The large seaside town of Southport lies on the coast of the Irish Sea in the north-west of England. Located just 16 miles north of the city of Liverpool, this wonderful town has a fascinating history of its own. Secret Southport starts right at the very beginning, taking readers back to uncover secrets from the earliest human occupation of the area, where evidence ranging from hunting tools and a log canoe, to ancient footprints in the muddy banks has been found. Author Jack Smith sheds light on the intriguing and lesser-known aspects of the town’s history from these early days right up to the present day. Join him and discover how Southport was first formed all thanks to a ‘folly’, read about tales of shipwrecks and rescue missions, and uncover the history hidden within the town’s architecture.

Jack Smith has lived in Lancashire most of his life, his family roots being in the railway town of Horwich near Bolton, where he served an engineering apprenticeship at the famous Horwich Locomotive Works. His interest in archaeology and history saw him as one of three founders of the Chorley and District Historical and Archaeological Society in 1953. He is also a U3A committee member, and programme organiser for the BAE Warton, 'Industrial Archaeology and Railway Society'. He is an established author who has written a number of local history titles for Amberley.