The Clog Shop Chronicles is a wonderful collection of short stories revolving around the mythical textile village of Beckside somewhere in Lancashire a long time ago.

John Ackworth was the pen name of the Wesleyan minister, the Rev. Frederick R Smith. Born at Snaith in what is now Humberside, but was then part of Yorkshire, his religious work took him to Farnworth and Lytham in Lancashire and then to Sheffield, Shotley Bridge and York in the county of his birth.

From there he returned to Lancashire, preaching to his flocks in St. Annes-on-Sea, St. Helens, Eccles, Swinton, Manchester and Burnley. He passed away in the latter town in the year of 1917.

Thus he, like Samuel Laycock before him, became
one of a tiny number of Yorkshireman who made it
to the select company of writers in the Lancashire dialect

Published in support of the Working Class Movement Library, Salford.