Raggit

Eric C. Williams known hitherto for his Science Fiction novels such as Monkman Comes Down and Time for Mercy, and for his many short stories in SF magazines, has also written several novels of straight fiction, including Raggit introduced here. This happy novel tells the story of a Dorset small town and its privately owned gasworks, built by the local bigwig Sir Kerry Manwitch some time early in the reign of King Edward VII. Now, in 1938, he wants to pull it down and sell off the land to an electricity supplier. The locals object violently. Electricity is far off, more expensive, and not so comfortable as gas. Light. The story of the revolution is told by local resident novelist, Percy Crutch, whose polio stiffened neck plays an important and romantic part in the action. Williams weaves a lively story from the many idiosyncratic characters of Raggit and their desperate fight against the powers of Law and wealth.