Rolling Stonemason: An Autobiography

by Fred Bower

Overview

Fred Bower had a full, adventurous life and wrote about it in his own vivid and racy idiom. He was born in Boston in 1871 and brought up in Liverpool. His travels and his work took him throughout the United Kingdom and North America, not to mention time spent tramp-steaming all the way to Australia and back. He combined the stonemason’s craft with diverse activities such as prospecting for gold and working for the Labor Movement, in which he interacted with the likes of Francisco Ferrer, Victor Grayson, Jim Larkin, Tom Mann, Philip Snowden, and others. Mr. Bower has a definite flair for telling a story, and the varied life he led makes Rolling Stonemason a thoroughly enjoyable autobiography and a genuine piece of natural writing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780850366242
Publisher:	Merlin Press Limited, The
Publication date:	03/01/2015
Pages:	156
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Fred Bower was born in Boston in 1871, of English parents. He was a stonemason and a socialist who traveled throughout England and North America as a journeyman mason, while organizing strikes and speaking at street corners. His autobiography, written in his spare time, was discovered by Mr. John Brophy.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

I A mason by herdity 3

II Born Boston, reared Liverpool 6

III I become a mason 16

IV Adventures at sea 30

V Emigrant to USA - and back 40

VI A Canadian barn raising 48

VII I am converted 60

VIII Beer - and murder 66

IX The secret in the foundation stone 76

X Pierpont Morgan and Carrie Nation 81

XI Upton Sinclair and others 90

XII 'The Lone Scout' 103

XIII Jim Larkin 113

XIV Strikes and Tom Mann 119

XV 'Bloddy Sunday' 131

XVI Trade union delegate 135

XVII Fighting against the war 140

XVIII Gold digging in Australia 153

XIX Ship's fireman, age 50 161

XX Caravan and hut 167