Rochdale - Past but not past it.

Atlas Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:43 am

The autobiographical books dealing with Rochdale in the 1950s - 1970s are as follows:-

Ower Darkling.
Ower Dawning.
Ower Detinue.
Ower Dabbling.

On most sites - Amazon etc etc etc. Google, Atlas D'Four.

Ten books WW2 - All have the first word 'BLACK' in the tiitle - 9 - non fiction. 1 counter-factual.
eg. Black Dust. etc etc etc.

Please enjoy. If you like them (or not) a few words on your Facebook might help (or not) as the case may be. Very Happy

Thank you all in advance. Ray.

Hinch Fri Apr 26, 2013 8:18 am

Only read Ower Darkling so far but very funny and very recognisable from my own cradling in the 50's and 60's.

What I liked was that it pulls no punches. Rochdale warts and all; the good and the bad. I spent a lot of time in the area covered around Entwistle Road and Wardleworth. No money around then but it certainly never got in the way of us having fun. I well remember the gangs collecting bonfire wood and the near-lethal fights with home made weapons.

Atlas seems to have spent a good amount of his time concerned with matters concerning the area betwixt his knees and his navel but describes this in a very humorous way.

I recall one or two of the characters such as Dr Grice. I heartily recommend this as essential reading for anyone who wants to know how real people lived out their lives in Rochdale in the days before we had cars, smart-phones and games consoles.

I'd like to know a bit more about the Cloverdale Mill fire Atlas... NOT that I'm casting doubts on your character.