Things found by the Lancashire Reading Detectives team
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Reading Detectives film
6 January 2010 from Ruth Harrison | Watch the Lancashire Reading Detectives' finale film.... Read more or Comment
Leonora Carrington (1917-present)
7 October 2009 from Stephen Miller | Perhaps Lancashire's most exciting find yet! Leonora Carrington (photographed on the right with E.L.T. Mesens, Max Ernst, and Paul Élouard, 1937) was born in Westwood House in Clayton Green (just a few miles from Chorley Library); later the family moved... Read more or Comment (3 comments)
Her Benny
5 October 2009 from Stephen Miller | A tale of Victorian street children with strong Christian overtones, perhaps not surprising as the author, Silas Hocking, was a Methodist minster (in Burnley for a while). The book is short but throughly entertaining and suitable for older people as well as... Read more or Comment (1 comments)
A short story by Charles Dickens
28 September 2009 from Stephen Miller | A short story by Charles Dickens, George Silverman's Explanation is fairly difficult to obtain as a hard copy but is available to read from various online sources. It is based around Hoghton Tower which Dicken's visited whilst in Lancashire. Reading... Read more or Comment (1 comments)
Allen Clarke on the BBC website
23 September 2009 from Stephen Miller | Just a link to the BBC website where an article about Clarke has been uploaded (you'll also find a lovely photo of the Lancashire Reading detectives team!) http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/lancashire/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8268000/8268575.stm... Read more or Comment
Bolton Radical- Allen Clarke
17 September 2009 from Stephen Miller | I've just finished reading an early 20th century novel by Allen Clarke called 'John o' Gods Sending', which is a set in Bolton during the Civil War. The story plays out around the ancient pub 'The Man and Scythe'; the overall... Read more or Comment (6 comments)
More Mark Ward!
14 September 2009 from Peter | This time a collaboration between Mark Ward and artist Rebecca Chesney, Ward providing the words and Chesney providing the images. The book is called 'Five Rivers' and refers to the rivers which flow into Morecambe bay. Ward's poems reflect his... Read more or Comment
Mrs G Linneaus Banks
9 September 2009 from Stephen Miller | On behalf of Reading Detective, Barbara: Mrs G Linneaus Banks (1821-1897) was born at 10 Oldham Street, Manchester. In 1860 she decided she couldn't rely on her husband to support her and their children so she began to write at... Read more or Comment
Mard Ward
7 September 2009 from Peter | Mark Ward is a Blackburn-born poet whose work I have only just discovered. His latest collection of poetry is called 'Thunder Alley' and is inspired by his home town. Ward has done an eclectic mix of jobs all around the... Read more or Comment (1 comments)
Dickens in Preston
3 September 2009 from Stephen Miller | Charles Dickens (1812-1870) Obviously not Lancashire born but it was a visit to Lancashire which inspired him to write 'Hard Times'. Set in the fictitious 'Coketown' (based heavily on Preston) it tells the story of the plight of the Victorian... Read more or Comment
Buster McGraw
3 September 2009 from Stephen Miller | Buster McGraw- Jacob's Trouble (1992) - Partly set in the small Lancashire village of Wheelton, Jacob's Trouble is a strange work of fiction. Set in the not too distant future, Britain is at war with Europe leading to nuclear fall... Read more or Comment
Francis Thompson (1859-1907)
1 September 2009 from Sophie | Well, I said there would be more to follow, and here it is... Francis Thompson was born in Preston to devout middle-class Catholic parents. This religious upbringing was to remain a continuing influence throughout his life and work. As... Read more or Comment
Brian Jacques
29 August 2009 from Joanna | Well, this isn't so much an author I was unaware of before, but one that I suddenly remembered was actually from Lancashire (Liverpool), although I went to Edinburgh to meet him. I've been reading his books since I was about... Read more or Comment
Mist over Pendle-Robert Neill
21 August 2009 from Lynne | Having read this book some 15/16 years ago, it is not so much of a find as a rediscovery. A well written, fascinating story involving the infamous witches of Pendle. Although this is work of fiction, the characters involved are... Read more or Comment (2 comments)
Ammon Wrigley
17 August 2009 from Stephen Miller | Ammon Wrigley (1861-1946) - He wrote poetry, prose, and antiquarian works and was highly regarded in his own day, though the fame he achieved in his life time he always shunned, preferring a quite moorland life. His works reflect a... Read more or Comment (2 comments)
Francis Thompson....poet or serial killer......
9 August 2009 from Sophie | I have just started looking at an interesting collection of poetry from the Preston born Francis Thompson. A relative unknown (to me at least) a biography of Thompson suggests he was something of a shady character. Stay tuned to find... Read more or Comment
BBC Radio Lancashire
7 August 2009 from Stephen Miller | I was interviewed on Monday morning on BBC Radio Lancashire for around 30 mins, so I had a great chance to really introduce the project. I have already had a great response with listeners emailing me suggestions and ringing up whilst... Read more or Comment
Lancashire are ready to start the hunt!
27 July 2009 from Stephen Miller | Hello fellow Reading Detectives! After a preliminary meeting a couple of weeks ago we are ready for our first full session at Chorley Library this Friday. With Lancashire's links to writers such as Shakespeare and Tolkien, it will be very interesting to find some lesser... Read more or Comment
Reading Detectives are go!
22 July 2009 from Priscilla | In 5 very different parts of England small teams of enthusiastic readers are starting their searchfor literary gems.... Read more or Comment (2 comments)
Chorley Library
14 July 2009 from Matt Carey | The Lancashire team will be based from Chorley Library. Chorley Library Union Street Chorley Lancashire PR7 1EB... Read more or Comment (1 comments)
Help the team
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