I have been writing the introduction to The Hermit of Dumpton Cave and entered into one of those cans of worms that seems confront any local antiquary most every day.The copy of the original book that I own, once belonged to a very well known local historian (I wont name and shame him) and has his notes inside, he says it was written by A. J. Valpy.
It is a difficult book to find out much about, it doesn’t appear in Bibliotheca Cantiana, anyway the British Library Catalogue ascribes it to Elizabeth Strutt [other married name Byron], (fl. 1805–1863), one of the nineteenth century's most prolific women of letters.
Having cross referenced this with The Dictionary of National Biography I am now certain that she is the author, however The Dictionary of National Biography calls the Hermit of Dumpton Cave Joseph Groome Peptit, his name was actually Joseph Croom Petit.
The picture of Lillian Road Cookery School that turned up today Says St Lukes Thornton road about 1922 on the back click here to enlarge it
