I should like to thank all those who have helped me with this book. I have received much assistance from several libraries and archives. I am particularly indebted to the help provided for me from Giovonni Liconti at the Fondazione Genoa 1893, Isabel Peterson at the West Dumbartonshire Libraries and Culture Services, Emma Spenser at Bridgnorth Library, Richard Meunier at the Royal London Hospital Archives and Museum; Fiona Hooper Head Librarian at George Watson’s College, Edinburgh, and Mary Pointer, Librarian at Blackburn Central Library. I am grateful, too, to The British Newspaper Archive for access to countless newspapers stretching back over 150 years.
In addition I should like to express my thanks to the following individuals for the invaluable help and material of a personal character which they willingly supplied me about some of the characters making up the book. Estela Rueda, Director of the English High School, Buenos Aires, in relation to Alexander Hutton; Hannah Charnock and Rosemary Edridge as regards the Charnock brothers; and Michael Witty and Ann Harrison for information about the Witty Brothers. Acknowledgement and thanks are also due to my close friends Richard Ashdown and Rob Evans for their valuable advice and encouragement at the various stages of the book. I want to thank all those involved at Pitch Publishing, especially the editor Paul Camillin, who responded positively to my proposal for the book. The author and publisher are most grateful to the publishers and holders of copyright for the use of quotations drawn from the many books, articles and illustrations used in preparing this book.
I am deeply grateful to my wife Sarah for the encouragement she has given me, for reading the manuscript and making many useful suggestions for improvement.