Ruth Cherrington

Ruth Cherrington grew up in Coventry and her family regularly used the working men's club across the street- the Canley Social club. She learnt a lot about working class life, culture, entertainment and social life long before she set foot inside the school gates! Educated at a local comprehensive, she went on to University gaining a B.Sc. and an M.Sc in Sociology. A bit of a traveller, she spent time living and working in China in the mid-late 1980s and young people there at this pivotal time became the focus of her PhD studies. Present at the dramatic events in and around Tiananmen Square in June 1989, she wrote two China related books, tracing the history and origins of student protests in China.

Another five years were spent working in Bulgaria before Ruth returned to the UK and matters closer to home- the club across the street which was by the late 1990s in decline, like many others up and down the country. Years of research culminated in 'Not Just Beer and Bingo! A social history of working men's clubs.' Ruth then turned her attention to her home town, collecting great stories and pictures from the 1970s- all to be found in her next book- 'The Dirty Stop Outs Guide to 1970s Coventry'. Ruth lives and works as a freelance educational consultant and writer in London.