Author explodes ‘great myth’ of PM

Author Edward Pearce

AN author with strong Oldham connections will publish a controversial biography of Pitt the Elder, the eighteenth century statesmen, this week.

Edward Pearce (70), who still has many cousins in the Oldham area but now lives near Easingwold, North Yorkshire, is a former Daily Telegraph and Guardian leader writer, columnist and Commons sketch writer.

His new book, his 14th, is “Pitt the Elder: Man of War” (Bodley Head, £25).

Mr Pearce’s family have been in Oldham since 1870. His grandfather, also Edward Pearce, was a well respected owner of a local plastering firm and his father, Frank, was educated at Hulme Grammar School, and later trained to be a mill manager, before switching careers after studying for a degree.

His grandfather and namesake was responsible for the decoration of many local Catholic churches, particularly their moulded ceilings.

Mr Pearce added: “My grandfather Ted was also a pretty serious rugby league player and in the Oldham team, winning a cup winners medal in, so I was told, 1900. He died in 1933.”

His latest book is published on Thursday and he describes it as a “sceptical biography”.

He added: “Pitt the Elder is regarded as a great man who thrust aside incompetents to lead the country and conquer Canada.

“My book says that is a great myth.”

He has also written the biography of Robert Walpole, Britain’s first Prime Minister, the official biography of Denis Healey, and the history of the Great Reform Act.

William Pitt the Elder, known as the Great Commoner, was twice Prime Minister and his monument is in Westminster Abbey.