As I try to unpick the relationship between the people and the politicians in post-war Britain I’m reflecting on some of the key events when the populace had a chance to express their opinion. Labour Prime Minister, Clement Atlee, had enjoyed five years of leading a majority government, following Labour’s landslide victory just two monthsContinue reading “A chance to be heard”
Category Archives: research
From top down to bottom up…
To help me get into the mindset of my fictional characters I have spent the last few years researching recent history. Those of you who are familiar with my novels will know they are all set during the iconic decade of the 1960s, a time when Britain experienced a significant cultural shift. To explore theContinue reading “From top down to bottom up…”
Agatha Christie and Isabella Muir
I read my first Agatha Christie novel when I was thirteen years old. I don’t remember which one it was, but I do remember that it led me to read another and another. Like most authors I am a voracious reader. Having worked my way through Agatha Christie’s crime fiction I moved on through otherContinue reading “Agatha Christie and Isabella Muir”
…when I’m 64
‘When I get older, losing my hair Many years from now’ Who remembers hearing these Beatles lyrics for the first time, back in 1967. Maybe we thought that by the time we reached 64 we would be ‘old’. It seems laughable now, when 64-year-olds choose to go trekking in their holidays and spend their weekendsContinue reading “…when I’m 64”
Choosing a life of crime
When Agatha Christie’s first crime novel was published in 1920 she was thirty years old. She was a loved and loving daughter and is described as living in an ‘upper middle-class family’. When Jane Austen’s first novel was published in 1811 she was thirty-six years old. She too was a loved and loving daughter. HerContinue reading “Choosing a life of crime”
A world without images
Thank goodness for libraries. As part of my research into all things ‘sixties’ I have tracked down a fascinating book. ‘The Neophiliacs’ was written by Christopher Booker and published in 1969. It turns out that it is now out of print and Amazon are asking over £100 for a copy! So, you can imagine myContinue reading “A world without images”
Australia – shadows amidst the sunshine
I am delighted to welcome fellow author, Rosemary Noble, to my blog today. Rosemary shares my passion for exploring the truth about some of the darkest parts of Australian history. Here she explains… In the Australian National Anthem, ‘Advance Australia Fair’, there’s a phrase celebrating the country’s modern forward-thinking attitude: “Australians all let us rejoice,Continue reading “Australia – shadows amidst the sunshine”
A promise of a better life
On 29th August 2018 BBC News reported that some of the child migrants who were sent to Australia from the UK are planning to sue the UK Government. The article explains… Between 1945-70, some 4,000 children were separated from their families and sent to Australia and Zimbabwe. The Independent Inquiry Into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA) consideredContinue reading “A promise of a better life”
The Forgotten Children
I will let the words of the Child Migrants Trust tell this story… ‘Britain is the only country in the world with a sustained history of child migration. Only Britain has used child migration as a key part of its child care strategy over four centuries rather than as a last resort during times ofContinue reading “The Forgotten Children”
Flying high
It seems incredible to think that our Royal Air Force is one hundred years old. It was back in 1918, on 1 April, when the Royal Air Force first formed as a separate service, independent of the British Army and the Royal Navy. In fact, it was the first time that any country hadContinue reading “Flying high”
Isabella Muir 