King Cotton

by Thomas Armstrong

King Cotton

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

Born in 1899 in Leeds to parents from mill-owning families, Thomas Armstrong attended Queen Elizabeth School, Wakefield; then studied at the Royal Naval College, Keyham, followed by service in the Royal Navy during the First World War. Finding the spit and polish of peace-time Navy life irksome, he entered the wool trade but was soon off on a roving tour of the world that lasted several years. He married in 1930 and then began writing novels, achieving success with the immediately popular The Crowthers of Bankdam, first published in 1940, which at once established him as one of Britain's leading contemporary novelists. He lived in Yorkshire, initially in the West Riding and then in Swaledale for 30 years. Throughout his life he avoided personal publicity.

Thomas Armstrong died in 1978.

Reviews

[Elaine Pett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fabulous read about the Cotton Famine

I recently found out my Great Great Grandmother came from Rochdale and the family on the 1861 census were listed as cotton workers.
Inside this book is a fascinating account about how the Cotton workers sufferred during the American civil war and the lack of cotton for the mills.
It was written in the mid 1900's and therefore the reader needs to be prepared for very different beliefs, language and racism.

[Janet Charlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, I can’t count the number of times that I have read it. It is the story of Kit Ormerod’s life in the years immediately before and during the American Civil war. The book is set mainly in England, both in Liverpool and in Kit’s home town. He is a clerk in a cotton brokers and his home town is heavily dependent on the cotton grown in the Southern States, the supply of which dried up during the conflict. There is great hardship for the workers but they are supportive of the push to end slavery. On this reading I have been struck by the way that some of the issues are still with us today. Problems over trade, greed, profiteering, foreign agents attempting to influence events, prejudice, etc.etc. But it is also a story of love and of triump over adversity.

[Jo-Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and could not put it down!

I have read a great deal over the years on slavery and the American Civil War, but not from the viewpoint of those dependant upon cotton picked in the southern states by slaves outside of the USA. This was very new to me and quite illuminating, in that it ilustrated many contradictions and conditions - the evil that so called "God fearing men" can do and justify doing; the power of money to influence both good and evil; how skewed family relationshpis can be when influenced by the need for power, position and money. I was totally invested in the characters, particularly Abel, who can read into situations and discern the motives of different people around him, and consequently deal with them on terms they live on. I have the next Thomas Armstrong book picked out - "The Crowthers of Bankdom" and some of this family play supporting roles in "King Cotton".

Highly recommended! (less)

[Shell · Rating 5 out of 5]

although this book was written some time ago now, it's slightly old fashioned feel adds to it's charm. I've read it twice so far and both times enjoyed it enormously. Such good characters and really gets across the hardships of the time and the way that slavery enhanced the cotton trade. I doubt this will be the only two times I read this book in my life. Highly recommended.

[Peter Timson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Richard Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. I inherited it from my father.
I have read it several times and the detail and history are superbly described.
I will be reading it again soon.

[L.V.]

Curious, this book has an autograph inside the cover that appears to be L.S. Mathin or L.S. Matlin, whoever that is.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite ever books.