Ferguson's Gang: The Secret Society that Saved Rural England

by Polly Bagnall, Sally Beck

The Ferguson Gang was a mysterious and deeply eccentric group of women in the 1930s who combined anarchic stunts, fine dining, and saving the English countryside. Disturbed by the growing destruction of landscape and historic buildings in the UK, they started to raise money for the National Trust, which a masked member would deliver in bizarre ways—Victorian coins sewn into a goose's carcass, 100 pound notes wrapped around cigars, and checks stuffed into miniature bottles. In between stunts they traveled the country finding new places under threat, fueled by hampers from Fortnums. Their escapades were followed closely in the national press. When one of the gang broadcast a radio appeal on behalf of the NT, they netted 600 new members and a huge sum of money. They helped to save many properties, tracts of the Cornish coast, and supported appeals to buy land in the Lake District, Devon, and Wiltshire. The operated with masks and pseudonyms (including "Bill Stickers," "Red Biddy," "Erb the Smasher," and "The Artichoke"). They maintained their anonymity until death, but this fascinating biography will unmask them all for the first time.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

224 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2014

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this in a second hand store and being a fan of the NT, it seemed worth a look! Great book about a group of fairly wealthy (for their time) eccentrics who pledged to support the acquisition of several NT properties/ land during the early 30's to the mid 50's. They adopted code-names and delivered collections in a variety of imaginative ways; always masked and rarely expected, to the HQ of the NT. The press caught on and raised the profile of the NT by reporting on these escapades which had a positive effect for the public donations to the Trust also. All bar one of the gang members identities are now known and this book follows their lives during and after the Ferguson's Gang days.
Great book about some great, if quirky folk.

[julian st.john eckersley · Rating 5 out of 5]

English spiritual history.

A wonderful window into the world of eccentric fun that is part of our collective English spiritual history and its buildings.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scrapes a four because the history was interesting but not as clear a read as it could have been.

[Valerie B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this, not usually one for historical non- fiction but this is a proper good read. Takes you back to the not so distant past when women were finding a little more freedom to be themselves and using that to do good things.
Ferguson's Gang: The Secret Society that Saved Rural EnglandFerguson's Gang: The Secret Society that Saved Rural England Daring-do , junket and costumes. How to have fun and do something worthwhile at the same time.

[Toast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well reads more like history than the real life adventures of a bunch of game gals who amazingly raised pots of cash for the National Trust and saved lots of buildings and Cornish coastline for the nation. OK they didn't rob banks and the like but for a group of young woman in the 1920s and 30s (and beyound but that was their hayday) to raise sheds lots of money, get maximum exposure for the cause of conservation without revealing who they were whilst tucking into Fortnam and Mason food hampers was no mean feat. They don't make them like that any more.
Lacks their umph but I'm glad I know of them.
Toast

[Wilde Sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A group of eccentric people support the National Trust (a UK charity that maintains stately historic houses).

I found this book oddly fascinating - in particular the histories / biographies of some of the woman involved in the 'gang' were incredible.