Reply To: Ben o’ Bill’s, The Luddite: A Yorkshire Tale (1898) by D.F.E. Sykes & George H. Walker
The following are archived comments:
John Parkinson:
George Henry Walker committed suicide on the 14th June 1905. You will find his obituary in the Huddersfield Examiner dated the 15th June 1905.
It is most probable that he helped finance publishing the book, as Sykes had been declared bankrupt in 1885, and may have contributed anecdotally.
Incidentally, Lambsbreath Publications published in 1988. Two Years before the copyright expired.
Dave Pattern:
Many thanks for that! I wonder if Sykes removed Walker’s name after the suicide? There are some newspaper reports of Sykes trying to clear his debts after returning to the Huddersfield area, but it seems he still struggled occasionally with his alcohol addiction and even spent time in Crosland Moor workhouse (1901 Census).
The current copyright expiry length is 70 years after death, but that was a 1995 amendment to the 1988 Act which was then applied retrospectively. Prior to 1995, the length was 50 years, so Sykes’ work should have become Public Domain on 1 January 1971. As Sykes died prior to 1925, the 1995 amendment wouldn’t have retrospectively brought his work back under copyright protection as it did with other authors who died in the years after 1925. I’ll update Sykes’ pages with the correct info about when his works became PD.
John Parkinson:
Ben o’ Bill’s is available, online, as a free e-book. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/54030