Heroes, Villains & Victims of Bradford

"Heroes, Villains and Victims of Bradford" tells the stories of some of the people who have helped to shape Bradford, both in terms of the place itself and its reputation for producing remarkable and talented individuals.

Here we have another way of looking at what has been called 'Worstedopolis' - the story of Bradford through its people, both famous and infamous. This is a lively look at the history of Bradford that provides a fascinating new perspective.

The famous in this book include Titus Salt and Cunliffe Lister the manufacturers, J. B. Priestley and W. Riley the writers, and politicians W.E.Forster and Philip Snowden.

But there are also less well-known heroes such as the men who won the Victoria Cross, the entertainers such as Gertie Millar, and men of action like Maurice Wilson.

Entering the criminal underworld, we explore the Victorian garrotting gangs, the hangman from Heckmondwyke and the young man whose epilepsy avoided his destination on the scaffold.

About the Author

Stephen Wade is a writer and researcher into social history, with a particular interest in unexplained events and stories. He is a freelance non-fiction writer, also teaching at the University of Hull on the creative writing programme.

His paranormal interests began when following up alleged ghost sightings in his own family, and he has been present at exorcisms and investigations. His special interest is in crime scene apparitions and phenomena.

He has worked as a researcher on Derek Acorah’s Ghost Towns programme, and has researched the oral history of the unexplained.