Coal House Diary

by Gwen Cartwright

In October 2007, the Cartwright family took part in BBC Wales' landmark living history series "Coalhouse", which saw 3 families transported back in time to the south Wales coalfields of the 1920s. "Coal House Diary" is the diary of 12-year-old Gwen Cartwright, whose family left behind all modern-day luxuries, swapping their high-tech lifestyle for a basic miner's cottage. Gwen's school day and social life were a world away from what she was used to and she records what it was like to live as a child in a 1920s working family - the hardships that they faced and the surprising simple pleasures that are overlooked in our modern-day lives. The book will contain photos from the BBC archive as well as pictures from the Cartwright's personal collection, making this more than just a diary, but a journey into history.

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Gwen Cartwright lives with her mum, dad and younger sister in Penarth. She enjoys reading and writing, has a great sense of humour and is very excited about seeing her first book in print.

Reviews

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A childs perspective from inside one of the most interesting programmes recently. A book that makes you wonder how you would have reacted to life 60 years ago.