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So much, so little time...

31/5/2014

Another sidebar today. Firstly, not sure how much research to keep doing into land leases. I know who lived where and when, do I really need to know who signed the contracts. Will anyone care? Which leads me onto the next question. How long do you keep reading for, before you start writing? There's so much you could write about, the temptation is to keep finding out stuff, but there has to reach a point where you have to stop and work with the what you have. Is it worth a week's searching for the name of a landholder ( back to leases ) when you could be researcing biscuits ( or eating them ).

And there's just so much to read... on top of Victorian House, my recent talk has me re-reading the Growth of Under Milk Wood today (going to add an interesting little doc as a postscript to my talk when I write it later today, with a few 'out-takes' of MilkWood included), Picton's Memorials of Liverpool history, various genuinely interesting REF impact analysis and Horizon 2020 docs for work, and of course the new SFX magazine on the X-Men. A fairly full weekend. Plus of course the pub, recorded episodes of Brush Strokes to watch, blog to update, baths to soak in, beer to drink, friends to catch up with and possibly a nice walk round West Kirby and breakfast out tomorrow. I need more hours in the day please. Or days off. Preferably days off. More hours in day and more days off. Dear Santa...

ps Postscript to talk doc now uploaded on DT page

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A Good Day

30/5/2014

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Despite my back playing up something rotten have had a fine time, hoovering through a fascinating new biography of Dylan Thomas by Fred Janes daughter Hilly last night, with some wonderful portraits in it (not just of Dylan) and great insights into the Swansea boys.
On the research front things looking very positive for identifying an artist responsible for one of the fascinating ceiling paintings in 19 Abercromby Square. Stay tuned, as they say.

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Today I am mostly researching...

29/5/2014

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A lovely chunky book on the life of a Victorian terraced house. Not directly related to any of the occupants of the Square ( that I know of), but it is a really good insight into the daily routines and 'rules' of the sort of houses I'm writing about. Only just started but will be really interesting to see what matches up with information I have on the layouts, occupancy and uses of the houses.
I'll be particularly interested to read about the day and night nurseries and where they tended to be located, and the 'backstairs' workings at the time. Obviously there are less records of servants lives ( though I do have a few choice bits already ) than of the Masters and Mistresses, and hopefully this book will help me piece a few bits together. There's a great footnote (not related to my research ) about the pledge that midwives needed to take to be accepted; to foreswear child-switching, abortion, scorcery and overcharging

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My Book - Question 2

28/5/2014

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Whichever approach I choose, how should I approach the delivery of the material? Obviously I need background to Liverpool at the time the Square was built, but after that, how should I structure the book? Here’s my favoured choices so far.

Option 1: Write a chapter per decade, listing who lived where, potted biogs where needed, and linking together to show how building use changed, and how the ‘cast’ interacted. And what the context was with World events.

Option 2: Write a chapter per house in the Square, showing how some occupants linked to the prior resident, the changing uses of each building, starting with a list of all the occupants. Larger biography for the most important person who lived in each one.

Option 3: Separate chapters by occupation or major themes ( railways, shipping, religion, politics, Civil War, writing etc ), grouping together similar subjects. Show the impact the Square had on these areas.

Option4: Don’t have an over-arching structure, but have one house through the whole century, one chapter on the Civil War, an example decade showing changes in popularity through the years, one chapter on ‘most notable worthies’.

Not sure which way to go at the minute. Again, feel free to suggest.

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My Book - Question 1

27/5/2014

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Let’s start easy. Should this be a serious, ‘academic style’ history of the Square and its inhabitants, suited and booted with footnotes, quotations, references and tied to social history, written in a more formal style? Or should I make it lighter, concentrating on interesting facts and anecdotes about the residents, more tongue in cheek? Both have their merits, and the material could suit either, but it would obviously affect market, pitch and publisher to approach.

It’s a genuine, serious research project, so the former is maybe a more natural fit. Having said that, I’m not constrained by needing REF ( link for those who don’t know what that is ) approval as I’m doing this for my own pleasure, so would it be more enjoyable to write ( and read ) with a lighter touch? Added to which, the scope of the subjects is so broad, can you do full justice to each entry by trying to include a comprehensive biography of all residents? Or is it best as more of a primer to get other people interested enough to write the full biographies the worthies deserve? Don’t know the answers, so feel free to send a postcard…

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The Book...

27/5/2014

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Difficult decision coming up soon. I’ve now got enough basic background information on the occupants of the Square 1800-1900, and well on the way to the Liverpool background stuff, but what sort of book to do?
I know large chunks of what I want to include, but I need to decide on format and approach before I start the writing and detailed planning. As it may interest anyone contemplating a book, or anyone mildly curious what goes through my head at this stage, but mainly because thinking it though ‘out loud’ will help me, I shall delight ( I am using the broadest possible interpretation here) you with the questions running through my head over the next few days.
I may even come up with answers, who knows. The World is a mystery like that.

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Dylan Thomas moves!

26/5/2014

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The One Show tomorrow night, DT fans, 7pm. The only known video of Dylan Thomas has been found. On the big screen too! Congrats to Jeff Towns.

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So much, so little time...

A Good Day

Today I am mostly researching...

My Book - Question 2

My Book - Question 1

The Book...

Dylan Thomas moves!

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