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About the Book
George W. Gough published The Yeoman Adventurer in 1916, during the middle of the First World War, and the novel reflects a broader trend at the time toward heroic, escapist historical fiction offering readers a break from the grim realities of the ongoing war.
Set in Staffordshire, England during the Jacobite uprising of 1745, the story follows Oliver Wheatman, a practical, unremarkable young yeoman farmer whose quiet rural life is upended when Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebel army marches into English territory. Feeling out of place amid the historical drama unfolding around him, Oliver’s path changes when he witnesses aristocrat Margaret Waynflete being threatened by marauders and steps in to rescue her, despite the danger. Margaret is deeply entangled in the doomed Jacobite cause, and Oliver’s act of bravery pulls him into a world of political espionage, rebel plots, and constant danger that a simple farmer would normally have no part in. As he protects Margaret across enemy lines and shifting loyalties, Oliver transforms from an overlooked commoner into a genuinely daring figure, and the story builds toward a hard-won romance that bridges the social gap between a yeoman farmer and an aristocrat.
The novel argues, in a fairly direct way, that real courage and nobility aren’t limited to the aristocracy, using Oliver’s arc to elevate the ordinary Englishman into the hero role usually reserved for the well-born. It also romanticizes the 1745 rising itself, using it mainly as an exotic, dangerous backdrop to heighten the romance rather than as a subject of serious political analysis.
Gough grounds the story in genuine local geography, closely mapping the real routes and atmosphere of the Jacobite army’s brief, ultimately doomed push into Staffordshire, giving the adventure plot an unusually specific historical texture for the genre.
Quick Facts
| Title | The Yeoman Adventurer |
|---|---|
| Author | George W. Gough (early 20th century) |
| First Published | 1916 |
| Genre | Adventure |
| Format | |
| Price | Free |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Yeoman Adventurer free to download?
Yes. Published in 1916, the novel is fully in the public domain.
What historical event does it cover?
The 1745 Jacobite uprising, specifically its brief incursion into Staffordshire, England.
Why was this kind of story popular in 1916?
Heroic historical adventure fiction offered readers an escape from the grim realities of the First World War, which was ongoing at the time of publication.
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