David Martin and his wife Betty founded North Staffordshire Heritage to research North Staffordshire’s history and architectural heritage.
David is a lawyer, historian and writer. He enjoys listening to traditional English folk songs, exploring heritage towns and watching 1940s movies. His favourite films are “The First of the Few”, “North West Passage” and “First Comes Courage”.
He took A levels at Stoke-on-Trent College of Commerce and studied law and history at the London School of Economics.
Betty and David met in Tunstall. Betty was researching the history of Forster Street School, where her brother, Neil, was headteacher. David was photographing the site of Tunstall Court Leet, which was near the school. The court was an Anglo-Saxon Territorial Court. It tried criminal offences committed in Kidsgrove, Mow Cop, Harriseahead, Brindley Ford, Newchapel, Chell, Goldenhill, Tunstall, Burslem and Cobridge.
Starting on September 15, David is taking a Sabbatical to study the Anglo-Saxon legal system.
Image of the College of Commerce © Copyright Philip Halling and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
(Revised September 2025)
North Staffordshire Heritage 