Amidst the hard-working mining community of 1958 Ashington, one battered and bruised family need all their inner-strength and courage to survive four months of traumatic events that test their youthful resilience and Geordie sense of humour to the limit.In a town of heroic everyday toil, who are the villains and who are the heroes? Can the family fight through adversity and remain strong enough to pull together or will they crumble and fall; who of them has the strength and courage to carry on no matter what life throws at them?As war clouds loom over Europe, Jane, a public school girl with a privileged upbringing goes against her father's wishes and trains to become a nurse; nearing the end of her training she falls pregnant to Nick, a wounded war hero and her life changes forever.Disowned by her father she marries Nick and moves in with his parents who live in a colliery house in the mining town of Ashington in Northumberland and discovers that her new husband is far removed from the dashing hero she thought him to be.In 1958, Battered, bruised and with four children, she faces four traumatic months that will test her family and her own inner strength and resilience to the limit. Will the support of her Geordie neighbours be enough to help her through her darkest hours?
About the Author: The Fourth Lad is the story of my first 20 years and is very much my personal recollections, for anyone who has enjoyed my memoirs, I have just completed my first novel 'Heroes?' set in 1958 Ashington and which is now available on Kindle, hopefully it is the first novel of a series, more to follow. Born in 1945, I spent the austere post war years living in a tough but friendly street in a tough Geordie Mining Town. One of eleven children, three of whom died before age two, my early years were made more difficult by an uncaring self-obsessed mother and chauvinistic father but learning to survive Mam's mean and underhand ways probably helped define my character. After spending a couple of eventful years working in the local colliery, I escaped the colliery, home and Mam by following my three older brothers into the army. Unfortunately my first two years in Khaki were less than successful. However everything changed for the better when I met my wife. With her love and support, I rose swiftly through the ranks becoming an RSM at age 33 before being commissioned and eventfully retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel at age 55. During my time in the army I served in the UK, Germany, Malaya, Singapore, Cyprus and the Middle East. I completed 4 tours of duty in Northern Ireland and took part in the First Gulf War. I love the great outdoors and spend as much time as possible hillwalking and trekking. I also paint in watercolours and have run classes and held two vey successful exhibitions. Our Daughter is a very successful artist and sculptress and lives in Kent with her artist husband and two talented teenage kids.