Category: General

Trawling the internet, researching libraries and databases, and occasionally from material sent to me, I discover things I did not know much about, or indeed at all! There can be more than one Discovery of the Day.

Eminent British writer Rosemary Sutcliff was herself severely physically disabled | Characters with physical disabilities peopled many of her books of historical fiction and for children

Anthony Lawton1 Comment

Born with physical disability: Adam Hilyarde, The Queen Elizabeth Story; Robert Cecil, Lady in Waiting; Drem, Warrior Scarlet; Vadir Cedricson, Dawn Wind; Gwalchmai, Sword at Sunset; Lovel, The Witch’s Brat; the Emperor Claudius, Song for a Dark Queen.

Acquired physical disabilities: Robin, The Chronicles of Robin Hood; John Carey, Simon; Marcus, The Eagle of the Ninth; Talore, Warrior Scarlet; Midir, The Mark of the Horse Lord; Timotheus, The Flowers of Adonis; Lucianus Calpurnius, The Capricorn Bracelet; Jestyn Englishman, Hakon One-Eye, Bardas Schlerus, Blood Feud; Moon-Eye, Shifting Sands; Hugh Herriot, Bonnie Dundee; Anoud bin Aziz ibn Rashid, Blood and Sand; Conn, The Shining Company; Onund Treefoot, Sword Song.

(Source: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/RosemarySutcliff%5D)

The historical chronology of the historical fiction by Rosemary Sutcliff | Novels for children, young people and adults

Anthony LawtonLeave a comment

A Chronology of Rosemary Sutcliff’s historical fiction, which is not a tightly-linked series, although there is some continuity.

900 BCE: Warrior Scarlet (1958)
415 BCE: The Flowers of Adonis (1969)
100 BCE: Sun Horse, Moon Horse (1977)
33 CE: Song for a Dark Queen (1978)
126 CE: The Eagle of the Ninth (1954)
130 CE: Outcast (1955)
180 CE: The Mark of the Horse Lord (1965)
292 CE: The Silver Branch (1957)
341 CE: Frontier Wolf (1980)
450 CE: The Lantern Bearers (1959)
480 CE: Sword at Sunset (1963)
585 CE: Dawn Wind (1961)
595 CE: The Shining Company (1990)
890 CE: Sword Song (1997)
986 CE: Blood Feud (1976)
1090 CE: The Shield Ring (1956)
1094 CE: Knight’s Fee (1960)
1115 CE: The Witch’s Brat (1970)
1184 CE: The Chronicles of Robin Hood (1950)
1534 CE: The Armourer’s House (1951)
1564 CE: Lady in Waiting (1957)
1569 CE: The Queen Elizabeth Story (1950)
1581 CE: Brother Dusty-Feet (1952)
1640 CE: Simon (1953)
1642 CE: The Rider of the White Horse (1959)
1683 CE: Bonnie Dundee (1983)
1750 CE: Flame-Coloured Taffeta (1986)
1807 CE: Blood and Sand (1987)
[Source http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/RosemarySutcliff%5D

Collection of Rosemary Sutcliff covers via Google Images March 2016
Collection of Rosemary Sutcliff covers via Google Images March 2016

Encyclopaedia Brittanica says “fair reason” to call Rosemary Sutcliff “the finest writer of historical fiction for children…using English”

Anthony LawtonLeave a comment
There was fair reason to consider Rosemary Sutcliff not only the finest writer of historical fiction for children but quite unconditionally among the best historical novelists using English. A sound scholar and beautiful stylist, she made few concessions to the presumably simple child’s mind and enlarged junior historical fiction with a long series of powerful novels about England’s remote past, especially that dim period stretching from pre-Roman times to the coming of Christianity. Among her best works are The Eagle of the Ninth (1954),The Shield Ring (1956), The Silver Branch (1957), The Lantern Bearers (1959), and especially Warrior Scarlet (1958).
Source: Encyclopaedia Brittanica entryA picture of Rosemary Sutcliff (not Rosemary Sutcliff: eminent writer for children and adults

Medieval Lending Libraries

Anthony LawtonLeave a comment

The Flower of Nature (MS 11390) is a natural encyclopedia and bestiary in Middle Dutch verse newly put into its digitised manuscripts collection by The British Library. In addition to its fantastical drawings, it also provides rare evidence of a medieval lending library. An oath is written on the last page, which states that its borrower swears on the cross drawn next to the text that he or she will return the manuscript or die! The oath is signed by a woman, in a 14th- or 15th-century hand, who identifies herself as ‘abstetrix heifmoeder’ (‘obstetrix’ means midwife).

http://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2017/02/the-flower-of-nature.html

img_0590

Midsummer’s Eve | Rosemary Sutcliff’s Official Birthday | Obscured 2016 by EU Referendum!

Anthony Lawton2 Comments

Rosemary Sutcliff's mother Nessie Lawton

Rosemary Sutcliff always remarked on Midsummer’s Eve (June 23rd) in her diary. She called it her official birthday; so she had two birthdays a year, like Paddington Bear and the Queen. It was also the birth day of her mother. Here in the UK we largely missed Midsummer’s Eve this year, with the EU Referendum looming, and the turmoil in the wake of the resul

1988 June 23rd Thursday … There’s another blackbird’s nest in the front garden, in place of the one the ginger cat took.

1989 June 23rd Friday … Started to watch last day of Ascot, but of course it disappeared – industrial action …

1991 June 23rd Sunday. Midsummer’s Eve—Cold as winter, and pouring with rain all day.

1992 June 23rd Tuesday. Midsummer’s Eve. My Official Birthday. Mummy’s birthday … Went and stood out in the garden for a few minutes before bed. Was lovely, smelling of grass & night scented flowers.

June 23rd 1992 Diary entry Rosemary Sutcliff