In late eighteenth-century Yorkshire a powerful gang of
counterfeiters held the local community in its spell. In a remote
valley near Halifax called Cragg Vale, gold coins of the realm were
clipped and filed, then returned to circulation, while the extra
metal collected was melted down to produce new counterfeit
currency. The crime was punishable by death, and violence and
vengeance, even murder, was meted out against those who got in
their way. The Cragg Vale Coiners were highly organised, enlisting
the help of many in the local community, and local authorities were
powerless to stop them. The threat posed by the gang was debated in
Parliament and the government had to do something to prevent the
Exchequer being defrauded of millions of pounds and the nation’s
currency being debased, so it was forced to despatch high-ranking
officials of the Royal Mint in an attempt to bring the gang to
justice and the ringleaders to the gibbet. The ensuing hunt for the
gang members was bitter and the story of the outcome has become the
stuff of legends. Steve Hartley has been researching the true story
of the Cragg Vale Coiners for many years. His interest in the story
was sparked by the knowledge that he is a direct descendant of the
gang leader ‘King David’ Hartley. In this book he presents the
facts of the sensational reign of the Cragg Vale gang in a corner
of Yorkshire that has fascinated people through the centuries
since, inspiring folk songs, novels, plays and poetry as well as
plans for a TV series and documentary, some of which Steve has
assisted with his unparalleled knowledge of the true story of the
Yorkshire Coiners.
General
Imprint: |
Amberley Publishing
|
Country of origin: |
United Kingdom |
Release date: |
April 2023 |
Authors: |
Steve Hartley
|
Dimensions: |
234 x 165mm (L x W) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
128 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-398-11387-9 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
1-398-11387-5 |
Barcode: |
9781398113879 |
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