Darlington-s history is popularly seen as the story of Quakers and railways but there is much more to the town-s past than this. From its beginnings as a Saxon settlement, it became the southern stronghold of the land of the Prince Bishops, a market town, had its own Great Fire long before London, provided inns for travellers along the Great North Road, became an industrial centre and faced the twenty-first century with a diversified economy as the old heavy industries closed. Along the way, as the town grew rapidly in the nineteenth century, it was a group of Quaker Darlington businessmen who masterminded the beginnings of Britain-s railway system in the town.This book will look back over the centuries to uncover the fascinating history of the town. Stories of the town-s rebels, reformers, activists, benefactors, heroes and campaigners, England-s first black professional football player, as well as the lives of the ordinary folk, bring the history to life, together with illustrations
