The original print run of A Pride of Prydes is currently sold out but the book is now available in Kindle and paperback format  as is the latest book A Pride of Prydes 2 which was released in 2025.

James Pride and his wife Helen Selkirk are the founder members of the East Lothian Prides. Their family history is traced in A Pride of Prydes by Eve Pryde-Roberts, who is believed to have the largest data base of Prydes in the world, including descendants of James Pride & Helen Selkirk. 

A Pryde of Prydes

A Pride of Prydes by Eve Pryde-Roberts

The first book contains details of research into the Pryde family originating in Scotland in the 17th century until the present day, being some 13 generations of coal miners. Research shows that the family originated in the eastern counties of Scotland. This book outlines the lives of some of the characters and their contemporaries through the generations, showing their trials, tribulations and triumphs. It also includes some general history of coal mining through the centuries, especially in Scotland. The book details how the family spread around the world and their involvement in military conflicts through the years.

A Pryde of Prydes Volume 2

A Pride of Prydes 2 by Eve Pryde-Roberts

This second volume of A Pride of Prydes is a continuing and expanded account of the lives and times of the kith and kin, cohorts, and the ancestors and descendants of James Pride and Helen Selkirk, many of whom originated in the county of Fife, Scotland before moving to the Lothian area and later to many parts of the world.
Some details of the continued trials and tribulations and the day-to-day lives of the families are included within and these include those with the surname (and variants) of Pride, Hutchie, Inglis, King, Knight, Lindsay, Lumsdale, McEwen, and Selkirk amongst many others. The endogamous nature of these families, forced upon them by the laws and the working conditions prevailing at the time, is also evidenced throughout the generations. It concludes with the demise of the coal industry. Readers with an interest in coal mining, particularly in Scotland, and with family links thereto should find a lot to interest them.

Contact Eve at evepryderoberts_at_hotmail.com – replace the “_at_” with “@” to email her.

Reviews of A Pryde of Prydes

5 out of 5 stars Nothing but Positive !!!’ By B. Handon 22 October 2017

I only purchased this ebook a few days ago after receiving an email from the author — EVE PRYDE ROBERTS. Just prior to leaving this review, I noticed one other review from Steven Ollerhead, and I would DITTO his review!!! This is a FABULOUS BOOK! I met Eve trying to learn more about my Pryde Family, in the 90s. She lives in Wales, and has researched this (her) family for literally years, tying in many lines. I am still wishing to find that she is my cousin, but she has linked me to cousins, although distant, in Scotland, Australia, and the USA. I know one of the cousins in Australia lived in Canada, Scotland, and South Africa. Eve has included interesting bits of history, making this “13 generations of Coal Miners” a well-written and easy to read book. I like how she has also added the lineage in each chapter as she speaks about a different child and that family from the original James Pride and Helen Selkirk… who, by the way, and making it more personal to me, are in my own genealogical file. I’d also like to mention another cousin, Ron Pryde, who has worked with Eve all of these years and has traveled to Edinburgh researching original records for us. I am sure Eve’s Father is very proud of her for all these years of hard work in learning and publishing his heritage! Thank you, my dear friend EVE PRYDE-ROBERTS! I am so proud of you, and so very happy to have your book!

5 out of 5 stars Fantastic family history book By Steven Ollerheadon 22 October 2017

I bought this book at the very under priced cost of £5 as it was written by a distant cousin who I have only just found after connecting via Ancestry. It is an immersive, brilliantly written, well researched, sometimes deadly harrowing but absolutely fascinating book all about the “Pryde Family history” but don’t think that it’s only of use to people with a connection to the Pryde’s because it most certainly isn’t! It is however a fantastic insight into the mining community and their struggles, mainly starting in Scotland but covering Wales and then immigration to the U.S, Australia, Canada and more. It is also a lesson to other would be Family Historians of how to write down the important information whilst immersing the reader into the lives of their past relatives. I have, and still am getting so much from this book and would like to thank Eve for making this available to me and also for popping up with a surprise email containing a fantastic photograph of an old cottage that my Great Great Grandparents lived in. Buy this book if this family is part of your past, buy this book if you would just like to take a glimpse of the past.

5 out of 5 stars A book to treasure By M. Davieson 27 October 2017

Difficult to write favourable comments when you are following two other Reviews which compliment precisely and mirror my praise for the Author.
However, I can say with certainty that this wonderful book is deserving of so much praise, or rather should I say, Eve Pryde-Roberts is for this incredibly detailed and superbly written account going back so many years. I have no doubt that to produce this wonderful record has taken many hours of research – yes, no doubt, part of it a labour of love but also a lot of hard graft as well. So much cross referencing, facsimiles of old documents and the addition of photographs where appropriate. I am also amazed at the very detailed Index at the back of the book, the cross referencing being so useful.
From the beginning of the book, detailing the very harsh lives that people had to endure, to the end of the book with the lovely, human story about Eve herself – as well as the wealth of fascinating and gripping tales of others within the family lines, this is a book to be treasured and enjoyed.
I can only add that it has been a pleasure to read and also re-iterate my admiration for what Eve has achieved.

5 out of 5 stars Family history. By Alastair Prydeon 27 October 2017

Brilliant book which the author has put a lot of time and effort into, she also helped me while tracing the family tree, Eve you’re a star.

Father Brown and The Pride of the Prydes.

‘Father Brown’: S02.03. “The Pride of the Prydes”
The Paul Gibson-directed Father Brown episode The Pride of the Prydes opens with a sequence that takes us back to late fifteenth century England. Picture it: It’s 1488 and Lord Udolf Pryde has sentenced local woman, Branwen, to be burned at the stake for being a witch. Branwen, specifically targeting every first-born son, curses the Pryde family.
The episode brings us forwards to the contextual present day, 1953, where we find Audrey Diggle retelling the story in a book documenting the history of the Pryde family. The reading was done in preparation for an upcoming public open day event at the historic Pryde estate.
During a tour of the grounds, in vivid vibrant detail, Miss Diggle recounts Branwen’s story to the assembled visitors. Branwen, according to Miss Diggle, was killed by her archer son moments before she was to see death by fire. It is at this moment when an arrow strikes Miss Diggle in the back. Whilst it is initially thought the arrow incident is all part of the show, quickly seeing something is wrong, Father Brown observes Miss Diggle is really dead.
Inspector Sullivan, accompanied by Sergeant Allbright, arrive on the scene. The police inspector, not having been informed of the open day, initially thinks finding the killer would be a somewhat quick and easy task as people typically don’t carry a longbow with them on a daily basis. Sullivan soon discovers, with numerous people dressed in period costume and carrying medieval weaponry, the murder will take a lot longer to solve.
The police inspector, because of a legal dispute between tennent farmers and the Pryde family, immediately suspects Alan Archer of murdering Miss Diggle. Only an idiot would suspect a man named archer of murdering anyone with a bow and arrow. That, even for a Father Brown episode, would be too much on the nose.
All Pryde family members are known to use a longbow.
Father Brown, when a page from the parish birth records goes missing, is convinced that the motive lies in the Pryde family’s past.
The Pride of the Prydes, with a story penned by Jude Tindall, was originally televised in the British Isles on Wednesday, 8 January 2014. Further to regular cast members Mark Williams, Sorcha Cusack, Nancy Carroll, Tom Chambers, and Keith Osborn, the episode guest stars Marcia Warren, Robert Boulter, Guy Williams, Richard Hope, Caroline Blakiston, Susannah Fielding, Angus Imrie, and Stuart Matthews. Alex Price, even though he is a regular cast member, doesn’t make an appearance in this episode.