This lists the books that my mum and grandad recorded reading. It is a work in progress! Brief details are given here by year. A full list, in PDF format, is included at the end.
1914
Grandad did not systematically record the books he read this year. He did note buying “Lorna Doone” and a biography of Lord Kitchener.
1915
Again, grandad did not systematically record the books he read this year. He mentioned being lent “Boys’ Own Sea Stories” by Charles Nordhoff and he read “The Farmer of Inglewood Forest” by Elizabeth Helme.
1917
This year grandad started recording systematically the books he read. He read a large number of books by a range of authors including James Fenimore Cooper, Mrs Henry Wood, Frederick Marryat, H Rider Haggard, Walter Scott, George Eliot, R M Ballantyne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Jules Verne and Charles Dickens. He read mostly fiction but some non-fiction including books about the Tower of London and the French Revolution. Perhaps one of the surprising books he read was “Three Weeks” by Elinor Glyn given its erotic nature and his Methodist background. He had seen a film based on the book in 1914.
1918
In terms of books read, grandad seemed to read more slowly this year compared to 1917 when he seemed to be reading a book a week. I am not sure if he was reading more slowly or taking on longer books. So, in January, he read “Old Saint Pauls” by William Harrison Ainsworth and, in February and March, he read “Les Miserables” by Victor Hugo.
In this year, he read nine books by William Harrison Ainsworth and three by Victor Hugo. Other authors he read this year included James Grant, Alfred Lord Tennyson, William Henry Giles Kingston, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Frances Parkinson Keyes, Francis Marion Crawford, Henryk Sienkiewicz, George John Whyte-Melville, Morice Gerard, Halliwell Sutcliffe, Charlotte Bronte, Silas Kitto Hocking, Jean Webster and Henry Seton Merriman.
Although grandad read mostly fiction, he also read some non-fiction, particularly biographies, including of Sir Samuel Baker, Charles Darwin, James Garfield, Abraham Lincoln, Robert Raikes, Lord Shaftesbury and Henry A Stern.
1919
During 1919, grandad read eight books by H Rider Haggard and two by Joseph Hocking.
He read books by other authors including Miguel de Cervantes, Oliver Goldsmith, Victor Hugo, Walter Scott, James F Cobb, Charles Kingsley, Henry Kingsley, John Buchan, Jules Verne, Frederick Marryat, Baroness Orczy, F Marion Crawford, Jonathan Swift, Marie Corelli, Stanley J Weyman, Edward Phillips Oppenheim, Charles Major, Charles Reade, Samuel White Baker, Gordon Stables and William Harrison Ainsworth.
He mostly read fiction although he did read some non-fiction including a book about Nottinghamshire by Robert Mellors.
1920
Grandad read books by authors whose work he had read before including . Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Joseph Hocking, R M Ballantyne, Mrs Henry Wood, William H G Kingston, Marie Corelli, Josiah Henry Harris, Walter Scott, George John Whyte-Melville and Charles Kingsley.
In 1920, grandad also read four “Tarzan” books by Edgar Rice Burroughs. That year, he also read two books by Ida Alexa Ross Wylie and two by George A Birmingham. He also read books by Alexandre Dumas, Augusta J Evans Wilson, Amelia Louise Gerard, George Edgar, Sax Rohmer and William Clark Russell.
Although grandad mainly read novels, he also read some non-fiction (or books that claimed to be non-fiction) including books about Maria Monk and Maria Marten. The former was an exposé of sexual abuse in convents in the 19th century but is now considered to have been a hoax. The latter woman was killed in the so-called “Red Barn Murder” in Suffolk in 1827. In June 1920, grandad also read a history of York Cathedral and, in October 1920, he read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.
1921
Grandad read books by authors whose work he had read before including Edgar Rice Burroughs, George A Birmingham, Walter Scott, H Rider Haggard, Mrs Henry Wood and Jules Verne.
In 1921, grandad also read four novels by Primitive Methodist Minister, Samuel Horton and two each by Thomas Miller and C J Cutliffe Hyne. He also read books by Henry Cockton, James Justinian, Mrs J B Webb, Andrew Balfour, Aaron Watson, Robert Hugh Benson, Willis Boyd Allen, Dora Russell, James Payn, Charlotte M Yonge, Stanton Hope, Jack London, Clarence E Mulford, William Macleod Raine, Ethel L Voynich and Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Although grandad mainly read novels, he also read some biographies or biographical fiction including about Rosamund Clifford, Twm Siôn Cati and Lady Jane Grey.
1922
Grandad read books by authors whose work he had read before including William Macleod Raine, H Rider Haggard, Sax Rohmer, Jack London and Samuel Horton.
He also read two books by each of Zane Grey, Edward Phillips Oppenheim and Mrs Henry Wood. He had previously read books by both Edward Phillips Oppenheim and Mrs Henry Wood. I am intrigued that he read Zane Grey books as I went through a phase of reading and collecting his books when I worked in a secondhand bookshop in my teens.
Grandad also read books by Ethel M Dell, John Joy Bell, E M Hull, Gilbert Parker, B M Croker, Ben Bolt, A E W Mason, Rafael Sabatini, Crona Temple, Fergus Hume, Anthony Hope, Geo Manville Fenn, Douglas Sladen, Rex Beach, Carolyn Wells, William Aubrey Darlington and J F Cargill.
1923
Grandad read books by authors whose work he had read before including Joseph Hocking, H Rider Haggard and William Macleod Raine. Indeed, he read two books by Joseph Hocking bringing the total of his books that he had read to eight.
Grandad also read books by John Burland Harris-Burland, Kathylyn Rhodes, W W Jacobs, Arthur Somers-Roche, Georgina E Troutbeck, James Spilling, Henry Oyen and Grace Aguilar.
In 1923, grandad read “The Life of Christ” by F W Farrar. I am not sure if any of the other books grandad read that year were non-fiction. For example, I came across a book called “The Wolf” but have been unable to identify this. Could this have been a non-fiction book about wolves or even about SMS Wolf?
One book he noted reading, in May 1923, was “Giles’s Trip to London”. This book intrigued me because it relates to Norfolk, in general, and the Norfolk dialect, in particular. What I found particularly intriguing was that grandad was interested in this some forty years before he moved to Norfolk.
1924
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1924.
1925
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1925.
1926
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1926.
1927
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1927.
1928
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1928.
1929
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1929.
1930
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1930.
1931
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1931.
1932
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1932.
1933
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1933.
1934
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1934.
1935
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1935.
1936
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1936.
1937
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1937.
1938
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1938.
1939
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1939.
1940
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1940.
1941
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1941. However, he did note, in July 1941, that he first went to the county library for books. This indicates that he was reading books at this time just not recording what he read.
According to Nottinghamshire County Council’s book “Kirkby-in-Ashfield: A Pictorial View 1889-1989”, the town’s library was located at 35 Urban Street in the 1940s.
1942
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1942.
1943
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1943.
1944
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1944.
1945
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1945.
1946
Mum started keeping a diary in 1946. So, at this point, there were two diaries. However, neither recorded any books read in 1946.
1947
Neither grandad nor mum recorded any books they read in 1947. However, mum did note that, in April, Ros Rodgers gave her three Just William books which she noted as “William and Air Raid Precautions (ARP)”, “William the Detective” and “William and the Evacuees”. Also, in November, mum noted that she got Moffat’s translation of the Bible as a missionary prize.
Right – William and the Evacuees from 1940
1948
Neither grandad nor mum recorded any books they read in 1948. However, mum recorded in her diary that she went to the library most Saturdays.
1949
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1949. As in 1948, mum noted going to the library most Saturdays, at least between February and June. Prior to that, she was ill and her friends, Barbara Coupe and Joy and Hazel Munns went to the library for her. In October 1949, mum noted going to the library for grandad.
Mum did refer to some specific books during this year. These included:
- Books she lent to friends including “Sweet Seventeen” and “None But the Brave“
- Annuals that she read or bought including “Girls’ Crystal” and “School Friend Annual“
- A book she won at a Sunday School prizegiving namely “Island of Adventure” by Enid Blyton
- Two “Worrals” books. These refer to books about Flight Officer Joan Worralson by W E Johns who also wrote “Biggles“.
Top centre – School Friend Annual 1949
Top right – Girls’ Crystal Annual 1949
Bottom left – 1948 edition of Enid Blyton’s “The Island of Adventure“. Mum won a copy of this book in the 1949 Sunday School prizegiving
Bottom right – Example of one of the Worrals’ books by W E Johns
1950
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1950. Mum referred to books a few times. She won books, or money for books, in prizegivings. In January, she won eight shillings in a Sunday School prizegiving. She was putting this towards a Sunday School hymnal. In October 1950, at her school prizegiving, she won the Eric Linklater book “Private Angelo“. She had seen the film of this book in April 1950.
Also, mum borrowed books from her friend Barbara Coupe. In January 1950, she borrowed a book by the title “Making Amends” but I have not definitively identified this book. In February 1950, mum went into Nottingham to try to get a book for her Aunt Eva (Evans) but she was not successful.
Mum did not note going to the library during this period. However, in July 1950, she did note helping Miss Gornall in the school library.
In July 1950, mum noted that she bought “1st Heiress” from Drabble’s. I spent some time looking for a book called “The First Heiress” before realising mum was referring to the magazine “Heiress” which had previously been called “The Girl’s Own Paper“.
Right – Example of Heiress Magazine from 1950
1951
Neither mum nor grandad really mentioned books in 1951. However, in February, mum did note that, when she was ill, David Stubbs brought her a book from which to get quiz questions.
1952
Again, neither mum nor grandad really mentioned books they read in 1952. Mum did note going to the library in June 1952. I assume she went at other times but did not always record this. In mum’s diary, there was a book list page. Mum listed three books on this, “The Test Match Murder” by Alfred Tack, “Orange Blossom for Sandra” by Ursula Bloom and a book called “Yesterday’s Lover” which I have not been able to identify definitively.
1953
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1953.
1954
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1954.
1955
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1955. However, grandad recorded that mum gave him a Road Atlas for Father’s Day. He noted that the scale was three miles to one inch.
1956
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1956.
1957
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1957.
1958
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1958.
1959
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1959. However, in March 1959, grandad did note making a small bookcase to stand alongside the piano. In April 1959, mum covered this in Fablon.
In September 1959, mum noticed that children who attended Sunday School were given a hymnbook to commemorate the merger of the Sunday Schools of Bourne and Diamond Avenue Methodist churches, see Chapter 69.
1960
In December 1960, grandad noted that grandma bought him a copy of “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” from Reg Edwards for 3/6. He explained that five or six weeks earlier there had been a court case to determine whether the book was fit to be published. This court case was won by the publisher.
This well-known book was first published in Italy in 1928 and in France in 1929 but was only published in full in the UK in 1960. It was subject to an obscenity trial which the publisher won. Given its reputation, it is perhaps surprising that grandma bought this book, given her staunch Methodist value, Having not read the book, I had not realised that it was set in Nottinghamshire, which would have been of interest to grandad. On reflection, it says something about grandma and grandad that he wanted to read the book and she was willing to get it for him.
This book merits a chapter (5) in Jonathan Evans book of short stories about growing up in Kirkby, “The Mystery of Ernie Taylor’s Abdomen“. Essentially, it revolves around a group of teenage boys reading aloud together selected extracts from the book and one of the boys resolving that he could write something better.
1961
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1961.
1962
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1962. However, mum did note going to the library about once per month except immediately before and after Alan was born in June 1962, see Chapter 75.
1963
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1963. However, in September 1963, when grandma and grandad were preparing to move to Norfolk, grandad noted packing books from the bookcase into small cartons. As in 1963, mum noted going to te library roughly once per month except at the peak of Alan’s illness, see Chapter 78. Also, in November 1963, while living in rented accommodation in Norwich, grandad noted going to the library.
1964
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1964. However, in January and February 1964, grandad noted going to Mile Cross library, The next month, in March 1964, Auntie Dolly went to the library and got a book out on one of grandad’s tickets. I don’t really understand why he would have had more than one library ticket, perhaps he needed one per book then?
In August 1964, grandad noted that Auntie Bertha and Mrs Merry, who were staying with them, went to Norwich and bought him a book about Norfolk. I do not know what book it was.
1965
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1965. However, on New Year’s Eve, grandad noted going to the library on his moped,
1966
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1966. However, he recorded a few trips to the library including with Tom Wilson, when he was visiting, and on his bike which he bought when he sold his moped.
1967
Neither mum nor grandad recorded any books they read in 1967. However, grandad recorded a few trips to the library. In addition, he noted that we gave him a road atlas for Christmas. It was three miles to one inch and was a more up-to-date version of one mum gave him in 1955.
1968
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1968. However, he recorded a few trips to the library including one with Tom Wilson, when he was visiting.
1969
Grandad did not record any books he read in 1969.