Dr Paul Salveson will speak about the life and writings of Allen Clarke, the subject of his new book 'Lancashire's Romantic Radical' in Todmorden at The Bear Wholefood Café, at 7pm on Friday, June 19.

Admission is free and there will be drinks and light refreshments available.

Paul says Clarke wrote more than 20 novels, corresponded with Thomas Hardy and Tolstoy, and his writing was loved by tens of thousands of Lancashire and Yorkshire mill workers.

"His dialect sketches sold more than a million copies and his book on the cotton industry helped to win the campaign against child labour in the mills.

"He was loved by thousands of his working class readers in Lancashire and Yorkshire, yet he is virtually forgotten today," he said.

Paul said his new book aimeds to redress this. 'Lancashire's Romantic Radical: the life and writings of Allen Clarke/Teddy Ashton' is both an introduction to his life, spanning the years 1863 to 1935, and an outline of his work covering the novels, plays and short stories, poetry, political and philosophical writings – and his love of cycling.

"He was an environmentalist decades before the term was invented, wanting to 'dust the soot off the petals of the Red Rose' as he put it in his novel 'Driving'," said Paul.

His grow-your-own-food ethos fits well with the modern day achievements of Incredible Edible Todmorden, he said.

Allen Clarke was born in Bolton in 1863 and went to work in the mills at the age of 11.

He fought his way into journalism after working as a pupil teacher. "Allen Clarke was one of the most fascinating figures in Northern literature – he wrote over 20 novels, published a weekly newspaper, wrote poetry, philosophy and children's sketches," said Paul. "Much of what he had to say about life, politics and the environment are as relevant now as they were in his own time."