Fans of Downton Abbey now have a go-to resource for fascinating, real-life stories of the spectacular lives led by England's aristocrats. With the novelistic flair and knack for historical detail that Catherine Bailey displayed in her New York Times bestseller The Secret Rooms, Black Diamonds provides a compelling chronicle of the Fitzwilliam coal-mining dynasty and their breathtaking Wentworth estate, the largest private home in England. When the sixth Earl Fitzwilliam died in 1902, he left behind the second largest estate in twentieth-century England, valued at more than three billion dollars in today's money—a lifeline to the tens of thousands of people who worked either in the family's coal mines or on their expansive estate. The earl also left behind four sons, and the family line seemed assured. But was it? As Bailey retraces the Fitzwilliam family history, she uncovers a legacy riddled with bitter feuds, scandals, and civil unrest, as the conflict between the coal industry and its miners came to a head.
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"A good book and interesting and if you are interested in Wentworth invaluable but let down by a few bad bits of geography and geology. Foe example she claims Chatsworth to be an hours ride or three hours cartridge ride away from Wentworth. Bearing in mind that the journey would have taken them through Rotherham and Sheffield then over the Derbyshire hills, I do find this a little optimistic. Similarly she goes on about the limestone at Wentworth and a few other mistakes. She is very good at trawling historical records and creating a story but she should go visit and open her eyes more." — Richard (5 out of 5 stars)
"A good book and interesting and if you are interested in Wentworth invaluable but let down by a few bad bits of geography and geology. Foe example she claims Chatsworth to be an hours ride or three hours cartridge ride away from Wentworth. Bearing in mind that the journey would have taken them through Rotherham and Sheffield then over the Derbyshire hills, I do find this a little optimistic. Similarly she goes on about the limestone at Wentworth and a few other mistakes. She is very good at trawling historical records and creating a story but she should go visit and open her eyes more."
“Black Diamonds has the great gift of bringing to life personal histories…wonderfully paced and wholly satisfying.”
“A triumph of research.”
"Brilliant, gripping…one heck of a good read and will keep you bolt upright all night.”
"Black Diamonds admirably reflects both the nobility of the minors and the degradation of those who exploited them.”
“Intriguing and thoroughly researched, Bailey’s biography details the often tumultuous past of England’s Wentworth House and its dysfunctional occupants…The text reads like an exciting period drama, and readers will be racing to get to the end in order to unravel the secrets and eventual collapse of the elusive Fitzwilliams…This fascinating history is highly recommended to anyone who loves family gossip and mystery.”
“[A] fascinating true-life tale of British aristocrats behaving badly. In the early years of the twentieth century—the Downton Abbey era—the Fitzwilliam family resided in the staggeringly large Wentworth House, which boasted five miles of corridors. Bailey traces the family’s decline in the decades that followed, as their coal-mining fortune succumbed to social changes and a messy trail of family scandals and secrets.”
“The author’s remarkable story primarily covers the time of the seventh Earl of Fitzwilliam, who inherited the title in 1902. She shows how class differences and the effect of two wars, strikes, and the final blow of the postwar Labour government brought down many of the aristocracy…Bailey uses accounts of the miners and their families to describe both the lives of the wealthy Fitzwilliam family and those of the poverty-stricken laborers…Gossipy bits—e.g., questioned legitimacy, grand entertainments, and “Kick” Kennedy’s marriage to the Devonshire heir and subsequent affair with the ninth Earl—keep the reading lively. The real value of this work is in the recounting of the ends of two classes, the lower and the very upper.”
" An absolutely fantastic read. I couldn't put it down. The story of Wentworth is beautifully played out. You can sense the writers frustration at so many secrets and unknowns still. It most certainly leaves the reader wanting to know more! "
" Excellent historical study of life 100-150 years ago in a mining district. The rich family and the effect of their actions on the people who depended on their patronage. "
" This is a truly wonderful book. Thoroughly enjoyed the style, learnt loads and understand much better the role of the aristocracy in mining. Really great "
" Totally absorbing and interesting, especially having been brought up on the Yorkshire coalfield. "
" This is the history of a local(to us) landowning family whose role in local social history is significant and whose demise is very sad indeed. My own family in past generations have either been directly in the service of the Fitzwilliam family or employed by them and because of this the Black Diamond story has enriched my understanding of the life and times of some of my forebears. "
" This story of the rise and fall of a Yorkshire family who their fortune in the coal mining industry is very compelling. "
" Amazing detail, but written as a story not a history. One of the most readable non-fiction books I have ever read "
" Fascinating history of coal mining industry in GB. So much wealth and so much poverty. If there is any positive result to the two world wars it must be the destruction of the restrictive social system in Europe. "
" A riveting, fascinating read. Very enjoyable. "
" A well written historical/novel book which got me familiar with the area where I reside now. I also learnt a lot about the social, economic and political events that changed England. I will recommend it! "
" Quite a lot about coal mining, unknown facts about the Kennedy family. "
" Excellent and intriguing! Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction! "
" I really enjoyed this social history and was drawn to it because the Fitzwilliams own most of Malton still today. Malton only got one mention but it was an engaging read full of family twists and turns with reminders of the industrial history I studied at school. "
" Very compelling read.. crazy to think that it all happened to one family. Learned a lot. "
" I loved this book. Gives a great social history of 19th and 20th century northern engalnd. "
" An apparently true story of a wealthy English family of mine owners and their mysterious and ignoble demise. Lots of great period stuff. "
" This is the reconstructed story of the aristocratic Wentworth family from their glory days, flush with coal wealth at the end of the 19th century to their decline and fall in the 20th century. "
Catherine Bailey read history at Oxford University and is an award-winning television producer and director, making a range of critically acclaimed documentary films inspired by her interest in twentieth century history. She lives in West London.
Gareth Armstrong is a professional actor and stage performer with a number of appearances in cult-classic television favorites to his credit, including Doctor Who: The Masque of Mandragora, Witchcraft, Star One, and Hammer House of Horror, in which he played Dr. Melburg.
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