The characters in this book – their lives, circumstances, and surprising connections – are as wide-ranging as could be imagined. Woven throughout are threads linking Laugharne, coalminers, music, railways, Church Gresley and more. The book reflects on the Theophilus family but it is not a growing of family trees: scattered twigs can be found but establishing genetic lines is not the focus. George Orwell was not related to ‘Uncle Bill’, and whether Dylan Thomas had familial links does not lessen the influence his work had on the family. Elsewhere, the book explores how complementary occupations shaped lives, from the shipbuilding Garlicks to the ceramic-manufacturing Poulsons. Richly researched, it offers surprising new facts, fresh angles on familiar stories, and glimpses into the context that makes history come alive. Illustrations are as varied as are the glimpses into social, economic and cultural history.