Synopsis
Outsiders may view Shropshire as basically just two contrasting towns (quaint, old-fashioned Shrewsbury on the one hand, and vibrant, thrusting Telford on the other) surrounded by nothing more than miles and miles of rolling fields full of sheep. But of course there's rather more to this beautiful county than that. Situated between the sprawling West Midlands conurbation to the east and the often mysterious, frequently romantic land of Wales to the west, Shropshire is a place of medieval houses, ruined castles, pretty villages, breathtaking countryside and busy little market towns. Its complicated geology and its relics of Welsh border warfare and of the Industrial Revolution, make it 'a museum without walls', while its gorgeous hills and valleys make it the most perfect walking country. It is the birthplace of famous soldiers like Clive of India and influential thinkers like Charles Darwin; the inspiration behind the creations of the novelist Mary Webb and the poet A. E. Housman; and the workbench of great builders such as Thomas Telford and 'Iron-Mad' Wilkinson.
And all the while, of course, the men, women and children of Shropshire go about their everyday lives, going to work or school, driving tractors, playing football, going to the cinema or to the shops. In this, the final book in the Pictures from the Past trilogy (previous volumes featured Shrewsbury and Telford), the aim is to reflect some of the fantastic diversity to be found in this extraordinary county by once again focusing on nothing more dramatic than the 'ordinary' lives of its people.
From the Author
Co-author of Shrewsbury: Pictures From The Past is journalist Phil Gillam who is also co-author (with Toby Neal) of Telford: Pictures From The Past (Breedon Books) and Shropshire: Pictures From The Past (Breedon Books). Phil has also produced a novel set in his beloved hometown of Shrewsbury, entitled Here Comes The Sun (published by upso), also available through amazon. This reflective novel of suburban tittle-tattle, supernatural happenings, romance, religion and pop music, tells the story of Patrick Grant, born on a council estate in the 1950s. In this gentle novel – infused with the music of The Beatles – love and friendship prevail.
