Gasmasks and Garston: A Liverpool Childhood (1937-1953)

A wry, autobiographical account of a girl growing up in a large, chapel-going, working-class family in the dockland area of Garston between the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The author's family had many camping and cycling adventures in Wales, and want to London for the Festival of Britain and the Coronation.

ISBN: 9781784612030

Price: £9.99

Department: Biographical, History

Format: Paperback

Language: English

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Reviews

This is a wise, witty, historically informed and politically engaged piece of writing which vividly recreates scenes and events from the author's early life. The best description is really 'sociobiography' because the book moves back and forth fluently between personal memories and wider observations on the social history that she has lived through with a sharp eye for salient detail. [...] Although the narrative takes her only to age 16 the writing is everywhere informed by the whole range of her later experience, especially that acquired as a hardy left-wing activist and campaigner. Warmly recommended, and let us all hope that she'll produce at least one sequel volume to bring us more up to date. - Christopher Norris, Professor in Philosophy at the University of Cardiff

"A delightful and heartwarming account of a child growing up during the 2nd World War. The background to Garston in Liverpool is clearly explained and the stories and photographs bring this large, lively, working class family to life. I found it a page turner and in turn funny, sad and enlightening. Very good value for money! - Amazon reviewer

Blurb

Gasmasks and Garston is a heart-warming memoir about growing up in a large, working-class, chapel-going family in the dockland area of Garston, Liverpool, between the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

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