Book description
This is the story of the men who built Britain's canals and
railways - not the engineers and the administrators but the ones who
provided the brawn and muscle. There had never been a workforce like
the navvies, a great army of men, moving about the country following
the work as it became available. This book will tell of their
extraordinary feats of strength and their often colourful lives. They
lived rough, usually having to make do with huts and shelters cobbled
together from whatever materials were available. They worked hard and
drank hard. Often exploited by their employers, they were always
liable to erupt into riots that could have fatal results. The book
will look at who these men were, where they came from - and destroy
the myth that they were all Irish. It is a story full of drama, but
above all one of great achievements.
Anthony Burton has to date published 70 books, including The
Anatomy of Canals vols 1-3, Canal 250 and Matthew Boulton for The
History Press. He has worked extensively in television as a writer and
presenter and recently as an expert, appearing in Big, Bigger, Biggest
for Channel 5, Thomas Telford for BBC Scotland, an episode of Coast
and most recently discussing canal navvies on The One Show. He will be
appearing with Melvyn Bragg on Reel History of Britain. As well as
being a historic adviser for the Discovery series, he is currently
writing articles for the BBC Magazine Countryfile and Canal Boat. A
regular contributor to Railways & Canals Historical Society
Journal, Anthony is also a regular presenter on BBC1's Inside Out programme.
