A village life most ordinary in new book
A BOOK based on the diary of a villager from Hartington has been launched.
A Village Life: Hartington 1933-55, which chronicles the observations of John Sherratt and compiles other community memories, has been produced by Richard Gregory of the Hartington History Group and edited by Roly Smith.
The book only offers a window on village life through the eyes of one of its residents. It has more than 100 pictures of the village and its inhabitants, many not been seen before.
Richard said: “Diaries like these are rare because few working-class people kept them, and those that were written rarely survive.
“Such social histories of ‘ordinary’ people and communities is usually concentrated on urban rather than rural localities.”
John Robert Sherratt lived in Hartington Town Quarter parish throughout his life.
He was born in Dig Street on September 1, 1900, and died there 77 years later, on December 20.
He is buried with his wife Irene in St Giles’ churchyard. Richard said: “Known by some people as ‘The Thinker,’ John was a quiet, contemplative man and his diaries reflect this.
“It contains occasional references to events elsewhere in the world, such as wars.
“When his son Jeffrey was born in March, 1937, his diary records no more than: “Son born 7.20pm. Good.”
“The entry for VE Day is alongside one recording the fact that John sowed his garden peas.”