Saturday, December 24, 2016

WISHING ALL MY VIEWERS THE MOST HAPPIEST CHRISTMAS

Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas, particularly the author (Elizabeth Wallace) of this wonderful book which is one of Britain's best sellers.


Saturday, December 17, 2016

HAVE MET MANY FAMOUS FOLK, BUT PRINCE MONOLULU WAS THE MOST COLOURFUL

As an ardent BBC Radio 4 listener, I've just listened to a programme about Prince Monolulu who used to turn up at British race-courses and, at Petticoat Lane Market  (now Middlesex Street) in London's East End.  This character absolutely fascinated me when I met him on a visit there with my parents. Then a few years later, he jumped aboard my compartment on the District Line tube and caused a sensation with his flamboyantly coloured costume  and crazy,  but beautifully dyed, feathers arranged in his exquisite  headdress. He began talking to everyone and I was fascinated. What a contrast to our boring business suits!




Becoming a regular personality on the race-track as a  tipster, Monolulu told interviewers that he had been born in Abyssinia, the son of the chief of the Falasha tribe, but upon researching later, I found he had been christened Peter Carl McKay in the Danish West Indies. His father and brothers were all horse breeders and racers on the island of St Croix.  Probably, this is why he would kick off any conversation with "I gotta horse!"  

In the austere 50s and early 60s, he brought fun and colour to so many people and his story is incredible. Born October 1881, died February 1965 - I wish I had accepted the commission for an article, perhaps one day I may. If so, will have to pay a visit to the Prince Monolulu pub in Maple Street, Fitzrovia in London's W1

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

SWWJ'S LINKS WITH WOMEN'S HOUR BBC RADIO FOUR



Today Women's Hour is often relayed from Salford in Manchester, but in the old days, around the time the programme began in 1946, it came from Broadcasting House, Great Portland Place, London, visited by many of our earlier members of the SWWJ who supplied features, stories and even worked in their studios. The late Jocelyn Hay, one of our Society Council members became well known when she founded Voice of the Listener & Viewer in 1983. Appointed MBE in 1999 and then CBE in 2005 for her work in sound and vision, she received 'Elizabeth R Award for an Exceptional Contribution to Public Service Broadcasting' by the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association in the same year. What a woman - and what a lovely friend! We miss her. For more information, go to www.swwj.co.;uk
Your truly, Jocelyn Hay and Robert Seatter, Head of BBC History on a visit to Broadcasting House during rebuilding

Thursday, December 08, 2016

SUPER CHRISTMAS GATHERING IN LONDON FOR SWWJ

Our lovely Pamela Payne with guest speaker Ginny Vere Nicholl
Always great to meet up in London - here are some of our members from the South East at our Christmas gathering in the National Liberal Club in Whitehall. website: www.swwj.com


Friday, November 25, 2016

ALL WRITERS ARE WELCOME AS VISITORS TO OUR SWWJ CHRISTMAS GATHERING

I love all aspects of the National Liberal Club, Whitehall (particularly this beautiful staircase).   Do join us on 6 December for the Society of Women Writers & Journalists' Christmas tea and a chance to catch up on all our writing news. 

We will have the well known writer, Ginny Vere Nicholl from Feel Good Books as our guest speaker and I know that she is a brilliant narrator with some great ideas for marketing our literary efforts. Do check out ticket availability at Enquiries@SWWJ.co.uk

Another attraction will be a special 'book table' for our new titles that have been published by members over the last year or two. Looking forward to meeting some of our new members who have joined us this year; and maybe a few of our overseas friends who are arriving in London for Christmas will take the opportunity of coming along. A warm welcome awaits!  




Friday, November 11, 2016

CATER MUSEUM'S NEW BOOK ON SALE TOMORROW 12 NOVEMBER 2016

Literally hot off the press! 

The Cater Museum will have stocks of their new presentation of BILLERICAY'S  ZEPPELIN. This new little book gives the background to the momentous event that  took place during the night of 23/24 September 1916. Second Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey  based at Suttons Farm aerodrome, Hornchurch, was on patrol in his tiny biplane, when he attacked the huge 650 ft Zeppelin L32 as it flew over East London  in the direction of our town of Billericay.




Unfortunately, the entire crew of this airship lost their lives in the conflagration that followed.  Jim Devlin, Leader of  Billericay Town Council and his Councillors marked the centenary by erecting a commemoration stone (courtesy of Jane Bennett Funerals) close to the spot in Greens Farm Lane in memory of those twenty two German airship members. 

Air Marshal Sir Freddie Sowrey, son of Royal Flying Corps Second Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey, visited our town on 24 September 2016 and unveiled the commemoration stone. He and his family were entertained by Graham Jeffrey at his Billericay Brewing company at 54 Chapel Street. Sir Freddie later attended the Zeppelin display at the Reading Rooms in Billericay High Street.  This was organised by Karen Dennis and the Western Front Association members, together with Katie Wilkie, Curator at the Cater Museum, Billericay.

To order this book, please telephone 01277 622023 or curator@thecatermuseum.plus.com

l

Monday, November 07, 2016

VISIT BILLERICAY LIBRARY AND MEET THE AUTHORS - SATURDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2-4 PM



Brentwood Writers' Circle members invite you to come to our MEET THE AUTHORS book event at BILLERICAY LIBRARY on SATURDAY 12 NOVEMBER from 2 - 4pm.

We are delighted that novelists Frances Clamp, Maggie Ford, Dawn Knox, Jim Reeve and yours truly who will be signing books (and selling at reduced price) and talking about our books which all have a World War One theme. 

This is also an opportunity to  launch the Cater Museum's new title BILLERICAY'S ZEPPELIN which traces the sad story of how 23-year-old Second Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey in his tiny biplane, shot down the mighty German L32 Zeppelin. Exactly one hundred years later, on 24 September 2016, a commemoration stone was erected by Billericay Town Council as near to the crash site as possible in Greens Farm Lane, Billericay.




Among those invited to attend the unveiling of the stone were Air Marshal Sir Freddie Sowrey  son of the Royal Flying Corps Second Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey and his family, the Lord Petre, Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Air Commodore Dean Andrew, Stephen Horncastle RAF VR (T) who, with his ATC cadets from 2393 (Billericay), provided a very smart Colour Party and numerous other guests. 

Jim Devlin Billericay Town Council Chairman and his councillors also welcomed Dan Pierce of St John the Divine Church, Billericay, who gave the unveiling address. The Town Council were pleased to receive the visit of Ralf Borttscheller, nephew of Karl Borttscheller, wireless operator of the Zeppelin L32 crew.



Second Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey with his colleagues at Sutton's Farm Hornchurch 1916  © Sowrey Private Collection

Wednesday, November 02, 2016

LEARN MORE ABOUT LOCAL HISTORY AND THE LIFE AND LORDS OF THE MANOR IN DODDINGHURST

FROM SAXONS TO STONLEY

This is to let Essex folk know about a rather special gathering coming up on Sunday 6 November 2.30pm. The sub-title of the one-hour talk is "Turmoil and Intrigue" - the opportunism and back-stabbing of our politicians these days pales into insignificance when you learn about the Earls of Oxford who owned so much of Essex, including the pretty little village of Doddinghurst from 1100 to 1580. 

There will be a Powerpoint presentation to illustrate the talk, some of the slides will show just how ruthless these times were.  Nothing changes!  Don't buy tickets in advance - just come to All Saints' Church in Doddinghurst on Sunday November 6 between 2pm-2.30pm.  Cost of entry £4 - super tea and home-made cake in the Priest House after. Profits from the event will go towards the cost of the conservation of the 16th century processional cross which is adorned with beautiful paintings by a Renaissance artist. A warm welcome awaits.    

Tuesday, November 01, 2016

LATEST EDITION OF HOME FARMER BRITAIN'S FAVOURITE MAGAZINE ON ALL ASPECTS OF SELF SUFFICIENCY

Of all the dozens of magazines and newspapers to which I've contributed over two decades, I  do enjoy writing features for this magazine  - the splendid HOME FARMER.  My current offering to the November issue is published on pages 34/35/36 and no - it's not all about geese (front page) , although I do love these cheeky birds (not the brash green geese used on the web by our cyber aficionados) more the farmyard cacklers. We used to keep one called Jacko down the end of the garden - a most effective guard-dog!  

My current article is about the French wine Beaujolais Nouveau which years ago, the French winemakers used to release on 15 November from the vaults of Les Sarmentelles in the Beaujeu region.  Some amateur winemakers try to emulate this wine, but it's rather a difficult task in our UK climate.   


Sunday, October 23, 2016

BEST SELLING ESSEX NOVELIST MARTINA COLE LAUNCHES HER NEW BOOK AT OUR NEW FOYLES OF CHELMSFORD

Best selling Essex novelist Martina Cole's new book BETRAYAL was launched at the brand new Foyles bookshop in Bond Street, Chelmsford on Saturday. 

Hundreds of Martina's fans were there to buy her new title and she spent several hours signing books for them. Martina has been friends with us all at Brentwood Writers' Circle over the years since her first book 'Dangerous Lady' was published in 1992 and our paths have often crossed since she came to Brentwood's Ursuline School to outline how her writing career started. 

Martina was also a member of our Society of Women Writers and Journalists and is known for encouraging and helping young writers.

Do visit us at www.swwj.co.uk and also the new Foyles book store where you can also enjoy coffee and cake in their little cafe area. Friendly staff and super sales team. twitter @swwj #swwj 
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Friday, October 21, 2016

FABULOUS NEW BOOK FOR CHILDREN - AN ALPHABET OF AWFUL ANIMALS FOR ADULTS

Author George Courtauld and artist John Holder have produced this superbly illustrated book for children just in time for Christmas. Both are grandfathers and their book jacket gives us some intriguing information on their history.  George is already a well known writer whose "Fat Bulldog' trilogy concerning his life as a Queen's Messenger, travelling 3,500,000 miles world-wide, has brought him great success.

John Holder is also well known for his work in the classic tradition of humorous illustration, dating back to Victorian times. In 2012 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Anglia Ruskin University for his lifetime contribution to illustration and drawing at Cambridge School of Art. 

John's drawings are wonderful.  Wait till you see how cleverly he has illustrated the animals in this book with snippets of verse from nearly 80 creatures from A for Aardvark to Z for Zoo-keeper, via a huge variety of creatures both mythical and extant, such as a gargoyle, the Jellyfish and a Witchetty Grub - lots of fun and, as the above gentleman have suggested, perfect for the loo bookcase, as well as the bedside table.      

Friday, October 14, 2016

WRITING CONNECTIONS - SOME OF MY EDITORS

I am currently working on a feature which involves some of my earlier magazine editors.  Here we have a picture of Comfort Smith, Editor at Large of Sa'adia, the first national magazine of Botswana. On meeting her in London some years ago, I snapped her with that ever-youthful horticultural expert Bob Flowerdew, and yes, I also wrote about gardening and winemaking for her.  

I still write about winemaking for HOME FARMER, which is one of the most popular British magazines at present, one that covers all kinds of practical self-sufficiency in garden, allotment and, of course, the kitchen.  Love making preserves and my wine. I know my favourite magazine is sold widely in the UK, and now in my local W H Smith store. . 


Tuesday, October 11, 2016

WORLD PREMIER OF UNDER THE RADAR FROM RED STABLE FILMS

At the end of last month, friends and family of Mike Edmonds, actor and Simon J Frith film producer with his team, all congregated at the Institute of Contemporary Art in The Mall in London.  This was the long awaited evening of the screening of  UNDER THE RADAR, a wonderful film about the life and times of Mike whose acting career has taken him all over the world. 













Saturday, October 08, 2016

STUART WALLACE'S NEW ARTWORK




I've just discovered the unusual and brilliant artwork of Stuart Wallace in Denver.
Take a moment and look at his wonderful designs 
 http://stuartwallace.wixsite.com/artwork





kStuart Wallace's photo.

Friday, October 07, 2016

STARTING OFF SOME NEW COUNTRY WINE FOR THE GREAT MAGAZINE HOME FARMER




























When writing columns for magazines (and as a freelance writer, this is my fourteenth regular column) it's wise to plan ahead, sometimes months ahead and this is what I am doing this week. 

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

SUNNY ORMONDE (LILIAN BELLAMY FROM "THE ARCHERS)" IS OUR GUEST SPEAKER TODAY





Looking forward to meeting writer friends and guests at our SWWJ Autumn Lunch to be held at the National Liberal Club in London Thursday 29 September, As a great fan of The Archers I hope Lilian Bellamy (played by that super actress Sunny Ormonde) will allow me to interview her and I can take some pictures, too. For more details, check our SWWJ.com website.

  
29 September 2016  Members of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists and guests enjoyed a fabulous performance ttoday from Sunny Ormonde who is delightful and so entertaining.  A superb performer.

Friday, September 23, 2016

SPOTLIGHT ON OUR FAMOUS BRENTWOOD WRITERS' CIRCLE OUR ANNUAL WRITERS' DAY -

Saturday 1st October, 10.00 am - 4.00 pm 
ORDER YOUR TICKETS NOW

Special day coming up.  
The Ursuline Convent School, Queens Road, Brentwood, Essex CM14 4EX
These annual Writer Day Sessions are always successful and great fun.  This year's speaker is the acclaimed writing coach and poet Sarah Hymas, who works with writers in a variety of ways. The day promises to be an entertaining and informative one and not to be missed.  

If you are an amateur or professional writer, or just interested in the written word, come along and meet and socialise with fellow writers and like-minded people. The venue, The Ursuline Convent School, is a short walk from Brentwood Station.

Non-members pay just £20, and this includes refreshments and a buffet lunch, which represents excellent value for money.

Please purchase or reserve tickets by emailing or telephoning the Secretary, Ena Love: Tel 01277 226840 Email: ena@enalove.co.uk


Thursday, September 22, 2016

IMPORTANT BILLERICAY EVENT HAPPENING ON SATURDAY 24 SEPTEMBER

Thankfully local press have picked up news of our Museum's Centenary Exhibition to be held at The Reading Rooms in Billericay High Street on Saturday 2.00pm - 5.00pm.   We hope you will visit us at this Exhibition on Saturday afternoon.  This event commemorates the town's involvement in the Battle of the Somme, Battle of Jutland and the crash of the L32 Zeppelin on the night of 23/24 September 1916.  Entry is free and refreshments will be available in the Reading Rooms during the Exhibition.  A warm welcome awaits you. 

During the evening, there is a talk scheduled by the Western Front members, which again is free, but seats are limited, so  should anyone wish to attend at 7.00pm-9.00pm, do let the Cater Museum know on 01277 622023


Sunday, September 18, 2016

BILLERICAY'S UPCOMING EVENTS

We have quite a few events on the Billericay calendar over the next few weeks.  Yesterday's History Day  in the Library was a great success and good fun - community at its enthusiastic best - an opportunity to get together with  members from some of the town's other groups.

At the end of next week, we mark the anniversary of one hundred years  since the L32 Zeppelin was shot down over Great Burstead, just a mile from our ancient High Street. A commemoration plaque is being prepared and work is in hand for an exhibition on Saturday 24 September in the Reading Rooms, High Street from 2.00pm - 5pm.  The award-winning aviation author/illustrator  Ray L Rimell has written THE LAST FLIGHT OF THE L32 which will be on display at the exhibition and can be obtained from Ray Rimell, www.windsockdatafilespecials.co.uk or via the Cater Museum, 74 High Street, Billericay after Saturday, 24 September 2016. 




Staff at the Cater Museum will be joining the Essex Branch of the Western Front Association and the 10th Essex Living History Group to present NOT JUST THE FIRST OF JULY: THE AIR WAR COMES TO BILLERICAY.  The exhibition will cover the major events of 1916: The Battle of Jutland, The Battle of the Somme and the Zeppelin L32 crash.  


After the exhibition, presentations and a talk will cover the same topics at 7.00pm.   The exhibition and the presentations are free, but the evening presentation will be ticketed. Apply to the Cater Museum:  01277622023

Alongside, we are  preparing an updated version of Ted Wright's book first published in 1977. 



Saturday, August 27, 2016

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT CIRCA 1940s - 60s


Music, dancing, singing and socializing have always been sure-fire ways of combating depression and difficult times.  Since I've been researching my new writing project, I've received a treasure trove of archive material from interested folk from around the world. Many thanks to members of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists and to Jarvis Cocker in tonight's BBC Radio 4 programme.  So - watch this space! 

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

ESSEX FRUIT FARMS

How I love Essex fruit farms and the chance to Pick My Own!  There are many in our county, but Spencer’s Farm Shop in the tiny village of Wickham St Pauls near Halstead Essex, is one of the best. This  family-run business established in 1973 has a wonderful  Coffee Shop opened in 2010 run by Frosty and Ray Mead.

The Farm Shop is run by Jenny Spencer - third generation of the family to operate Spencer’s - and her business partner Jo O’Boyle. Both Jenny and Jo recently gave up their corporate careers in London to move to the countryside to get a better work life balance while working for themselves. They took over the running of the shop in March 2016.


Adjacent to the main building is the Coffee Shop run by Frosty and Ray Mead -  great cooks - and Frosty is a superb cake maker - which I can certainly verify. All the food is home made, cooked and prepared by Frosty and Ray, excellent chefs and cake makers (see my birthday cake at my last visit)

The fruit farm side of the business continues to be run by the Spencers as it has been since the 1970s. It is a Pick Your Own fruit system and this was great when I needed lots of fruit to use in my winemaking endeavours at the time of writing my wine-making column for Home Farmer - a great international magazine. 


It's good to see the fruit growing at the back of the building and the owner allowed me to take some photographs last year for my column. Close by,  there's a large play area for children including a sand pit, climbing frame, vintage tractor and ride on tractors. This year in early summer, Spencers started their own small petting farm too with goats, rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens - well worth a visit for families. 


Travel Advisor review: 
We happened upon the farm shop and tea room more by accident than planned, but what a delight!  Great food shop with a nice selection food.  Tea room lovely food excellent quality and plentiful and the service was good too. Definitely will be going back. Highly recommended.  


Saturday, August 20, 2016

ONE HUNDRED STORIES EACH CONTAINING ONE HUNDRED WORDS

I've always enjoyed writing fiction - in between  newspaper and magazine features and, after receiving an unexpected winning award from Brentwood Writers' Circle for my fiction entry into their 2016 competition recently, I've now written half a dozen more short stories. These, will of course have to be polished and re-written in time, but currently working on a couple of other projects.

However, I have been enjoying reading the work of DAWN KNOX, a Brentwood based published author of several excellent books who recently appeared on Radio Phoenix 98fm's Book Club.  Our super presenter Michelle Ward is brilliant at spotting creative talent and she has invited more than forty authors, poets, film-makers and actors on to her programme, the results  being streamed through the web. 

The latest work of Dawn Knox is entitled THE GREAT WAR and this has been a great help in my own work-in-progress covering the L32 Zeppelin disaster which occurred on 24 September 1916.  Dawn is hard at work now on her other projects see her website  at www.dawnknox.com

Since talking to Dawn, I'm now thinking about those brash green geese she mentioned - we actually owned a very brash white goose called Jacko who was the topic of a short story competition entry which won a nice little prize a year or so ago. We ate him!!!

BRAZIL IN THE NEWS VIA THE ESSEX RECORD OFFICE

Ursain Bolt
Not much in world news press at present, except of course, the Olympics, at least for a few more days.  Very exciting for those who love sport and soon all this will be resigned to history. 

On that note, I am pleased to receive information from our prestigious Essex Record Office who have highlighted the life of James Paroissien who was baptised in St. Margaret’s Church, Barking on Christmas Day 1784. I have a particular interest in this church where I was married in 1966 (as was James Cook, the famous explorer in 1762).

But back to the earlier James who studied medicine in those early days.   In 1806 he left England to practise as a surgeon in Montevideo, Argentina.  Once there he switched to trading as a merchant but left after the British invading forces were defeated in 1806-1807 and went to Rio de Janeiro.  His journal records his impressions of Brazil, although much of his account relates to hunting.  On 2 August he recorded that the weather was ‘exceedingly hot muggy and rainy … accompanied with violent gusts of wind’.  On Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 August they set off towards the Taghuihi river killing plover and other ‘fine’ birds, parakeets and even a sloth at the top of a high tree which ‘stuck so fast‘ that somebody had to climb up to retrieve the body.  On 7 August he described the river as being extremely beautiful with the banks imprinted with the marks of the capybara, which were described as being very numerous.  Continuing from the river they shot more birds and two golden monkeys, two toucans and a squirrel.

After James' stay in Rio, he returned to Argentina before joining the army to fight for the liberation of Chile and Peru from the Spanish.  He served as surgeon-general and later as aide-de-camp to the commander José de San Martin, returning to England in 1821 to seek diplomatic recognition for the newly liberated Peru.  The mission failed and in 1825 he returned to South America as agent for the Bolivian Mining Company.  An economic crash in Britain left James ruined and he died after ill health prevented his return to Britain to clear his name in September 1827.

James'  diary will be on display in the Essex Record
Office's Searchroom throughout August 2016.
Do find time to visit our ERO which is such a fascinating place.


Monday, August 15, 2016

NOSTALGIA REIGNS

Off to London tonight to take part in a book signing event.  Of my ten books, it is so odd (and delightful) to be asked to sign books that are well past their publishing date. In this case 2002. Some of my other books are becoming ebooks, too. Lovely! Our famous Society of Women Writers & Journalists (www.SWWJ.co.uk)  enjoys a convivial link with London's Press Club and it's great to meet their members from time to time.

There seems to be a feeling of nostalgia in this late summer air and many people are looking back to a time when perhaps they were younger - hence the little spike in my book sales. In this particular case, schooldays appear to have been the happiest in some of these students' lives.



My book THE BILLERICAY SCHOOL published by Tempus Images of England is still available from The History Press £12.99  ISBN 9-7524-3083-1
 
Very soon another book (slim but beautiful) will be available to purchase.  This will commemorate the centenary of the L32 Zeppelin which landed on a mangle field in Great Burstead, Essex on 24 September 1916.  I am visiting the spot this week and images will, of course, be produced in time within the book.  More details at a later date.

Monday, August 08, 2016

HELLO AND WELCOME TO MY READERS WORLDWIDE




 

This is a little thank you to so many Russian folk who seem to appreciate a little English home cooking and wine-making,  My latest feature for HOME FARMER will be published on September lst after a full year's column outlining some of our most famous English home made recipes.  Apples, of all varieties, are abundant and one of the most interesting fruits from which to make wine.  My recipe is HOME FARMER is one I have used for more than 40 years and has won many awards in Winemaking circles. 


 
 

Friday, August 05, 2016

CALLING ALL WRITERS AND JOURNALISTS IN SUSSEX AND BEYOND

Very pleased to learn that  our writerly friends and Members of the Society of Women Writers & Journalists in Sussex are planning to hold an exciting free  MEET THE AUTHOR gathering on TUESDAY 16 AUGUST.  There will be 28 authors arriving at The Selsey Centre to meet and greet readers and perhaps sign a book or two.  A wonderful chance if you can get to Selsey in Sussex. From 2pm to 4pm

Whether you are a well published writer yourself or just curious about how to start hitting the keyboard (or even dipping your ink into the first stages of a novel, piece of poetry or maybe  a magazine) this is the place for you. It's all free with excellent parking and a superb venue. May even meet you there! 

 

Friday, July 29, 2016

NO WRITING WORK TODAY - IT'S ALL BAKING & BREWING

PHOTO BY COURTESY OF HOME FARMER MAGAZINE NEWSLETTER

No interviews today - no deadline to meet, so scrubbing up for a day of baking (and freezing the results); also I start off a new wine, so lots of sterilising going on.  It sounds odd as I will be not be using grapes (they are still on my vines and not ready until October).  Today I am using a black grape concentrate which, when the laws of fermentation are properly followed, will make a tolerable alcoholic beverage.   Fermentation is an interesting subject.   The magical process by which water and grape or fruit juice is changed into "wine" using different yeast cultures, has always seemed to fascinate alchemists and remains a challenge to modern vinologists today.  Mead, using honey, is part of this phenomenon and I have many friends who keep bees.  One, in particular, was Brother Adam from Buckfast Abbey in Devon who was a good friend and encouraged my wine-making efforts.

Many years ago, I wrote a column in an Essex magazine which lasted almost two years (entitled Fascinating Fermentations) which tested out dozens of different wine recipes and it brought me other winemakers' experiences (with their permission, of course).  I now make use of this material for my current column in HOME FARMER magazine - a superb journal whose readers gain benefit from growing their own fruit, vegetables, keep bees and poultry AND learning how to cook, preserve and ferment their own produce.

Sunday, July 24, 2016

FOCUS ON SUNDAY'S POETRY PLEASE PROGRAMME BBC RADIO 4 - THE LATE ADRIAN MITCHELL



﻿


John Agard Fleur Adcock Wendy Cope at House of Lords ALCS summer party
 


Adrian Mitchell who came to the Billericay School in 1982 as our Poet In Residence


We enjoyed listening to POETRY PLEASE on BBC Radio 4 today particularly as many students became friends with Adrian Mitchell in the 1980s when he was invited to become the Billericay School's Writer in Residence for two years.   When I wrote this School's history around 2002 (still in print), Adrian was kind in helping me with photographs and material for that section of the book. 
 
During the early '80s. While he was closely linked to the School, students enjoyed the opportunity of working not only with him, but with the then Poet Laureate Ted Hughes, Roger McGough, Brian Patten, Alan Brownjohn, Fleur Adock (met her myself a few months ago - pic below) and many other well known poets.
 
Tim Cunningham taught English at the Billericay School from 1976 till 1996 and, even now, many former students have commented on his imaginative way with words.   His first book of poetry, entitled Don Marcelino's Daughter was published by Peterloo Poets in 2001 and since then he has published many more wonderful collections.
 
My book THE BILLERICAY SCHOOL published by Tempus Images of England is still available from The History Press £12.99  ISBN 9-7524-3083-1



 
 
 
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