The fascinating town of Sale in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, historically a part of Cheshire, has a rich and diverse history, which is extensively illustrated in the pages of this book. Old buildings, long forgotten, are recalled, such as the Brooklands Hotel, where famous comedians Laurel and Hardy stayed in 1947. There is the strange case of Doctor Charles White, of Sale Priory, who kept the embalmed body of Hannah Beswick at his home, where it stayed for 100 years. Sale Priory and grounds are now given over to modern housing. Sale has also had its fair share of successful and influential inhabitants, including Robert Bolt, who was born on Northenden Road and wrote 'A Man For All Seasons', several screenplays and won an Oscar for his work. Famous scientist and physicist, J. P. Joule, lived on Wardle Road. There is a monument to him in nearby Sale Park.