Minutes of the meeting at La Rosa Hotel on the above date.
Present: Adele, Graham, Harry, Ian, Jan, Jenny, Kaz, Michele.
Apologies: Gill, John, Laura, Magda, Pip, Suzanne.
Topic: Members’ work-in-progress.
Matters Arising
None.
Members’ Readings
Michele — read the final chapter of her novel in-progress: The Undesirables, set in Southern Africa during the Boer War of 1898-1902.
Anna arrives back at the family farm after quarreling violently with her brother Nils who has just returned from imprisonment on St Helena as a POW over her engagement to Finn (a Scot) – but considered by Nils to be one of the hated English. Anna is bruised and shocked after being assaulted by Nils, but her sister and black servant Mogau soothe her and take care of her.
Harry — handed out copied and read out a short reflection on the voyage of the SS Marwarri on the 100th day after setting out from the Port of London. Appended was a somewhat opaque but generally positive critique of his manuscript by a reader/mentor of his online writers group, which he wanted to discuss with the meeting.
Adele — took the opportunity to report in detail on the progress of the first Whitby Lit Fest 2025. Much attention was paid by attendees to the merits of the various venues which have opted to be part of the festival.
Jenny — continued reading from her period novel in-progress based on the historical figure of Mary Eleanor Bowes, the heiress of a vast fortune from the Durham coalfields.
Mary and her current beau, Mr “Nabob” Gray, are off to visit Mrs Bowes and allow Mr Gray to meet Mary’s three neglected children. Mrs Bowes welcomes the visit (she hasn’t read the London newspapers with their scurrilous gossip concerning her daughter). Mr Gray does everything he can to ingratiate himself with the family, and is clearly looking forward to a comfortable and enjoyable married life. But Mary, clearly bored with the children’s company, plays the killjoy. She feels trapped in her affair with Mr Gray, which has effectively become a betrothal.
Graham — read an extract from his memoir in-progress concerning his life in Northern Ireland 1980–1998. He joined the crew of the “Whinny”, a sailing ship (a Bermuda sloop), which serves as a training vessel for sea students. They set sail for Iona.
Jan — reads Chapter 7 of her history of Christiana I’Anson, an Edwardian society lady who elopes to New Zealand with her lover Isiah and her three children. Back in England, her estranged husband hires a detective to locate the runaways and sue in the NZ court for divorce, £1,500 in damages, and custody of the children. Isiah has set himself up as a respectable NZ resident, but the judge disagrees, declaring him to be a fugitive from English justice. The fugitives determine to flee justice once again, flitting to Tasmania.
The meeting closed at 1:05 PM.
Whitby Writers Group 