Going to Press: Tales of a Dales Reporter

Jimmy Wilson joins the staff of the Skeldersby Chronicle in the Yorkshire Dales at the age of sixteen. The year is 1943. As a cub reporter Jimmy quickly learns his trade and meets Jack Watson, the owner of ‘Moors and Dales’ magazine, based in the village of Staincliffe. After National Service Jimmy accepts an offer to work for Jack. It leads to many adventures around the Yorkshire Dales, meeting fascinating folk along the way.

Jimmy’s coverage of a macabre discovery near Staincliffe impresses a Fleet Street editor who offers him a job. He is faced with a difficult choice. Does he accept the chance to leave his beloved Yorkshire for an exciting career in London or stay in the north where he has met a girl and fallen in love? Jimmy has a life-changing decision to make.

For fans of James Herriot and Gervase Phinn.

Background:

Writer WR Mitchell is best known for his time on the Dalesman magazine. He joined in 1948 and retired in 1986 after seventeen years as editor. During that time Bill also edited ‘Cumbria’ magazine, wrote over two hundred books and became an authority on many subjects related to Yorkshire, not least steam railways with over twenty books on the Settle-Carlisle line.

Bill’s career has been brought to life in a novel written by his son David. ‘Going To Press : Tales of a Dales Reporter’ draws heavily on the vivid and nostalgic memories to be found in Bill’s books, many of which line the shelves in David’s study at his home in Lymm, Cheshire.

The book tells the story of a budding writer, Jimmy Wilson, who joins the staff of the Skeldersby Chronicle. At the Chronicle, Jimmy gains valuable experience of life as a country reporter before moving on to ‘Moors and Dales’ magazine, in Staincliffe village in the Yorkshire Dales.

The book contains elements of humour, nostalgia, mystery and love. The idea for the book came from David’s wife, Susan, who suggested it while they were watching an edition of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’! As with James Herriot, the stories in ‘Going To Press’ are full of humour, pathos and nostalgia. There are elements of love and mystery.

David has written fifteen books previously but this is his first novel.