At the northern end of the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Kidsgrove and Butt Lane were quiet and rural areas of scattered settlements that became an industrial centre of great importance in the economy of North Staffordshire. Today, the areas are largely residential, with housing belonging mainly from the post-war era onwards. Coal mines and ironworks changed the landscape and population and housing increased; development by the Trent and Mersey Canal and the arrival of the railway allowed the area to flourish.

Nowadays, most of the heavy industry has declined and many once-familiar sights have been swept away. However, it is possible to recreate something of the atmosphere of this industrial past and its social consequences through the illustrations and detail that accompany them. Drawing on a rich store of photographs and historical information, this book reveals a fascinating past for readers to enjoy as local author Tony Lancaster guides us through the streets, revealing the changing faces of Kidsgrove and Butt Lane.