FOR THE READER
There comes an initial period in life when one begins to look backwards. This period of reflection came to me in my early thirties. Perhaps it was because my own children were growing up and with time pursuing a relentless course I came to think of unfinished conversations from the past, the hushed stillness of interruption when as a child I entered a room unexpectedly; the odd words spilled by relations who then declined or were unable to elaborate upon their meaning - perhaps their memories were too precious to share - and a certain sadness when scarcely spoken names were mentioned.
Eventually my aunt was persuaded to write all she could remember of certain events that had taken place and “A Common Man” is based upon her letters and past conversations together with odd items procured from my mother with the help of my sister. In essence the book is a novel though, with the exception of the two main characters in the second story, all the other people mentioned were real as were the social conditions of the time, and have been researched to the best of my ability in accordance with the attached bibliography.
Although the title of the book refers to a “man” it could just as well have been called “Common People” for it is not to be taken as referring to one sex only but should be taken as a generic term and used in the modern idiom to include both genders.
It is hoped that a few students of social history might find the contents of this manuscript useful in their studies and some people will look upon this book as an interesting read, in which case the hard work and research undertaken will have been worthwhile.