This book would not have been possible without the help, encouragement and expertise of many people. To these people I offer my thanks and gratitude. They are:
My editor, Clio Cornish at HarperCollins, who has been a massive help in getting the story ready for publication and made many valuable creative contributions along the way.
Lisa Milton at HarperCollins, who first showed interest in the book and set the publication wheel in motion.
The rest of the team at HarperCollins, who have worked so hard to bring this book to life.
My agents, Jemima Forrester (literary) and Clare Israel (script), who have both offered so much help and advice throughout the process and gone way beyond what a writer can expect from an agent. Much respect.
Lisa Singleton, who read the first draft and encouraged me to persist with it.
Amanda Whittington for the reading suggestions.
Fellow writers who read drafts at various stages and gave me invaluable advice: Gary Brown Simon Crump, Steve Ely, Jim Greenhalf, Anne Heilmann, Matt Hill, Christina Longden, Leonora Rustamova.
I would like to thank the following people for their help and expertise: Zoe Johnson at University of Huddersfield Library; Harriet Harmer at the archives and special collections, University of Huddersfield; Paul Ward, Historian; Mary Chadwick, Historian; The Liverpool Maritime Museum; the slavery archives at Liverpool City Library; Margaret Daley at the Liverpool Record Office; Alexandra Mitchell at the Peel Group; Michael Powell at Chetham’s Library in Manchester.
And the following publications:
Aldred, J. The Duke of Bridgewater
Ashton, T.S. An Economic History of England: The 18th Century
Ashton, T.S. The Industrial Revolution: 1760–1830
Atkins, W. The Moor: A Journey into the English Wilderness Baines’ Flora of Yorkshire
Basker, J.G. (ed.). Amazing Grace: An Anthology of Poems About Slavery 1660–1810
Billett, M. Highwaymen and Outlaws
Brandon, D. Stand and Deliver!: A History of Highway Robbery
Brears, P. and Wood, S. The Real Wuthering Heights: The Story of the Withins Farm
Brontë, A. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Brontë, E. Wuthering Heights
Cameron, G. and Crooke, S. Liverpool: Capital of the Slave Trade
Carrington and Miall. Flora of the West Ridings
Costello, R. Black Liverpool: The Early History of Britain’s Oldest Black Community 1730–1918
Gifford, T. Pastoral
Goddard, C. The West Yorkshire Moors
Green, J. Slang Down the Ages
Griffin, E. Liberty’s Dawn: A People’s History of the Industrial Revolution
Haining, P. The English Highwayman: A Legend Unmasked
Hart, A. and North, S. Historical Fashion in Detail: The 17th and 18th Centuries
Hett, C.L. A Glossary of Popular, Local and Old-fashioned Names of British Birds
Hochschild, A. Bury the Chains: The British Struggle to Abolish Slavery
Lynch, J. (ed.). Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary
McFarlane, R. Landmarks
McFarlane, R. The Old Ways
Mingay, G.E. The Agricultural Revolution
Rhys, J. Wide Sargasso Sea
Ribeiro, A. Dress in Eighteenth Century Europe
Sutherland, J. Is Heathcliff a Murderer?
Taylor, G. The Problem of Poverty
Thompson, E.P. The Making of the English Working Class
Walvin, J. The Trader, The Owner, The Slave
Whitaker, J. The History of Manchester
Wilson. E. G. Thomas Clarkson: A Biography
The 18th century travel writing of Arthur Young
The online version of The Oxford English Dictionary
During the writing of the book, I have walked hundreds of miles across the Yorkshire Moors. I also walked from Top Withens, the inspiration for the location of Wuthering Heights, to Liverpool docks, re-enacting the walk that Mr Earnshaw took in 1771, which resulted in him returning with Heathcliff. The moors surrounding Haworth and further on have been a massive inspiration and continue to be so. They are a place of freedom and refuge.