Publisher's Synopsis
A novice family historian, the author sets out to gain a personal perspective on her background. She rapidly realises that to understand her forebears she must gain a greater insight into their world. As she begins to dig more deeply, the dry, academic past of the history books morphs into a fascinating kaleidoscope of conflict and romance, crime and retribution, economic hardship and joyful celebration. Long held family secrets emerge to surprise and intrigue. The resulting stories are unique but universal, ordinary yet extraordinary. For the Carters and the Garretts are people of their time and place, their lives woven into the fabric of the society and the surroundings into which they are born and in which they make their living. They are the people behind the statistics, the individuals who make up the common history. Join the quest to unearth the reality of their everyday lives. From the farms of Dorset and Pembrokeshire to the coal mines, foundries and dockyards of Monmouthshire, from the days of George III to the aftermath of the Second World War, accompany them through the Industrial Revolution, sweeping social change, personal tragedy and triumph to the brink of the modern age.
