Voices of Stanley

is a remarkable compilation of extracts drawn from the extensive Beamish Museum Oral History collection, recalling life in the area between 1880 and 1950. Vivid memories are recounted, including childhood and schooldays, work and play, sport and leisure, as well as the war years. It covers the harrowing search for bodies following the Stanley pit disaster of 1909 and lost sheep in the snows of 1947, as well as local traditions of possing, jarping, and candymen. Richly illustrated with over seventy pictures from the museum archive, many previously unpublished, this volume paints a revealing picture of life in Stanley in years gone by. Anyone who knows the town will enjoy this nostalgic look at the unique history of the area through the eyes of its residents.