The group felt it was an interesting read about the decline of the cotton industry in Blackburn, Lancashire and the effect this had on mill workers, especially the author's family.
This biography was easy to read, but one or two group members disbelieved some of the author's personal memories. The book vividly described a time in Lancashire when large families suffered financially to the point of near starvation. Even though the Woodruff family went through terrible times William, being exceptionally bright and hard working, stayed buoyant and in the sequel he left Blackburn for London, eventually attended Oxford University and after fighting in WW2 became an academic living in Florida.