the people of the past and their personal contributions
to the life of the community.
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About the
Author
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