Pam Hobbs
Encyclopedia
Pam Hobbs is a travel writer and author. Hobbs is the youngest of seven daughters born in 1929 to Edie and Jack Hobbs in Leigh-on-Sea
, Essex
, in southern England
.
, she joined hundreds of thousands of other children in a series of mass evacuations from England's most vulnerable and heavily populated areas to the countryside. Her destination in Derbyshire
was only 150 miles from home, but on the far side of a cultural abyss.
There, Hobbs lived in four different foster homes. In some she was warmly welcomed, but in others life took a more sinister turn as adults found it easy to exploit the children in their care.
Two years later, when imminent danger of invasion had passed, she returned home to Essex where her father and older sisters were enlisted in the war effort. By then a high-school girl, she joined the struggle to live with shortages, food rationing and bombings - and fears for family members in the armed forces. All of this is described in her 2009 memoir Don't Forget to Write: the true story of an evacuee and her family.
Hobbs first emigrated to Canada
in 1950. She returned to England for a family wedding in 1952, and on her way back to Canada a year later she met her future husband, Michael Algar. To celebrate Canada's centennial year in 1967, Pam and Michael and their three young daughters started exploring their adoptive country in a camper van, eventually travelling between the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Hobbs' travel stories based on these family adventures were published in Toronto
newspapers, and soon earned her an exclusive contract with Canada's Globe and Mail. For the following 19 years, she travelled the world, writing a minimum of 40 travel articles per year for that newspaper, and becoming one of the country's foremost travel writers. Since then, she has contributed illustrated travel stories to many of North America's foremost newspapers and magazines, has appeared on radio and television, and has written or co-authored six travel-related books. She is a member of The Writers' Union of Canada and has been an active member of the Society of American Travel Writer's Canadian Chapter for 30 years.
Hobbs and her husband live in Toronto's Beach district, close to two of their daughters and four teen-aged grandchildren. Their third daughter lives in California.
Leigh-on-Sea
Leigh-on-Sea , sometimes called Leigh, is a civil parish in Essex, England. It is part of Southend-on-Sea for administrative purposes. It became a civil parish in 1996. The council tax was increased to support it. A town council was formed. Leigh is the only parish in Southend...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, in southern 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...
.
Life and work
In 1940, soon after the start of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she joined hundreds of thousands of other children in a series of mass evacuations from England's most vulnerable and heavily populated areas to the countryside. Her destination in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
was only 150 miles from home, but on the far side of a cultural abyss.
There, Hobbs lived in four different foster homes. In some she was warmly welcomed, but in others life took a more sinister turn as adults found it easy to exploit the children in their care.
Two years later, when imminent danger of invasion had passed, she returned home to Essex where her father and older sisters were enlisted in the war effort. By then a high-school girl, she joined the struggle to live with shortages, food rationing and bombings - and fears for family members in the armed forces. All of this is described in her 2009 memoir Don't Forget to Write: the true story of an evacuee and her family.
Hobbs first emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1950. She returned to England for a family wedding in 1952, and on her way back to Canada a year later she met her future husband, Michael Algar. To celebrate Canada's centennial year in 1967, Pam and Michael and their three young daughters started exploring their adoptive country in a camper van, eventually travelling between the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Hobbs' travel stories based on these family adventures were published in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
newspapers, and soon earned her an exclusive contract with Canada's Globe and Mail. For the following 19 years, she travelled the world, writing a minimum of 40 travel articles per year for that newspaper, and becoming one of the country's foremost travel writers. Since then, she has contributed illustrated travel stories to many of North America's foremost newspapers and magazines, has appeared on radio and television, and has written or co-authored six travel-related books. She is a member of The Writers' Union of Canada and has been an active member of the Society of American Travel Writer's Canadian Chapter for 30 years.
Hobbs and her husband live in Toronto's Beach district, close to two of their daughters and four teen-aged grandchildren. Their third daughter lives in California.
Recent Awards
- North American Travel Journalist Association - (Gold) 2006 and 2008
- Association of National Tourist Representatives, Canada, - (Writer of the Year) 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007
- Mature Media - 2005 (2 gold awards), 2006 (2 gold awards)