How Dr Alan Crosby's love of Lancashire history was brought to book

As professions go it is rather unusual. Not many people earn their living as "local historians". Fiona Finch reports how the tables have been turned on the prolific Preston author Dr Alan Crosby with a timely tribute.
Dr Alan Crosby signing copies of his history of Preston GuildDr Alan Crosby signing copies of his history of Preston Guild
Dr Alan Crosby signing copies of his history of Preston Guild

History was not Alan Crosby’s first calling, but it became his passion.

He was a boy from the south, but Lancashire became his adopted home.

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Now, as he spurns retirement to carry on with the unusual job he loves - freelance historian, he has been honoured with a book of essays about the county’s history.

Part of the cover of the tribute publication 'Lancashire Studies'Part of the cover of the tribute publication 'Lancashire Studies'
Part of the cover of the tribute publication 'Lancashire Studies'

‘Lancashire Studies: Historical Essays in honour of Alan Crosby’ was a top secret project by the Local History Federation of Lancashire.

A “gift” to mark his 65th birthday, the back cover notes: “This book of essays has been compiled in recognition of the enormous contribution Alan Crosby has made to furthering the understanding and enjoyment of local history in Lancashire.”

Its topics range from working at home in the 19th century in Winckley Square, Preston, to Quakerism in Victorian Lancashire, the Seward stained glass studio in Lancaster, cheesmaking in Goosnargh in the 17th and 18th centuries, the Worden estate at Leyland to the depiction of Lancashire on the historic Gough map of c.1400.

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The subjects were chosen in recognition of Alan’s many and wide-ranging interests.

Alan pictured with one of his earlier books 'Leading The Way'Alan pictured with one of his earlier books 'Leading The Way'
Alan pictured with one of his earlier books 'Leading The Way'

For Alan, the official historian of Preston Guild and a Guild Burgess, it was indeed a complete surprise.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions the volume was presented to him in a ceremony on the car park outside the County Archives in Preston.There could be no grand speeches, no gathering of county historians and no special photocalls. But for Alan it was very special indeed, especially as wife Jacquie Crosby, Archive Services Manager at Lancashire Archives, had been one of the five editors.

She said: “He was totally lost for words and he was almost tearful at one point. We were going to have a big event and it ended up about five people. I think it’s a lovely tribute to Alan and his contribution to local history ... written by people Alan knows very well.”

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Alan confirmed: “It was a total surprise, just completely unpredicted, a tremendous shock ... a wonderful shock I hasten to add. It’s just great, a sheer pleasure. I’ve read them (the essays) all three times now.”

Proud moment - Alan is made a Guild BurgessProud moment - Alan is made a Guild Burgess
Proud moment - Alan is made a Guild Burgess

As a pupil at Woking Grammar School in Surrey Alan had shown a talent for geography and he went on to read geography at Oxford University. He said: “I realised half way though I didn’t want to continue in geography as such, what I found much more interesting was the historical geography and the landscape associated with it.That’s why I turned into a local and regional historian.”

He recognises in his own way he was a pioneer, opting for a career of many parts. He said: “Nowadays it’s much more common to have a portfolio of activities. I knew full well I didn’t want to have a nine to five job. I had never done it. I didn’t want the conventional route, but there were opportunities to have a full time job.”

That job has seen him researching, teaching in Oxford, Liverpool and Lancashire and writing on all manner of historical subjects.

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He has also become a popular speaker at local history societies on topics ranging from sex and sin in the 17th century (sexual misconduct recorded in Lancashire in the Stuart period), to the history of the River Ribble and the effect of The Great War on the farming communities of Chipping and Bleasdale.

His work on the diaries of Benjamin Shaw he puts down to the “serendipity of discovery”.

Alan edited the ‘Family Records of Benjamin Shaw, Mechanic of Dent, Dolphinholme and Preston, 1772-1841’ which was published in hardback in 1991.

He said: “That’s the most important one I’ve done because he was a self-educated working man, born in 1772 and he died in 1841 and he lived all his adult life in Preston. This is like an autobiography, it goes right on until 1836 until he was too frail to write any more. It was just riveting. It talks about the industrial revolution from somebody who was part of it. This is a remarkable piece of work, to be able to transcribe and edit it was just engrossing. The originals are in the record office archives and I came across them literally completely by chance - that sort of serendipity is really important.”

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He had been researching a different topic but recalls: “I was completely transfixed from the first page.”

He also enjoyed the insights the diary revealed about Benjamin’s domestic life: “He wrote his story and that of his wife - they never ceased to row from the moment they married.”

Alan recounts how Benjamin noted: “There never were two people more at variance than us.”

Alan also researched the history of the dark ages in Cumbria for broadcaster and writer Melvyn Bragg when Bragg was writing his novel ‘Credo’ set in that period. Alan recalled: “I had a friend who knew Melvyn Bragg and (Melvyn) told him he needed research doing to get the background to the book. He suggested me, so I got a phone call out of the blue from Melvyn Bragg. He and I met a couple of times and he came to my house. I did a lot of the background research for key aspects of the book...I never know what’s going to be coming next.”

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At the back of the Lancashire Studies' essays readers can find a “select list of publications by Dr Alan Crosby” p since 1980. The long list of books and articles runs to 10 pages and takes in works about Oxford, Norfolk ,Haslingden, Garstang, Lytham St Annes Cheshire and more, including the role of oats in the Lancashire diet from 1780 to 1850. In addition there have been numerous articles for Local History News, he edits The Local Historian, the national journal of local history and has even given a paper at a local history conference in Denmark.

He conceded: “Yes, I’m a workaholic because I love my work so much.I just absolutely love my work and always have....there’s no chance of me retiring. I won’t be doing it.”

Next on his target list is a long standing ambition to write the history of food in Lancashire from the 16th to the 20th centuries. He has been researching the subject on and off for many years: “I really need to draw all my notes and findings together...it’s much, much more than tripe and cow heel. There’s so much more to write using original sources.”

But it will not be a total tale of culinary delights - for example he notes the deprivation of the 19th century with the ups and downs of the cotton trade is reflected in the history of local food. He said: “The handloom weavers in particular were just destitute year after year. It will not necessarily be happy reading all the time, but it’s an important part of social history.- not much has been written about it before.”

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Alan spent seven years in Oxford and five in Norwich before before heading north when Jacquie, whom he met at Oxford, landed a job with the County Archives service. The father of two from Ashton now regards Preston as home. He said: “I really love Preston. I think it’s a fantastic place to live. Preston is a very real place, a very down to earth place. I like the mixture of its history, it’s a very historic place, a very rich history (with) The Guild and all of that.”

His delight at being appointed to the hereditary role of a Guild Burgess is evident: “It’s a tremendous honour. One of the greatest honours the city can give.”

* The idea for the book came came from historian Diana Winterbotham, a former Local Studies Librarian with the county library service. Lancashire Studies can be purchased by contacting the Lancashire Local History Federation

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