The Yorkshire Coiners: The True Story of the Cragg Vale Gang

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I see you're still an a***hole," replies William Jr, disorientated by conflicting emotions at his big brother's return. It was also announced that A24 are teaming up with Element Pictures (The Favourite, Normal People) on the six-part series for the BBC which is currently filming in Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire. A copy of my family tree, together with details of census records, probate records, memorial inscriptions and family bible records indicate the direct male link between David Hartley and me, which to my knowledge is the only direct male link remaining. It was during the workshopping process with the actors I realised there was also a story to tell leading up to Ben’s incredible book. A prequel that not only allowed us to understand ‘why’ the Cragg Vale Coiners did what they did, but maybe fall in love with them a smidge while they did it. It may have turned into one of the biggest crimes in British history, but it was pulled off by a bunch of destitute farmers and weavers doing what they had to to survive, and I think people will resonate with that.

What an experience, I don’t even know how to describe it to be honest, Shane’s just a really incredible thinker. It’s quite magical to see the way that he thinks and how he really makes an idea come to life. The way that he works is so unusual, I like the fact that he works through improvisation. Before I came on to this project, I was studying at Uni and I worked a lot with improvisation so it was really interesting to leave Uni and come on to this project and be surrounded by such a talented thinker. It’s just breath-taking. Richardson, Hollie; Davies, Hannah J.; Verdier, Hannah; Virtue, Graeme (31 May 2023). "TV tonight: Shane Meadows's first period drama is about the Cragg Vale Coiners". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023 . Retrieved 31 May 2023. When news of Dighton’s murder reached Parliament, pursuit of the Yorkshire coiners gathered pace. Led by Halifax solicitor Robert Parker, a public proclamation of the names and descriptions of the wanted men confirmed that, at a meeting held in Bradford on November 22 1769, “the gentlemen present agreed that all means necessary should be used to bring the Coiners to justice.” In 2023 a stage play, The Coiner's Wife, about the Cragg Vale Coiners was written by Maurice Claypole as part of the 37 Plays project instigated by the Royal Shakespeare Company and published in February 2023. [8] [9] It focuses on the story of Grace Hartley, wife of "King" David Hartley. According to a synopsis, [9] the play presents the events from a woman's point of view.

The story of the coiners is told in a song called "King of the Coiners" written by UK singer/songwriter/guitarist Steve Tilston published in his 2008 album Ziggurat. I think audiences will enjoy seeing proper rural Yorkshire, I think they’re in for a treat in the fact that there’s not a large female presence in the book but I think the women do really take quite a lot of control in the scenes and I really enjoy that. The fact that they’ve included sex workers and these minorities or groups that might not get a lot of platforms in life, I think that’s really cool. Samuel Edward-Cook The mid-18th century must have felt like the end of days for the weavers of the Calder Valley. The Industrial Revolution was coming and a traditional industry, which had grown and sustained the valley's population since the Middle Ages, was being undercut by the advent of mechanisation. Despite being named in many depositions and examinations as the man that had arranged the murder of Dighton, paid the murderers and obtained and disposed of the weapons; Isaac Hartley was never charged in connection with Dighton’s murder and he died an old man (reports vary between 78 and 85 years of age) in 1815 at his home at White Lee in Mytholmroyd. Benjamin Myers wins the 2018 Walter Scott Prize". Walter Scott Prize. 1 June 2018. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019.

Dodgy Yorkshire accents are at a minimum. The Gallows Pole's first-time actors were selected for their accents. Hartley returned to his home, Bell House at Cragg Vale, in the 1760s, using his ironworking as a cover to clip or file the edges from gold coins, producing counterfeit coins from the shavings and returning the clipped coins into circulation. My own book, Yorkshire Coiners - The True Story of the Cragg Vale Gang sets out the chronological story of the Coiners desribing the original transcriptions of the court documents, newspaper reports, witness statements, letters and other documents. While the Coiners’ story ultimately ended in tragedy, their tale resonated deeply with the people of the Calder Valley. They were seen as rebels against an oppressive system, champions of the working class who defied authority and demanded fair treatment. Over time, their legend grew, and they became folk heroes, embodying the spirit of resistance against injustice.Their exploits were punishable by death. But the scale of the forgery was so vast, the Cragg Vale Coiners nearly brought down the British economy. Less than ten miles due south of Haworth in West Yorkshire, where Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte grew up in the early 19th century, the same rugged landscape that inspired Wuthering Heights played host to a sinister story of organised social crime, High Treason and ultimately murder, some forty years before the Bronte sisters were born.