Up the Lamb

the long version

Up The Lamb is the story of young John Ackerman's growing up in the mining town of Maesteg during the Depression and the war years. The son of a butcher - and therefore the family were 'trade' - John escaped the worst of the poverty while being acutely aware of it in the lives of his schoolmates. The young John was also part of a family of independent spirit, typified by his matriarchal grandmother Florence, a woman of strong left-wing beliefs, who ran an unofficial "salon" in 'The Lamb', the local pub. She and her daughters are among the many strong characters who people Ackerman's memoir.