Heroes?: Four months of dramatic events that engulf one family in 1950s Ashington

by Sydney Carr

Amidst the hard-working mining community of 1958 Ashington, one battered and bruised family need all their inner-strength and courage to survive four months of traumatic events that test their youthful resilience and Geordie sense of humour to the limit. In a town of heroic everyday toil, who are the villains and who are the heroes? Can the family fight through adversity and remain strong enough to pull together or will they crumble and fall; who of them has the strength and courage to carry on no matter what life throws at them? As war clouds loom over Europe, Jane, a public school girl with a privileged upbringing goes against her father’s wishes and trains to become a nurse; nearing the end of her training she falls pregnant to Nick, a wounded war hero and her life changes forever. Disowned by her father she marries Nick and moves in with his parents who live in a colliery house in the mining town of Ashington in Northumberland and discovers that her new husband is far removed from the dashing hero she thought him to be. In 1958, Battered, bruised and with four children, she faces four traumatic months that will test her family and her own inner strength and resilience to the limit. Will the support of her Geordie neighbours be enough to help her through her darkest hours?

306 pages, Paperback

First published June 5, 2014

About the author

The Fourth Lad is the story of my first 20 years and is very much my personal recollections, for anyone who has enjoyed my memoirs, I have also written two novels 'Heroes?' and 'Instinctive Heroes' both set in 1958 Ashington. They are available on Amazon as Ebooks or paperbacks, hopefully, there will be more of the 'Heroes' series to follow.

Born in 1945, I spent the austere post war years living in a tough but friendly street in a tough Geordie Mining Town. One of eleven children, three of whom died before age two, my early years were made more difficult by an uncaring self-obsessed mother and chauvinistic father but learning to survive Mam's mean and underhand ways probably helped define my character.

After spending a couple of eventful years working in the local colliery, I escaped the colliery, home and Mam by following my three older brothers into the army. Unfortunately my first two years in Khaki were less than successful. However everything changed for the better when I met my wife. With her love and support, I rose swiftly through the ranks becoming an RSM at age 33 before being commissioned and eventfully retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel at age 55.

During my time in the army I served in the UK, Germany, Malaya, Singapore, Cyprus and the Middle East. I completed 4 tours of duty in Northern Ireland and took part in the First Gulf War.

I love the great outdoors and spend as much time as possible hillwalking and trekking. I also paint in watercolours and have run classes and held two vey successful exhibitions.
Our Daughter is a very successful artist and sculptress and lives in Kent with her artist husband and two talented teenage kids.
You can contact me by visiting the my website at: www.sydneycarr.wix.com/the-fourth-lad or Facebook; Sydney Carr - North East Author and Doodler. Follow me on Twitter at:
Sydney Carr - Author @scarrface11

Reviews

[Sydney Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captures the culture and humour of the working class north-east. The story is often captivating and moving. The beauty of the book is in the portrayal of the characters. You really associate them with people you know. I love the way that this story is set in a time of almost oppressive need to conform and yet the personalities are massive. I thought i knew Ashington quite well, I think i know it a lot more now. Sydney Carr explains true community and the power of sticking together with all it's good and bad.
Scabby Aggie.

By Chris christodoulou on 21 Jan. 2015
What a great peek at a World that once was! Full of tangible, endearing, and some not so endearing characters that I felt I knew having spent a little time 'Up North'.

I found myself rooting for Jane and her family, having allowed myself to truly get involved with the believable and well described scenarios. All in all, a well thought out and written story that I thoroughly enjoyed. 'Howay the Hacky Dortys''

1 By MR MICHAEL BAKER on 15 Sept. 2014
After the first stunning book by Sydney Carr, "The Fourth Lad", this is a superb second read. A brilliant story line with all you could ask for ... above all is the feeling of reality. Certainly allows for a follow on or with the right contacts a TV drama or even a TV series. Well done and thoroughly enjoyed by me.

[Robert Pollard · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read, the author takes you to the terraced streets of the North East pit villages. But, if you are of a certain age, the setting could easily be anywhere in post war Britain. I could certainly emphasise with the characters, even though I'm 12 years younger, and from a Lancashire mill town.
I am currently reading 'The Fourth Lad', it's fascinating, and I think you might find where Syd Carr gets some of his fiction from.
I was in the middle of a Wilbur Smith novel, when I had a peak at 'The Fourth Lad'. Wilbur Smith will have to wait.

[Dave Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic page turner from first to last. I would recommend this to Ashingtonians close and far away.