I thought I would search out some of the books we have in the library celebrating ‘Our Lasses’ and decided on ‘First Lines’ of their books and a small fact. How many of these have you read? These books are all available in our library.
Selected Short Stories by Mary Linskill
Raith Wyke
“Up the narrow, rocky path she went, stepping firmly and gracefully, stopping now and then to put down her heavy basket awhile, for the day was hot, the very breath that came from the blue, open sea that stretched between the two cliffs seemed hot.”
DID YOU KNOW? At the age of sixteen she went to serve an apprenticeship as a milliner in a shop at the East end of Whitby Bridge. (Page 9 – Her Early Life – Mary Linskill: The Whitby Novelist 1840-1891 by David Quinlan and Arthur F. Humble)
The Moon is Making by Storm Jameson
“Handel Wikker left his house at six o’clock in the evening on an errand which vexed him – since it was to ask a favour, and he hated few things worse.”
DID YOU KNOW? Born Margaret Ethel Jameson, known as Daisy it seems she had a rather bumpy childhood. At 8, while attending Miss Lily Ingham’s school, she was almost strangled by an unknown 16 year-old boy while out playing. In addition, playground games seemed to be a time for using friendship as a weapon – the mockery and spite from older girls! (Chapter 1 – A Yorkshire Childhood – Margaret Storm Jameson: A Life by Jennifer Birkett)
The Wayward Girls by Amanda Mason
“‘Stand Still.’ Bee tugged at Loo’s petticoat, trying to straighten it.”
The Herring Girls by Theresa Tomlinson
“It was late in July; one of those days of sun and heavy showers, worse for us than steady rain.”
Lioness: My Journey To Glory by Beth Mead
“My stomach heaves and twists with nerves.”
DID YOU KNOW? One of Beth’s favourite places in Whitby is Botham’s tearoom where one of her favourite biscuits is the Traffic Light, a shortbread biscuit with red, amber and green buttercream running through it? It also holds fond memories because it’s how her mum and dad met; Richard began his 2.00am shift at the Botham’s that used to be near a local nightclub on Baxtergate and would see her mum, June leaving the nightclub and wave at her. Eventually, plucking up the courage to ask her out on a date… (Chapter 1 – Disrupting the Class)
Claire Marris Archive Development Officer
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