From Downton to the smelting pot

Next week sees the start of eagerly awaited Yorkshire-set historical BBC series The Gallows Pole. Yvette Huddleston speaks to its Bradford star, Sophie McShera.

THE remarkable true story of the Cragg Vale Coiners, a group of counterfeiters who operated in the Colne Valley in the 18th century, was brought to wider public attention by Yorkshire writer Ben Myers’ award-winning 2017 novel The Gallows Pole and the book has now inspired a new three-part BBC series launching next week.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker and screenwriter Shane Meadows, probably best known for his 2006 film This is England and its three TV sequels, it promises to be powerful and compelling viewing.

It is a Robin Hood-style story of wealth redistribution in that the counterfeiters, led by the charismatic David Hartley, collected coins, clipped them, made new coins out of the clippings and then gave them to members of their community, all of whom were in dire need.

The venture became one of the biggest frauds in British criminal history, but it was born out of desperation not greed. The group comprised destitute weavers and farm workers whose lives and livelihoods were adversely affected by the beginnings of industrialisation in West Yorkshire as formerly booming cottage industries were being overtaken by the unstoppable march of the Industrial Revolution. Meadows has effectively created a kind of prequel to Myers’ book, exploring how and why Hartley and his associates became counterfeiters.

Bradford-born and raised actor Sophie McShera takes a leading role in the new BBC series as Grace, erstwhile partner to Hartley (Michael Socha).

“Less is known about Grace than David and she doesn’t really appear in the novel, but there is no way she wasn’t involved in what the coiners were doing – she definitely wasn’t just in the background,” says McShera, who played Daisy the kitchen maid in all six series of Downton Abbey.

“When I first met Shane, he spoke about how it was important to him to bring the female characters more into the story – and I think just by giving those women space they came to the fore and became integral to

FORGED FROM POVERTY: Right, McShera in The Gallows Pole and, above, in a portrait, styling: Aimee Croysdill, make-up: Karin Darnell, hair: Alyssa Krau, retouch: The Creative Retoucher.