My final book for this week’s 1970 Club hosted by Simon and Karen is one I was almost certain I would love – and I did! I’ve read several of RF Delderfield’s other books and particularly enjoyed his A Horseman Riding By trilogy, set in rural England during the first half of the 20th century. God is an Englishman, published in 1970, is the first in another trilogy, known as the Swann Saga, which promises to be equally enjoyable.
The novel begins with soldier Adam Swann fighting in India during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. In the chaos of the battlefield, Adam stumbles upon a valuable ruby necklace in a broken casket. With no way of finding its rightful owner and reluctant to hand it over to the East India Company, he decides to use it to start a new life for himself. Disillusioned by his experiences with the Mutiny and previously the Crimean War, Adam has been considering resigning from the army anyway and the money from the sale of the necklace will enable him to launch a new business venture.
On his return to England, Adam contemplates investing in railways but a better plan soon begins to emerge. What about the areas of the country that can’t be reached by train? He rides out into the countryside to investigate the possibility of a horse-drawn delivery service and after passing through Seddon Moss, a mill town near Manchester, he has his first encounter with the mill owner’s daughter, Henrietta Rawlinson, who is running away to avoid marriage to a man she doesn’t love. The rest of the novel follows the formation and expansion of Adam’s new business, Swann-on-Wheels, and his relationship with Henrietta as they marry and start a home and family.
At almost 700 pages in the edition I read, this book was quite a commitment, especially as I needed to finish it in time to review this week and should probably have started it earlier. However, once I became absorbed in the story, the pages went by a lot more quickly than I’d expected and I was sorry to reach the end.
While the Horseman Riding By books were set in the countryside with a focus on farming and rural life, this one is set in the very different world of trade, business and industry. It’s fascinating to see how Adam starts with nothing except some jewels and some good ideas and slowly builds up Swann-on-Wheels into a successful haulage company with depots all over the country. Adam gives each region a name (the Border Triangle, the Mountain Square, the Western Wedge…) and each one presents its own unique set of challenges and opportunities depending on the terrain, the existing infrastructure and the industries already operating in that area. He also puts a manager in charge of each area and although some of them are not much more than names on the page, others are brought to life and have adventures of their own.
The broad geographical setting and large number of characters allows Delderfield to address many specific topics and social issues relevant to life in Victorian Britain. Through Henrietta’s father, the miller Sam Rawlinson, we see first the dissatisfaction of the mill workers with their pay and working conditions and later the impact of the reduction in the supply of raw cotton due to the American Civil War. The fate of homeless children and the dangers facing young boys used as chimney sweeps are also explored – and if all of this makes you think of Charles Dickens, there’s a cameo appearance from the man himself as he and several of the Swann family become involved in the Staplehurst rail accident of 1865.
At the heart of the novel, though, is the relationship between Adam and Henrietta and how it develops as both characters grow and change and make discoveries about themselves and each other. Henrietta, being a lot younger than Adam, is immature, innocent and frivolous at the start of the novel and there’s a sense that although Adam loves her he doesn’t fully understand or respect her. It’s only after the introduction of another woman, Edith Wadsworth, into both their lives, that Henrietta begins to take control of her future and Adam comes to see her as more of an equal. Ironically, Edith, the daughter of one of Swann-on-Wheels’ area managers, is in love with Adam herself, but I won’t tell you what happens there or whether she acts on her feelings!
I think some readers will probably enjoy this book more for the Swann family storylines and others for the insights into the building of a business empire. I found both interesting and felt that Delderfield got the balance between the two just about right. I will be continuing with the second book, Theirs Was the Kingdom!
Book 45/50 for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2024
She Reads Novels 
This is one of my all time favourite books. So glad you enjoyed it!
I loved it! Looking forward to the second one.
Sounds excellent…. if rather LONG! [grin]
It was great, apart from the length – and the other two in the trilogy seem to be just as long!
I loved A Horseman Riding By trilogy and I’m sure I would like this equally as much. He has a very easy-to-read style so I can imagine how the 700 pages slipped by quickly.
There’s something very comforting about his writing style, I find. The length of his books makes them seem quite daunting, but once you get started they’re quicker reads than you would think!
I bought this years ago and have never read it – this is a good incentive to finally pick it up!
I’ve had my copy for a few years as well and it was only really the length that was putting me off. I’m glad I’ve read it now as I loved it!
Great find
It was!
Helen , you have piqued my interest. I will give it a try!
That’s great. I hope you like it as much as I did!
I hadn’t realised that this was a 1970 publication. I loved this trilogy so much more than A Horseman riding by. The books are still on a shelf in my wardrobe. Adam and Henrietta are one of my all time favourite bookish couples
I’ve had this on the TBR for years, so I’m pleased the 1970 Club pushed me into picking it up. I’m not sure yet whether I prefer it to A Horseman Riding By, as I loved that trilogy as well.
I didn’t think Long Summer Day, the beginning of a different Delderfield trilogy (is it A Horseman Passing By?) was that well written. This one sounds more interesting, though.
Yes, Long Summer Day is the first book in the Horseman Riding By trilogy. I liked that one as well but I think this has a more interesting setting, with the industrial theme.
I couldn’t take his long, involved sentences structures.
He is such a great writer and so much is happening in his books that you don’t really notice the length except when it is time to turn off the light and you see how much is left!
I haven’t reread any of these for years but now I want to! Glad you enjoyed it. I seem to recall that some of his female characters annoyed me but I don’t think it was Henrietta.
Yes, I love his writing. Henrietta didn’t annoy me at all – she was a bit immature at first, but grew up a lot over the course of the book – but I remember being irritated by some of the women in the Horseman Riding By trilogy, I think. I’m looking forward to reading the other two Swann books, although not immediately!
I like the sound of this book! I will be adding it to my TBR, thank you for sharing your thoughts. 😊
Great! I hope you like it. 🙂
Oh interesting! I think my parents used to read Delderfield but I’ve never done so. He was quite prolific and well-known at that time – I wonder if he is nowadays. I’m intrigued though!
His books are nearly all still in print, so I think he must still have some popularity. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by him so far and am looking forward to continuing with this trilogy!
I’ve only read To Serve Them All My Days, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but I have Long Summer Day on the TBR. This one sounds interesting too – maybe even more interesting with the business theme.
I’m planning to read To Serve Them All My Days after I finish this trilogy – although that could take a while!
Oh my gosh, 700pp and it’s got sequels – quite the commitment! I haven’t read anything by Delderfield, and tend to only hear about him when I say ‘E.M. Delafield’ and people mishear. But I’m intrigued now!
Yes, the length was a bit daunting! Delderfield wrote quite a variety of books, so if you don’t fancy the huge family sagas, there are also some standalones and some with more contemporary settings.
Thanks for sharing your review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge