Tony's Books
Just over a hundred years ago a 38 year old Wolverhampton born lady, still single and living at home in Tettenhall, sat down to write her first novel. Before this she was a comparatively unknown writer of poetry and short stories, some of which had appeared in monthly magazines and girls’ papers. The novel was an immediate success and became a best seller, although it is unlikely to be known to many today. The lady followed her first novel with more books on a regular basis, and used Midland places known to her as settings for some of the scenes, although she disguised the place names.
She married and went to live in Kent for some years before moving to Bournemouth, where she and her husband died and were buried. The lady was Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler, from an important local family. Her mother was a daughter of George Thorneycroft, wealthy ironmaster and First Mayor of Wolverhampton. Her father Henry Hartley Fowler, solicitor, Mayor, local M.P., Cabinet Minister, was knighted in 1895 and made First Lord Wolverhampton a few years later. Her sister Edith was also a writer of novels, children’s books and other pieces, and she compiled a biography of their father.
In 1997 we had published “The Fowler Legacy”, the story of the family, which followed two years of research and which we hoped would make people realise here was a family of which Wolverhampton should be proud. We followed this with “Ellen’s Forgotten Mercia”, a look at the use of local scenes in her novels, illustrated with archive and modern photographs.
Wolverhampton became Ellen’s Silverhampton, Tettenhall was thinly disguised at Tetleigh. Bridgnorth, or Northbridge as she disguises it, is where much of the story in “Beauty and Bands” is set. Tong she would certainly have known, as her uncle, Wolverhampton ironmaster and one time Mayor, John Hartley, was the tenant of Tong Castle. The village appears as Pembruge in “A Double Thread” and “The Farringdons”. Much of “The Farringdons” is set at Sedghill, Ellen’s name for Sedgley. Whiteladies, under the name Greyladies, provides a sad setting for the start of “Fuel of Fire”. Other Shropshire scenes she uses include Boscobel, Badger Dingle and the view from The Clive west of Pattingham.
The third book, “Ellen’s Bournemouth Years”, which, although focused more on Ellen and her husband’s time in that town, is a short biography, including information researched since “The Fowler Legacy”, such as the relationship with the Manders of Wightwick Manor, a press interview she gave at the height of her popularity, and some pieces of her poetry and prose.
For our fourth book, we had a change of subject. “The Folds of Wolverhampton” is a look at how the wool and cloth trade made Wolverhampton wealthy in mediaeval times, and the history of the “Folds” and other alleys and passages, illustrated with archive and modern photographs, maps and plans.
In all these publications Joyce Perry has provided the expertise on the modern photographs, and all four books are available or to order from major book shops or direct from publishers, Brewin Books, see www.brewinbooks.com for details.
By Anthony Perry
