"Castle Cement – History of Ribblesdale Cement" is certainly not a dry read! Its 111 pages are jam-packed with pictures, personal recollections, amusing stories and historical data. All the company's employees are named and listed and those having served 25 years have a special mention.

The author, who came to Clitheroe as works manager in the late 1980s, has already compiled a history of the Ketton works, and in Clitheroe's book pays tribute to the employees and ex-employees who helped in the compilation of data. In particular, he thanks Fred Braithwaite "whose prodigious memory" is, he says "a legend on the cement works."

He deals with the area's wider history, formation of the company and its growth before charting major events at the works, including the opening of the bypass in 1973. There are quirky additions such as Keith Hall's proposal to his wife, Mary, in Chatburn Old Road which turned out to be the same spot at which Mary's father had proposed to her mother.

The story starts in earnest in the 1930s. Clitheroe Council was supportive of the plan to build a two kiln plant due to high unemployment and recession in the textile industry. Ironically, on many occasions in later years, the company struggled to gain workers and the workforce has comprised many nationalities over the years, including ex German prisoners of war, Poles, Italians, Ukrainians, Russians, Yugoslavs and Asians.

Peter has successfully managed to create a highly readable, informative and, at times, amusing book which will become an important historical work. It will be on sale at this weekend's open days priced £10 with all proceeds to charity.

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