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Serena Lake – writer

~ where romance and history join together…

Serena Lake – writer

Tag Archives: books

A Peep Into My Reference Library

26 Thursday Nov 2015

Posted by serenalake-writer in Uncategorized

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19th century, agriculture, books, history, life, records, weather

The past month has been busy. Sadly it’s meant I haven’t got very far into the second draft, though I have begun it.

At the moment I’m having to jiggle around with the years that the main episodes of the back story occur- as they influence the plot later.

So I’m going to have to make a few decisions about what potentially gets changed; the age of my couple, or move the date the story from 1802 to 1804- which would create other issues regarding international events at the time the story is set.

The latter will mean I’ll have to provide another reason for my hero’s ability to return, while the former would work in favour of both my heroine’s age, and my hero’s personal circumstances…

My dating issues have resulted from consulting one of my reference books: J.M. Stratton’s Agricultural Records AD 220 -1977.

Book for WordPress blog post Nov 2015 cropped resized

Reference work – Agricultural Records

If you’ve ever studied microfiche or film of 18th and 19th century newspapers you will certainly have seen prices for Wheat, Barley and Oats as a regular feature. Reports of severe weather elsewhere would likely be mentioned too, even if they happened weeks before.

When harvests were good, prices would fall; sadly when the crop was poor due to inclement weather, prices rose and starvation would become all too real for the poorest.

With international trade we are no longer solely dependent upon the harvest our nation’s farmers produce.

Nowadays, courtesy of satellites, we can check the expected weather for a few days ahead, so crops can be harvested at the best time. Centuries ago farmers local knowledge, and perhaps an occasional written record were the main method of prediction- alongside looking at the sky and sensing the atmosphere.

The original book was published in 1883 by a man farming in south-west Wiltshire, Thomas H. Baker. His book had the much longer title, Records of the Seasons, Prices of Agricultural Produce, and Phenomena Observed in the British Isles. In 1912 he did a revised edition (while in retirement).

It was Stratton, who farmed land near Baker, who worked on broadening the information from local to national. His nephew Jack Houghton Brown instigated and helped Ralph Whitlock update the book to 1977.

The 1978 version added the agricultural prices tables, though the further back you go the more approximate the prices of the commodities become. Weather in different parts of the country could effect crops and therefore local prices.

The details of weather mentioned in this book is the important element. I needed to know generally what the weather was doing in my preferred years.

Somewhere I have an old notebook with an interesting item noted down in passing-  I was researching something completely unconnected at the time- about nine years ago.

As I was looking through a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, one of these snips drew my interest. It was about a woman in the early 19th century who had lived in the same house, and kept a diary- for decades. As a young woman she had witnessed a water spout- a mini tornado.

I carried on with my other research, but that snippet stuck in my memory and many years later whilst I was travelling one Christmas, a news report on a local radio station, combined together with that diary entry to provide the inspirations for my current work in progress.

Even though the water spout doesn’t appear in my story, bad weather does play an important part- both in the back story and when part of the main plot takes place. So it’s no good choosing years when the weather was mild and as stable as you could wish for…

Another visit to the local studies section will be needed to check through film of old papers, to see if they can enlighten me further.

The entries for 1966 onward are much more detailed as they include weather articles reproduced with permission from The Times.Including the annual rainfall tables in Appendix A at the back of the book.

It’s likely that Baker’s information came from diaries, records and conversations within his family, community, and perhaps from visitors to his locality in Wiltshire.

Book for WordPress blog post Nov 2015 cropped extract final

An example of 18th century weather

After a hard day’s work wouldn’t it be likely that farmers and labourers visited the local inn for ale, the latest news and then passed knowledge on- which may have eventually ended up in Baker’s book?

Unfortunately there are no formal references as to the sources of the original information- though in 1784 a name for a quote is shown, otherwise it’s not until you get to the pieces from The Times. But some of those articles do refer to earlier years within that writer’s lifetime.

Though the book is out of print, copies can still be found second-hand.

As a starting point for further research it’s useful…

 

Reference: Agricultural Records: A.D. 220 – 1977. J.M. Stratton and Jack Houghton Brown. Edited by Ralph Whitlock. Publisher: John Baker (Publishers) Limited, 35 Bedford Row, London, WC1R 4JH. First published 1969.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to Rewrite…

30 Friday Oct 2015

Posted by serenalake-writer in romance, writing

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19th century, books, editing, history

Since my last post I’ve heard that I didn’t get through to the New Talent Award shortlist. I’m not as disappointed as I expected. I knew it needed something else, but couldn’t pin down what it was…

serena lace (1)

Fortunately a writer friend who is also an editor, and familiar with historical romances was able to point out the weak spots, and a few conversations later my brain was working on possible solutions for chapter one.

I’ll be locating my other notes and images to add to my storage box, where my first draft has been lurking. It’s been waiting while another first draft was being completed.

Over the weekend I’ll be putting my inspiration board together. It sits by my desk so even if I’m not working on the manuscript my characters are always in my mind.

So next week I’ll begin my second draft with chapter two, as I’m leaving chapter one as it is for the moment.

I’m looking forward to returning to H and S’s story; their individual issues have led to some interesting areas of research…

Now I know the method that works for me, courtesy of the five drafts chapter one went through, I know how much hard work I need to do before it gets to the beta readers stage.

That’s my winter sorted.

October Writing Update…

03 Saturday Oct 2015

Posted by serenalake-writer in Uncategorized

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19th century, books, dictionaries, editing, etymology, history, word histories

oldSince my last post I’ve been busy revising and editing the first chapter of my Nottinghamshire short novel to submit into the Love Stories New Talent Award.

Happily my opening chapter was submitted well before the deadline of midnight on the 1st October – about eight hours before.

The rest of the story is in first draft form, so taking chapter one from that stage to submission standard was hard work.

I learnt quite a bit as I did each version- the final one, was version five.

The structure of the opening changed quite a lot as it was clear to me that it did not have the necessary ‘grab the readers attention’ factor.

The first draft has had a long rest since it was completed, but I feel it has been beneficial. The distance allowed my characters to continue to develop, and I was able to make a few major cuts that I know I wouldn’t have done before.

Looking up the etymology of words was essential.

I have a 1999 edition of The Cassell Dictionary of Word Histories, and if I couldn’t find the word there were a number of reliable resources online I could search.

Ideal words to describe my hero, from the viewpoint of my heroine, was a particular issue.

Though we usually associate cupid-bow lips with females, there are men with the masculine version, and obviously the description is perfect. Except that the cupid’s bow lip idea was not used until several decades later than my 1802 setting.

It may seem fussy, but if that phrase was not used at the time the story is set, then I’m not going to use it. It’s like putting a wrist watch on a Regency gentleman, it doesn’t belong there.

The other issue is that many words have changed meaning between the 18th/19th century and the current day.

I did find a few, but can’t remember now which they were. I think I need to start a list and add these changed words to it every time I find one, with a brief reminder.

It’s also difficult to reconcile the formal language of the time with today’s preference for shorter paragraphs. Look at any book written in the 19th to early 20th century and big blocks of text stand out on the pages.

(I have to admit that unchecked I can get carried away with the length of my paragraphs, so breaking them down is a major editing point for me.)

This competition was via online submission- I admit to a few butterflies and minutes before I pressed the send button…

If my entry does not make the shortlist it is not the end, it is the beginning of a period of hard work.

I’ll let you know what happens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Peek Inside A Former Subscription Library…

14 Monday Sep 2015

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18th century, 19th century, books, garden, history, staircases, time, trees

The second weekend in September in the UK is when various museums, libraries and assorted buildings and places open their doors (or gates) to the public for free, as part of the Heritage Open Days– a big heritage festival involving thousands of volunteers, and celebrating our history.

Many of the locations are not accessible to the public at other times of the year so these open days are the only opportunity to see more.

Some require booking in advance and the most popular can fill their numbers weeks before the day.

Every year I have wanted to visit the Bromley House Library, but all available places had gone, so this year I was delighted to finally get the opportunity to attend, courtesy of the Library’s decision not to have bookings. Though there was a limit on how many could go into the building at one time, as the attic rooms are small, and one room had a strict limit of 15 people maximum.

Bromley House is only a short walk from the current public Central Library on Angel Row in Nottingham City Centre. Only the entrance to Bromley House at pavement level can be seen, though look up and you can see the frontage to the house, it’s necessary to venture inside to see the scale of the building, even though its original footprint has been disrupted.

The townhouse was built in 1752 for a member of the Smith banking family. A number of these family members became MPs for Nottingham, and elsewhere, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

The building is Grade II* listed and thankfully retains many of the original features, and later nineteenth century additions such as the spiral staircase.

The library was formerly called the Nottingham Subscription Library, founded in 1816, though it did not move to Bromley House until 1822, but with fewer books than the library now holds – 40,000+.

In the early decades of the 19th century, members bought a share for 5 guineas, then paid a 2 guinea subscription each year.

The actual plate that was used to print the shares was on display in the Neville Hoskins Reading Room (it has a wonderful Rococo style plaster ceiling). The plate has a big cross scored through it, as was practice to make it unusable once shares were no longer issued. Though apparently one or two far distant library staff printed off shares certificates for monetary gain before the plate was eventually scored…

As the weather was changeable I ventured into the garden first. It is one of two remaining Georgian townhouse gardens in the city and is available to library members, and the public on the Heritage open day.

Bromley House- rear view from the garden...

Bromley House rear view from the garden…

It’s difficult to believe that it is in the middle of a busy, and so noisy city. It was restful and the transport routes that sandwich the house were just a vague hum.

Where there was once a sundial, now there is a Heliochronometer- fortunately there was an explanation sheet attached; “Nottingham is 1°9′ west of Greenwich, therefore when comparing noon at Greenwich with noon at Nottingham, Bromley House is 4 minutes 36 seconds in time after Greenwich.” The Heliochronometer “had the correction ‘built in’ during its original setting up.”

Heliochronometer with little mouse beside it for children to find...

Heliochronometer with little mouse beside it for children to find…

In the Thoroton Room, on one of the upper floors, they have the Library of the British Sundial Society; though it was a small number of books compared to some of the collections housed in the library.

There are three attic rooms and a studio at the top of the house. In 1841 the studio was the premises of a photographer, named Alfred Barber. Though he made alterations (he paid) adding a skylight, the structure was moved by a cog-wheel mechanism that was built in, so he never lost the benefit of the sun.

In another attic room you can still see the groove in the wood where the lower portion of a flag pole was fixed…

Eventually you reach the gallery (an addition in 1844) with the spiral staircase in one corner. You can see down into the Main Reading Room, though I kept looking straight-ahead so I didn’t freeze as I made my way across to the spiral staircase.

For the open day people were only allowed to go down, but at any time only one person can go up or down. This spiral staircase was added in 1857, and it is quite elegant in its own way, despite no central support column – hence the one person at a time rule.

(You can see it in one of the rolling images on the home page of the library’s website.)

Fortunately visitors were warned it can wobble, and it happened just as I started down the first turn, but it was only for a moment, and it was fine the rest of the way down. I suspect body weight creates the wobble, as the visitor who came down next was lighter and didn’t get the movement. Another person in the gallery chose to go back to the main stairs, and I must admit I did wonder why I hadn’t done that myself.

As I visited each room I noticed books on the shelves that had bands around them. These keep the book together while it awaits repair and checking.

The library has teams of volunteers who repair, clean and maintain the books, and this aspect was on display for visitors. If you pop over to Carol’s blog you can see the cleaning tools for cloth-bound books, and discover how they do it.

(You’ll also find a few other pictures from the day.)

The various equipment the conservation teams use...

The various equipment the conservation teams use…

Basically, anywhere there was room to put a bookcase or shelf, there was one – or more.

It’s an amazing place.

 

 

 

Reference sources:

http://www.peerage.com

Bromley House Library information sheets, both outdoors and indoors.

 

Nottinghamshire and My Short Novel…

21 Friday Aug 2015

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books, churches, history, illustrations, rivers, villages

As one draft is almost complete for the moment, it’s time to return to the outstanding research items for my Nottinghamshire short novel- or novella, dependent upon it’s finished length.

Highways & Byways of Nottinghamshire 002 SmaLL - Copy

As the story is set around an old manor house with a village estate belonging to it (in 1802), I’ve been reading up on Nottinghamshire villages.

I bought J B Firth’s Highways and Byways in Nottinghamshire a few years ago from one of the second-hand and old book stalls at the annual Lowdham Book Festival final Saturday.

It’s one of a series of books written by assorted authors during the first half of the 20th century, and the illustrations capture buildings and locations that had changed little over the previous century.

I’m within travelling distance of an old village which features in the Nottinghamshire edition and I’ve used as the basic plan for the village in my story.

Looking at late 19th century images of this village it’s possible to pick out individual buildings that have survived and been updated, while the once open spaces in the pictures were eventually filled with houses.

While the church, now protected behind flood banking, once had a gentle sloping bank down to the river; and along with a gazebo- that on one occasion acted as a mortuary after a ferry accident and passengers drowned- still exists.

At one time there would have been a clear view toward the town of Nottingham over the “commonable land” and it was like that until 1845 with the railway, and the need for space generally.

While my fictional village will be further into the countryside, there will still be the connection with the river.

In the 1801 census Nottingham exceeded 28,000, so it was a large town, but didn’t gain city status until 1897.

Highways & Byways of Nottinghamshire edited Nott viewjpeg

The South Prospect of Nottingham, with the Castle, etc. About 1750.

If you walk along the river bank you can still see Nottingham Castle perched high on its rock, though now the remaining skyline is obscured by buildings…

Source: Highways and Byways in Nottinghamshire by J B Firth, with illustrations by Frederick L Griggs, A.R.A. MacMillan and Co, Limited St Martin’s Street, London. 1924.

55.378051 -3.435973

Victoria and Albert Museum- They Blog

30 Thursday Jul 2015

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books, dresses, exhibitions

Did you know that the V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum) have a blog?

I only discovered it last year when I was reading their email newsletter, and followed the link to find out more about their exhibition; The Wedding Dress: 1775-2014.

The good thing is that books are produced to accompany their exhibitions, so if you can’t get to it in person you can still see the images, and read the text at your own pace.

(I’m buying the paperback version to add to my collection.)

The blog posts that accompany setting up their major exhibitions are fascinating, as you get to see images from behind the scenes, showing the care and precision put into showing the items on display at their best, and ensuring the exhibits suffer no harm in the process.

You also get helpful social context in the posts – where applicable.

If you’ve missed anything in particular you can usually find it by looking in the list of updated sections on the main blog page.

You will find a link to their blog on the V&A home page, or pop along to find out more via this link.

(Image from Amazon.co.uk)  

The Wedding Dress: 300 Years of Bridal Fashion by Edwina Ehrman V&A Publishing    (6 May 2014)

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