It Happened in Shropshire

Bob, a retired Area Director of Lloyds TSB Bank, took up writing as a hobby in 2001. To date he has had almost 100 articles published in magazines and newspapers and he has written eight books. His first, Fighter Writer the biography of a First World War poet was launched at the Imperial War Museum in London and he was nominated for the Saltire award in two categories.Bob lives in a Macclesfield, Cheshire with his wife Pat. The proud father of two and an even prouder grandfather of two he is a sports fanatic.

• Map of Shropshire 5Introduction 6Unique Shropshire facts 101. SHROPSHIRE: A COUNTY PROFILE 12Brief history touching on geology, geography, and culture.2. FAMOUS SALOPIANS 34Clive of India, Charles Darwin, Wilfred Owen,Mary Webb, Ellis Peters, Barbara Pym, Percy Thrower.3. FASCINATING CHARACTERS 68Fulk Fitz Warin, Dick Whittington,Sir Humphrey Kynaston, Tom Parr, Judge Jeffreys,Molly Morgan, ‘Mad’ Jack Mytton.4. MEN OF THE CLOTH 94Vicar of Stanton Lacy, Reverend Carr.5. BIRTHPLACE OF CHAMPIONS 116William Penny Brookes, Captain Matthew Webb,Sir Gordon Richards, Billy Wright, Joe Hart,Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam, Richie Woodhall.6. MURDER MOST FOUL 148George Riley, the Black Panther, Hilda Murrell,the Heath House Murder, Osbaston House, the Mysteryof the Body in the Burnt-out Car, the Massage ParlourMurders.7. IT HAPPENED IN SHROPSHIRE... OR DID IT? 169Ghosts, apparitions, legend, folk lore and unexplainedevents around Shropshire.8. DISASTERS, ACCIDENTS & TRAGEDIES 194Mines – Brick Kiln Leasow, Springwell Pit,Lodgebank Colliery, Snailbeach, Priors Lee, GranvilleColliery, Kemberton Pit.Railways – Priors Lee, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury.9. THE BATTLE OF SHREWSBURY, 1403 209Acknowledgements 216Useful Addresses 217Bibliography 219Index 220-223