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The Cry of the Heron is a historical novel by Dick Allan
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Rivalry between two families of bargemen on the rivers Thames and Wey degenerates into bitter hostility when George Cartwright’s father dies in a confrontation with Billy, the son of his most hated rival, Nathan Cryer. Billy is sentenced to be transported and is later reported drowned in a storm off Antigua.
Fuelled by these events, the family feud smoulders on as the popular and successful Cartwrights go from strength to strength, trading on the rivers and participating in the building of the Basingstoke Canal, while the odious Nat Cryer grows evermore envious and vengeful.
From its harrowing and heart-rending first chapter to the savage and devastating climax The Cry of the Heron, set on the rivers and canals of eighteenth century England, is a compelling story of the consequences of one man’s obsessional hatred for another.
This deeply moving novel, with its carefully researched and authentic background, is a must-read for all who enjoy our inland waterways or have ever taken a stroll along a towpath.
A Word from the Author
The book is a story of rivalry between two families of bargemen working the rivers and canals of eighteenth century England. The phenomenal growth of canals during the early part of the industrial revolution has been well documented in numerous dry history books. My inspiration was to paint a word picture of real family life on the canals, the hardships, the rivalries and the successes during this transition from an agricultural era to the industrialised world that followed. I was aiming for a strong story line in an accurate historical setting.
(Dick Allan, June 2016)
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