Lillian Beckwith
Encyclopedia
Lillian Comber, author was born in Ellesmere Port
, Cheshire
, England
, and wrote under the name Lillian Beckwith. Her most notable works are a series of semi-autobiographical books that chronicle her years living in Elgol
, Isle of Skye, and later on the nearby and smaller Isle of Soay. Originally arriving in 1942 under doctor's orders for a rest, Beckwith stayed several years, eventually buying and running her own croft
. In order, those books are:
All are also available as audiobooks narrated by Hannah Gordon
.
Allegedly, some of her neighbours later felt that the somewhat comical characters on Beckwith’s fictional island of Bruach were too close to real persons, causing Beckwith to become somewhat of a persona non grata in her former home.
She has also written a book About my Father's Business (1971) about her childhood in her father's grocery shop.
She moved to the Isle of Man
in 1962 and died on 3 January 2004 aged 87.
Lillian Beckwith has also written fiction :
A collection of short stories :
And a cookery book :
Ellesmere Port
Ellesmere Port is a large industrial town and port in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is situated on the south border of the Wirral Peninsula on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal, which in turn gives access to the River...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and wrote under the name Lillian Beckwith. Her most notable works are a series of semi-autobiographical books that chronicle her years living in Elgol
Elgol
Elgol is a village on the shores of Loch Scavaig towards the end of the Strathaird peninsula in the Isle of Skye, in the Scottish Highlands.-Name:...
, Isle of Skye, and later on the nearby and smaller Isle of Soay. Originally arriving in 1942 under doctor's orders for a rest, Beckwith stayed several years, eventually buying and running her own croft
Croft (land)
A croft is a fenced or enclosed area of land, usually small and arable with a crofter's dwelling thereon. A crofter is one who has tenure and use of the land, typically as a tenant farmer.- Etymology :...
. In order, those books are:
- 1959 - The Hills is Lonely — Chapter 1, Review
- 1961 - The Sea for Breakfast — Chapter 1
- 1964 - The Loud Halo Chapter 1
- 1968 - A Rope - In Case — Chapter 1
- 1973 - Lightly Poached — Chapter 1
All are also available as audiobooks narrated by Hannah Gordon
Hannah Gordon
Hannah Cambell Grant Gordon is a Scottish actress who is well known in the United Kingdom for her television work, including Upstairs, Downstairs, Telford's Change, My Wife Next Door, Joint Account and an appearance in the final episode of One Foot in the Grave.-Early life:Gordon was born in...
.
Allegedly, some of her neighbours later felt that the somewhat comical characters on Beckwith’s fictional island of Bruach were too close to real persons, causing Beckwith to become somewhat of a persona non grata in her former home.
She has also written a book About my Father's Business (1971) about her childhood in her father's grocery shop.
She moved to the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
in 1962 and died on 3 January 2004 aged 87.
Lillian Beckwith has also written fiction :
- 1967 - Green Hand
- 1974 - The Spuddy (Illustrated by Victor AmbrusVictor AmbrusVictor Ambrus , is an illustrator best known for his regular appearances on the Channel 4 archaeology television series Time Team, where he visualises how the sites being excavated may have once looked...
) - 1984 - A Shine of Rainbows — Chapter 1 (adapted into a film- A Shine of RainbowsA Shine of Rainbows (film)A Shine of Rainbows, also known as Tomás and the Rainbows, is a 2009 Irish family drama, directed and co-written by Vic Sarin and is a film adaptation of the novel A Shine of Rainbows by Lillian Beckwith.-Plot:...
). - 1986 - A Proper Woman
- 1989 - The Small Party
- 1992 - An Island Apart — Chapter 1, (audiobook narrated by Vivien HeilbronVivien HeilbronVivien Heilbron is a Scottish actress.-Career:Heilbron, who was born in Glasgow, achieved fame in her homeland when she appeared in the 1971 BBC Scotland television adaption of Lewis Grassic Gibbon's Sunset Song, in the lead role of Chris Guthrie. "The television programme was quite instrumental...
) - 2002 - A Breath of Autumn — Chapter 1
A collection of short stories :
- 1988 Bay of Strangers — Title story
And a cookery book :
- 1976 Hebridean Cook Book
External links
- The Bruach books of Lillian Beckwith
- Hebridean Comedies
- Obituary
- Lillian Beckwith on fantasticfiction.com