I’m a Lancashire Lass, born and bred in the county and fascinated by its history. I can trace several lines of my ancestors back to the 1600s and the occupation that pops up again and again on the censuses is ‘cotton weaver’ – changing from handloom weaver to powerloom weaver as the Industrial Revolution takes hold. It was that radical change in the lifestyles of Lancashire men and women and their struggle to adapt to a new way of living that inspired my books about The Mill Town Lasses.
My second series, called The Lancashire Girls, follows the stories of three families who were left behind when men were sent to New South Wales as convicts.
My third series, published by Penguin Michael Joseph, is about the lives of a family of Irish immigrants to Lancashire. It begins with The Rag Maiden. It was partly inspired by my great, great grandparents Peter and Ann Cavanah who left County Cork in the early 1800s to work in the mills of Stockport and Manchester.
I also write historical fiction inspired by Lancashire history and local interest books under the name Elizabeth Ashworth. On this site you’ll find the first chapters of some of my novels and some short stories to read for free. If you delve a little deeper, you’ll discover all sorts of interesting things that I’ve come across in my research.
Follow my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/elizabethashworth
The Runaway Daughter.
‘It’s a dark and gritty read that I devoured as I know all historical fiction lovers will. I laughed and cried but could not stop reading until I got to the end.’ Leanne D. Reviewer. NetGalley.
‘Brimming with drama, heartbreak, love, friendship and the powerful bonds of family’ Lancashire Post
‘An engrossing tale of hardship, struggles, love and family’ Kitty Neale
‘Vividly drawn characters . . . gritty and heartfelt’ Evie Grace
Libby Ashworth - author 