tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.comments2024-03-12T12:23:42.602+00:00A Writer's LifeKathleen Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07645566938871914385noreply@blogger.comBlogger2116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-49417601595762388232023-11-20T05:49:08.824+00:002023-11-20T05:49:08.824+00:00Yes, I agree that we cannot detach ourselves from ...Yes, I agree that we cannot detach ourselves from ecology. An interesting read.rudraprayagahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13775039913655864157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-31910230975696835572023-01-13T14:44:58.867+00:002023-01-13T14:44:58.867+00:00This is a useful and excellent share. Will definit...This is a useful and excellent share. Will definitely share it with people I know.Leifhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16202861937534152432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-1541921750559996012022-09-22T12:24:01.635+01:002022-09-22T12:24:01.635+01:00Dear Kathleen,
I'm writing a book about Kather...Dear Kathleen,<br />I'm writing a book about Katherine Mansfield and have a query about a picture of Ida Baker (its location) which I think only you can answer. If you could contact me via my website, I'd be very grateful; Claire Harmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10245910961542006927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-40990396091286410872022-09-05T12:00:08.924+01:002022-09-05T12:00:08.924+01:00Hello! How lovely to hear from you. I'm back i...Hello! How lovely to hear from you. I'm back in England, in the Lake District - still writing and running courses. How are you Nirmala? Kathleen Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07645566938871914385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-80161302164291711752022-09-04T16:14:26.052+01:002022-09-04T16:14:26.052+01:00Kathleen where are you these days? Nirmala ncheruk...Kathleen where are you these days? Nirmala ncheruk1111@gmail.com Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-11410149869870391062022-08-21T13:14:53.613+01:002022-08-21T13:14:53.613+01:00Dear Kathleen (if I may). My wife's Appleby co...Dear Kathleen (if I may). My wife's Appleby cousin, David Lowis, sent her your poetry pamphlet, Hunger, which we both love, along with A Passionate Sisterhood. I write for, inter alia, Jazz Journal and I popped in to see Neil for a chat about the jazz festival, afterwards writing something about him and the festival in my JJ column, Count Me In. Please give him my regards. Just to add that I won the inaugural Templar Shorts prize (there's been no other; maybe I killed it at birth), part of which was the publication of my story pamphlet, titled A Gloucester Trilogy, which you'll see on the Templar catalogue list. David's brother, Keith, was an active volunteer at the festival. My email, if the URL doesn't work, is nigel2023@gmail.comNigel Jarretthttps://www.NigelJarrett.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-69994342631873107102022-08-18T23:32:18.024+01:002022-08-18T23:32:18.024+01:00Timeless. Such life, love and loss cannot be pinne...Timeless. Such life, love and loss cannot be pinned to any such certain year or era. This is evidenced by what we live and breathe, persevere, with the very fibers of our beings, left to be found, remembered, relished, relived. May we all one day learn to live, to truly love, to relish one another and our similarities vs our differences, and realize we all are actually One.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-57226045159585990662022-05-16T12:19:33.502+01:002022-05-16T12:19:33.502+01:00Sorry I didn't pick this up when you posted it...Sorry I didn't pick this up when you posted it. I had a year battling Covid and complications. I love the details of your, and your mam's, lives. Thanks Julie!<br />Kathleen Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07645566938871914385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-40995286422560865932022-05-16T12:17:39.289+01:002022-05-16T12:17:39.289+01:00Fortunately you found my email, Henrietta. I'v...Fortunately you found my email, Henrietta. I've responded to that. Fingers crossed for CC!Kathleen Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07645566938871914385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-47087311819386893052022-05-09T13:58:13.319+01:002022-05-09T13:58:13.319+01:00I agree with you that Lewis is very, very underrat...I agree with you that Lewis is very, very underrated. If he had lived, I think he would have been formidable. Thanks for your comment.Kathleen Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07645566938871914385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-43588428808438882502022-05-09T02:17:16.675+01:002022-05-09T02:17:16.675+01:00Always moved when re-reading this balefully beauti...Always moved when re-reading this balefully beautiful verse. Alun Lewis gave the world a body of superb poetry superior to his vastly more famous countryman Dylan Thomas, as well as remarkably accomplished short stories. Why has he not gained a massive readership? A movie should be made of his life - a portrait of a tough-tender young man and literary artist struggling out of poverty and despair to speak to the world about the strangeness and wonder of his experience. Alun Lewis’s position as the greatest poet of World War Two should be as established as that of Wilfred Owen’s status as the illustrious voice of the first. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-43374723094899297222022-04-28T21:11:06.063+01:002022-04-28T21:11:06.063+01:00The picture of the two Glasgow children, the one o...The picture of the two Glasgow children, the one on the right is my aunt and the one on the left is my mum. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-16559705699548294892022-04-06T15:25:57.495+01:002022-04-06T15:25:57.495+01:00Hi Kathleen. I was at an event last night where Ma...Hi Kathleen. I was at an event last night where Matthew Parris spoke about his Radio 4 series 'Great Lives' and, among other things, bemoaned the paucity of female subjects. Having just read your biography of Catherine Cookson, I asked if CC had been included in any of the almost 500 episodes. Parris thought not, and said that, if someone would nominate her, he'd be delighted to feature her. If you are interested, please get in touch. I too am a biographer – you can track me down on Google and Linked In. all the best, Henrietta Heald<br />Henriettahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00853562424919683588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-19884454749253963322022-01-02T09:36:05.575+00:002022-01-02T09:36:05.575+00:00I too learned the poem at school in the 60s and ne...I too learned the poem at school in the 60s and never forgot the opening lines. Having sat on many stools in many offices without aircon I visualise the lucky carter handling the ice. I have always imagined that he would need some form of fork-bracket to lift it, and would not be able to actually touch it with his hands. Working in Insurance as a young guy I imagined that the 'city office stool' was in Lime street, near to Old Lloyds somewhere, or maybe at Leadenhall Market. Notwithstanding the lady of 100 who could recite it in its entirity, quite amazing that so many comments here reflect having learned it at school and never forgot it. (my spellcheck is set for German or French, hense the number of spelling mistakes - that's my excuse anyway)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12659543674861028693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-32795361704202058152021-10-20T10:14:57.689+01:002021-10-20T10:14:57.689+01:00So glad that you liked it Clare! During lockdown, ...So glad that you liked it Clare! During lockdown, I've thought of it often - having sometimes infinite (and not always welcome!) time to think and write. Kathleen Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07645566938871914385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-65214562141532293162021-10-04T09:30:29.443+01:002021-10-04T09:30:29.443+01:00thanks for this lovely piece. I've now found t...thanks for this lovely piece. I've now found the Nick Laird article which chimes with some work I'm doing. :)clarehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07807377629135615866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-53036369605946020372021-09-14T07:49:56.873+01:002021-09-14T07:49:56.873+01:00thanks for sharing such a good blog.thanks for sharing such a good blog.Aizaz khanhttps://yari.pk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-25618753078561304562021-07-22T22:33:06.600+01:002021-07-22T22:33:06.600+01:00I was so happy to learn of this. I was planning t...I was so happy to learn of this. I was planning to try to send a message to Louise Penny to tell her I would like to see her publish a book of poems by "Ruth Zardo." Now, I have it, so to speak. I love Canada and all things Canadian.<br />hersh1144https://www.blogger.com/profile/08649755881682133032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-46219438313195005412021-02-28T08:04:11.125+00:002021-02-28T08:04:11.125+00:00Hi Kathleen
Just to let you know that we will be ...Hi Kathleen<br /><br />Just to let you know that we will be reading The Ice Cart, by Wilfred Gibson, at our next Zoom Memory Cafe Poetry Group. (currently unable to hold Memory Cafes in person, due of course to Coronavirus!). The poem was chosen by a Cafe Goer, aged 89, who has always loved this poem. He'd worked in Leadenhall Street, and well remembers the atmosphere of hot days in the office!<br />It was good to find the poem on your site, and we liked reading the comments by other readers.<br /><br />JuliaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12494882619464238046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-5627386101335138852021-02-16T13:37:10.177+00:002021-02-16T13:37:10.177+00:00Hi Jaani - All these poems are in Derek Walcott...Hi Jaani - All these poems are in Derek Walcott's Selected Poems, published by Heinemann. Kathleen Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07645566938871914385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-67505805717271802252021-02-14T12:27:59.044+00:002021-02-14T12:27:59.044+00:00Can I get some other poetry of Derek Walcott. Like...Can I get some other poetry of Derek Walcott. Like : The Almond Trees, The castaway, The Flock, The Virgins and The Wind in the Dooryard. Actually it's urgent if I could get will you like to help me get these poems. Please!!!Jaani dé xplorerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327861014513956779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-15630763301312513192021-02-01T23:26:37.346+00:002021-02-01T23:26:37.346+00:00The headstones there are amazing! How wonderful t...The headstones there are amazing! How wonderful that Niall's ancestors are there. It is the most fascinating place. I love the little ruined stable and the mounting blocks. I didn't realise you had such connections up here Sandra. Kathleen Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07645566938871914385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-31174248207434426012021-01-31T15:00:23.240+00:002021-01-31T15:00:23.240+00:00Some of Niall's ancestors are buried there and...Some of Niall's ancestors are buried there and his father's ashes were scattered into the river. We got permission to clean the headstones, but had to give up - crumbly sandstone - only the lichens were holding the leterring together. The graveyard is full of wild daffodils in spring. Thank you for the memories!<br />Sandra Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01761260568729338471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-3892613425886231452021-01-28T15:01:27.333+00:002021-01-28T15:01:27.333+00:00Hi Kathleen, thank you so much for coming back to ...Hi Kathleen, thank you so much for coming back to me. Your comments are very interesting & I have spoken with my mam again re Annie Joyce & Catherine.<br />My mam can remember that Catherine would visit Annie on her trips up to the North East from Hastings & she would always give Annie a 50 pound note. Annie never shared it & would always plan to buy herself something nice with the money from her dear friend. <br />After my mam initially lived with Annie, she was then looked after by Hannah & Tom Fletcher from the age of 7 up to the age of 12 & attended St Peter & Paul's School. Their names you may have come across. Hannah was a Nurse at Harton Hospital & Tom worked in the laundry. Apparently, Hannah is also a character in one of Catherine's books, we don't know which one, as she told Annie that Hannah's name had been changed, but Annie would know who it was when she read the book.<br />My mam was a Nurse at Preston Hospital in North Shields's & she wrote to Catherine Cookson when she lived in Hexham. One of the patients on the ward absolutely loved Catherine & had some of her books at her bedside and her wish was to one day meet her favourite author. Catherine kindly visited the patient, along with Tom, giving the patient a signed copy of one of her books & gave 2 to the Nurses to read. Catherine was a very kind, generous lady.<br />Mam can also remember in one of Catherine's books (but she can't remember which one) where one of the characters died at Jarrow Slakes, which I think was reference to one of Catherine's relatives, either John McBride or John McMullen, but my mam often thought it was one of her relations too...........because of the surname! <br />My mam is loving your book & I am looking forward to reading it when she is finished, but I will also purchase Child of the Tyne too, which I will also look forward to reading.<br />Like your mam, I also went to a school in North Shield's, as we'd moved to North Shields from South Shield's in 1961, but I didn't have to pay the penny for the 'boot & shoe fund'. I also lived in Cumbria (Seascale)for 13 years when I got married in 2000 & then moved to Ellesmere in Shropshire in 2014 where I still currently live. <br />My daughter loves to write stories & is currently studying Communications at University in the USA. You never know, she may become an author one day. But I hope she will start to read Catherine's books & have as much enjoyment from them as both me & my mam. Thank you once again, JulieAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16258487423299149686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153022829143323463.post-45293699517775419712021-01-21T15:54:34.442+00:002021-01-21T15:54:34.442+00:00Hi Julie - thanks so much for getting in touch wit...Hi Julie - thanks so much for getting in touch with me. I found your Mums link to Annie Joyce really interesting. I realised that Catherine and Annie were more connected than she would admit, but hadn't the time to research the connection at the time. Jenny McMullen was one of the big family of McMullen's in the South Shields area. Annie's life, like your Mum's would have been really hard. My grandmother was brought up there - one of 11 children - and her stories made my hair stand up on end. My mother remembered going to school in North Shields and having to take a penny a week in for the 'boot and shoe fund'. <br />If your Mum likes the story, I wrote a new version, which includes the story of how I traced Catherine Cookson's father (far more sensational than any of her novels!). It's called Catherine Cookson: Child of the Tyne and the last third of the book is about Catherine's father and how I found him - a scoundrel and a bigamist as Catherine had privately told friends. Alexander Davies was quite a character, leaving a trail of abandoned children behind him. How I admired those tough women! <br />All best wishes, KathleenKathleen Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07645566938871914385noreply@blogger.com