Day six of the ‘advent calendar’ focusing on some of the historical/genealogical sources that I used in the writing of Barefoot on the Cobbles.

Writing a novel that is set in the early twentieth century means that there are a number of fascinating issues that can be explored; the fight for women’s suffrage is just one of these. By chance, suffragette activity in the area presented me with the opportunity to weave the campaign seamlessly into the novel.  The excellent Breaking the Mould, by Pamela Vass, describes the actions of the suffragettes in North Devon and kindly, Pam allowed me access to her appropriate chapter, which was still in draft at that point. This helped to make sense of the conflicting newspaper accounts of what happened in Clovelly in 1909. In the end, my interpretation is one that I felt best fitted the evidence but equally valid versions were possible.

More information about Barefoot on the Cobbles can be found here. Copies are available at various events and at all my presentations. You can order from Blue Poppy Publishing or directly from me. Kindle editions are available for those in the UK, USA, Australasia and Canada.