Nottingham Authors Past and Present?


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Sure I've mentioned this before.

Like others here I was taught English by Stanley Middleton at High Pavement. He was a proper teacher, who didn't profess to have all the answers, but encouraged us to think. He wrote many novels which were all of a gentle 'provincial' sort but very readable.

One of his earliest, 'Harris' Requiem', gives an account of a school staff room and a journey home by bus which can only be High Pavement in the late 50s on Gainsford Crs, and the bus down to Arnold Rd. Another of his novels clearly describes Bulwell Mkt and Bogs, complete with 'pollarded' trees. When I was at HP and for sometime after, I'd quite often encounter Stan wandering down Bulwell Main Street, deep in thought. He was born in Bulwell, though in his latter years lived in Sherwood. He'd be in a gabardine mac and carrying one of those patchwork vinyl shopping bags of the period. He'd always acknowledge us, but just wander on.

Lovely bloke.

Col

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When I was at HP and for sometime after, I'd quite often encounter Stan wandering down Bulwell Main Street, deep in thought. He was born in Bulwell, though in his latter years lived in Sherwood. He'd be in a gabardine mac and carrying one of those patchwork vinyl shopping bags of the period. He'd always acknowledge us, but just wander on.

Yes, he would be thinking out his next novel, that's what we were told. I would be on the No. 6 bus going to school in the morning and often see him walking along Hucknall Road - I think he lived somewhere Perry Road way (maybe not on Perry Road itself - I don't know).

Remember he was also something of a musician and would play the organ in assembly if Frank Williams wasn't there for some reason? And he would always add little flourishes to the music which you didn't get with Frank.

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