Crichton Porteous
Encyclopedia
Crichton Porteous (1901–1991) was an author of fiction
and non-fiction
- books, articles and short stories - much of it about life in the Peak District
of northern England, and often set in specific Peak locations ("Toad Hole" and "Broken River", for example, are set in the Derwent Valley
).
Born in Leeds
, he grew up near Manchester
, but spent a lot of time in the Peak during holidays as a child, and later moved to live there, firstly to Combs, Derbyshire
, near Chapel-en-le-Frith
, and later to Darley Dale
, near Matlock, where he lived until his death, aged 89.
As a boy he had a great interest in both reading and writing, and from the age of fourteen he kept a daily journal; these later proved a useful reference for his work.
After an initial period of time working on farms, he moved into newspapers, working his way up to become assistant editor of the northern Daily Mail.
As a freelance writer, his first book, "Farmer's Creed" was published in 1938. This book recounted his memoirs about his time as a farm worker on Werneth Low
.
Today his work has been opened to a new audience through the show entitled "In the Footsteps of Crighton Porteous", which toured widely in England, and particularly in the north-west. The show used his books to retrace some of the locations featured.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
and non-fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
- books, articles and short stories - much of it about life in the Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
of northern England, and often set in specific Peak locations ("Toad Hole" and "Broken River", for example, are set in the Derwent Valley
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
).
Born in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, he grew up near Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, but spent a lot of time in the Peak during holidays as a child, and later moved to live there, firstly to Combs, Derbyshire
Combs, Derbyshire
Combs is a small village in Derbyshire, England within the Peak District National Park. 'Combs' is spoken to rhyme with 'looms'. There are some local residents who prefer the older pronunciation of Combs to rhyme with 'foams'....
, near Chapel-en-le-Frith
Chapel-en-le-Frith
Chapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, from Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital of the Peak District", the settlement was established by the Normans in the 12th century, originally as a hunting lodge within the Forest...
, and later to Darley Dale
Darley Dale
Darley Dale, also known simply as Darley, is a town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 6,000 people. It lies north of Matlock, on the River Derwent and the A6 road.- History :...
, near Matlock, where he lived until his death, aged 89.
As a boy he had a great interest in both reading and writing, and from the age of fourteen he kept a daily journal; these later proved a useful reference for his work.
After an initial period of time working on farms, he moved into newspapers, working his way up to become assistant editor of the northern Daily Mail.
As a freelance writer, his first book, "Farmer's Creed" was published in 1938. This book recounted his memoirs about his time as a farm worker on Werneth Low
Werneth Low
Werneth Low is a hill in Greater Manchester, England, and a part of the Pennines. It is located on the borders of Stockport and Tameside and rises to height of...
.
Today his work has been opened to a new audience through the show entitled "In the Footsteps of Crighton Porteous", which toured widely in England, and particularly in the north-west. The show used his books to retrace some of the locations featured.
List of published books
- 1938 Farmer's Creed
- 1939 Teamsman
- 1940 Land Truant
- 1941 The Cottage
- 1942 The Farm by the Lake
- 1944 The Snow
- 1945 The Earth Remains
- 1948 Sons of the Farm
- 1948 Pioneers of Fertility
- 1949 The Beauty and Mystery of Well Dressing
- 1950 Changing Valley
- 1950 Derbyshire
- 1951 Wild Acres
- 1951 Caves and Caverns
- 1953 Call of the Soil
- 1954 Chuckling Joe
- 1954 Peakland
- 1954 Man of the Moors
- 1955 Battle Mound
- 1956 Death in the Field
- 1956 Broken River
- 1956 Great Men of Derbyshire
- 1959 Lucky Columbel
- 1960 Toad Hole
- 1960 Pill Boxes and Bandages
- 1960 Plays: Batchelor Love & Dickies Scull
- 1962 Strike
- 1963 Portrait of Peakland
- 1965 Man of the Fields (with S. Looker)
- 1970 Pictorial Derbyshire (and 1977)
- 1985 Ancient Customs of Derbyshire (first published 1960)