The Journal of John Yeadon (1764-1843_

📖 The Scoop

John Yeadon lived in the woollen textile town of Yeadon, near Leeds and Bradford, during the late 18th and early 19th Centuries He kept a detailed journal of his life and views on local, national and international events as well as family matters and his involvement in the early Methodist movement. John became a lay preacher and covered great distances on foot, along valleys and over moors to conduct services in towns and isolated villages in the district and beyond. His journal is full of stories and is a rich source for understanding the life of communities such as Yeadon at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.The lives ofJohn and his wife Mary were tough. He was a self-educated working man with a family of fourteen children, one of whom was mentally disabled. They lived on the edge of poverty and confronted great tragedies such as epidemics, the loss of three children and personal poor health, with immense resilience. John's journal provides us with the authentic voice of a thoughtful working man and an intimate portrait of life in his village. The text is accompanied by a commentary written by John's direct descendent, David Kitchen who is also from the town.

Genre: Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs (fancy, right?)