‘Somerset Working Class’ : A Clevedonian publishes a three-volume autobiography

Dave Chapple is a former North Somerset school cleaner, firefighter and postman; a life-long cyclist, Black Music DJ, historian, trades unionist and socialist. Dave, who was born in Clevedon in 1951, and lived on a local council estate till he was 35, has now, in his seventieth year, written and published a three-volume autobiography. The three separate volumes are focussed on different aspects of his younger life in Clevedon, and are collectively entitled: “Somerset Working-class.”

All three volumes are of A4 size, profusely illustrated in B&W and colour, thoroughly documented, and beautifully designed by former print trades unionist, now South West TUC Secretary, Nigel Costley. All three books have been published with the generous financial support of the Communication Workers’ Union, which Dave has been a member of for forty-two years.

Somerset working-class autobiographies, especially rebellious ones, are as rare as hens’ teeth, and Dave hopes that his stories can encourage other Somerset working-class women and men, especially trades unionists, footballers, DJs and cyclists, to put pen to paper!

Each individual volume costs £5, plus £2 postage and packing. The three volume set costs £15, plus £5 postage and packing. Direct bank payments welcome: e-mail for details. Please make any cheques out to “D. T. Chapple” and send to 1 Blake Place, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 5AU. Please send all book reviews and any other enquiries to Dave direct on davidchapple2020@gmail.com    Phone 07707869144

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Dave Chapple's Tribute to Howard Andrews

Bridgwater Trades Union Council secretary Dave Chapple has just published a new book as part of the Somerset Socialist Library series and it's available for just £5 plus £2 postage and packing. 

Dave says "It is a biography of, and my tribute to, a remarkable Taunton man, Howard Andrews, who I met when he was 98, and remained close friends with until he died aged 101 in 2008.

"Andy" had a troubled upbringing in Kilburn, joined the army, trained as a medic, saw military service in British India and Shanghai, and, back in Kilburn by 1931, became both unemployed and  an active communist who helped to keep the streets of London free of Mosleyite fascists. 

Andy was a medical volunteer for 19 months in the Spanish Civil War, survived Dunkirk, and eventually found his way to Taunton in Somerset, where he was a pharmacist's assistant at Musgrove Park Hospital and won a national merit award from his union-COHSE-for his active recruitment.

Oh yes, and at the age of 100, Andy stole the show at the Glastonbury Festival Left-field!

The book is my tribute to a remarkable, if remarkably modest, man, and also a record of an unusual friendship."

The book is entitled "Soldier Saving Lives: Keith Howard Andrews" and is,  A4-size, 56 pages, 21,000 words, beautifully designed by the South West TUC;s Nigel Costley, and profusely illustrated in both archive black and white, and contemporary full colour.

How to get a copy

The book costs £5, plus £2 postage and packing, and can be ordered from:

Dave Chapple, 1 Blake Place, Bridgwater Somerset, TA6 5AU

1. Please make cheques out to "D T Chapple."

2. Please make BACS/fast/direct bank payments to my account:

Nationwide  Bridgwater Branch: Sort Code 07 08 06   Account number 08257628

Dave has four more lockdown books in the publishing pipeline, thanks to the editorial and design support of Nigel Costley, and the generosity of his trade union, the CWU. Please look out for flyers for these in the coming couple of months. These books are listed in the Somerset Socialist Library section at the end of this book.