The lives of my great-grandparents have been a continual source of inspiration. As part of the coal mining and cotton milling communities in Barnsley in the early 20th century, their lives were austere, laced with tragedy, yet shining examples of resilience and hope. Many of the songs on this album describe scenes from their lives, such as ‘Gawber Hole’, the colliery where Jim worked from the age of 12, and ‘Staincross To Skeggie’ which details, both Edith-Maude’s harsh life at the mill, and the bicycle rides they would take out to the coast, away from the pit wheels and looms. Like so many who lived through the First World War, their lives were irrevocably shadowed by it. Fighting with the Barnsley Pal’s Battalion (‘The Dirty Five’), Jim loses many dear friends, while Edith-Maude strains to keep their family going despite rationing. The album closes with ‘Sing Beneath The Sun’, Edith-Maude’s plea that Jim free himself from a mining life that was slowly killing him, and realise his dream of becoming a professional musician. With her loving support, Jim never worked the pits again.

This album would not exist without a wealth of stories that have been passed down to me by my mother. I hope that this album will do justice to the lives of Jim and Edith-Maude, and to her endeavour to keep these memories alive.