New book 'brings alive' 1970s Staveley community

Colin Kirkwood has penned ‘Community Work and Adult Education in Staveley 1969-1972’ – a fully-illustrated, 134-page A4 book chronicling his role as area principal for adult education in North East Derbyshire.

The book was launched at Staveley Library on Friday, March 6, when speakers included Colin and Rob Hunter, who was a community worker in Staveley at the time.

They were accompanied by Dr Sharon Clancy, of the University of Nottingham, and Professor Linden West, of Canterbury Christ Church University.

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Colin said: “This book is not a piece of antiquarianism: it brings alive the events, themes and conflicts of that time. In it we hear the voices of Staveley people.”

He describes the book as ‘very much a narrative of the 1970s’ and it discusses the challenges faced by communities in Derbyshire’s mining towns at that time.

It features newspaper reports of the time and draws on letters, poems and articles.

Colin and Rob formed a ‘remarkable’ creative partnership and their discussions with the people of Staveley form the basis for the book.

Readers will be interested by the many references to Staveley Works, Ireland Colliery, Barrow Hill Club and the Staveley Now community newspaper Colin and Rob set up.

The book is published by Brill | Sense of Leiden and Boston, and will have worldwide circulation.