Memories of Rural Lincolnshire Families and the Gentleman Executioner by Rosita Bird

This book features the memories of Lincolnshire families, specifically, the Clark, Grebby, Marwood and Knight families. This vividly brings to life rural Lincolnshire told from the viewpoint of the present, whilst always in the foreground the voices, from newspaper articles, and personal memories, of the past. The hardship and grind of everyday rural life is clearly depicted, along with the gradual improvement in conditions as time goes by. This is particularly so in the mechanisation of the farming industry from its primitive beginnings. This at a time when the influence of the Methodist movement was most profound particularly in rural communities.The life of the National Celebrity of the time William Marwood - The Official Executioner is documented along with his humane development of the hitherto hit and miss business of execution. A thoughtful and very interesting look back at a time of great change.