By the author Helen Pugh: Unsung Women in Somerset uncovers little-known information about women who lived in Somerset in years gone by, women with courage, kindness, innovation and even some who smashed the rules!
Released on 20th November, the book charters the lives of real-life and legendary women who inhabited Somerset from pre-Roman to modern times.
We meet most women through a short story, followed by historical notes about the woman and a chapter bibliography that shows the meticulous research that has gone into the book. Most chapters also include a Quick Tribute section that briefly mentions other interesting women from the same century.
This book is not a conventional narrative of Somerset’s history in that it focuses on women and celebrates the diversity of Somerset’s past as well. For instance, readers will meet a Barbadian lady and a disabled artist, both of whom survived and thrived despite the odds.
Particularly relevant to readers of Bath Voice include the chapters about a Roman slave turned wife in Aquae Sulis, a legendary Huguenot baker on Lilliput Alley and a deaf African princess studying at Walcot Parade. The handy A–Z index outlines every Somerset place name mentioned in the book. There are over 160 in total!
Unsung Women in Somerset is available as a paperback, hardback and ebook from: https://books2read.com/unsung
A first-generation ‘Somersetonian’, the author, Helen Pugh, grew up in Chilcompton. She went to secondary school in Bath, then attended the University of Bristol (only just over the border!). After more than 8 years living abroad, she returned to Somerset in 2018 and lived in Shepton Mallet with her family for 4 years before moving to Midsomer Norton.
Helen is currently working on a Junior Edition of this book and has already published books about South America, including Jungle-tastic Tales and Inca-tastic Tales.