What Hetty Did
Encyclopedia
What Hetty Did is the seventh novel by J.L. Carr, published in 1988 when he was 76 years old. The novel describes the experiences of an 18 year old girl. Hetty Birtwisle has been brought up by adoptive parents in the Fens; after a beating by her father, discovering that she was adopted, she flees to Birmingham
where she has learnt she was born and alters her surname to Beauchamp.
Hetty Beauchamp comes across several characters from Carr's other novels in the boarding house in which she lives, including Emma Foxberrow, a teacher in The Harpole Report
and Edward Peplow, from A Day in Summer
.
The story was adapted by Ellen Dryden for BBC Radio 4
's Woman's Hour Drama
in 2004.
Carr was offered an advance of £5,000 for the novel, including paperback rights, but as this was the same amount that he had been offered three years earlier for The Battle of Pollocks Crossing
, he decided to publish it himself. The book was published in an edition of 2,850 copies and is the first novel published by The Quince Tree Press
. As Carr usually offered to send his books post free, he included the price of postage in the price of the book, which had to be printed on the back. However he based postage mistakenly on the cost of sending a Penguin paperback, and What Hetty Did was printed on superior paper with card covers, so it was heavier than expected and he lost money on postage. However the book sold well at £3.95 a copy and he soon had another 3,000 copies printed. The novel is still published by The Quince Tree Press.
The book is notable for the fact that he gave his name as James Carr on the spine and J.L. Carr on the front. Carr was christened Joseph Lloyd and adopted the name 'Jim' or even 'James' in his early 20s.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
where she has learnt she was born and alters her surname to Beauchamp.
Hetty Beauchamp comes across several characters from Carr's other novels in the boarding house in which she lives, including Emma Foxberrow, a teacher in The Harpole Report
The Harpole Report
The Harpole Report is the third novel by J. L. Carr, published in 1972. The novel tells the story mostly in the form of a school log book kept by George Harpole, temporary Head Teacher of the Church of England primary school of "Tampling St. Nicholas". The novel has attained a minor cult status...
and Edward Peplow, from A Day in Summer
A Day in Summer
A Day in Summer is the first novel by J.L. Carr, published in 1963. The story is set in the fictional village of Great Minden where Peplow arrives to seek retribution for the death of his son....
.
The story was adapted by Ellen Dryden for BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's Woman's Hour Drama
Woman's Hour Drama
The Woman's Hour Drama is a BBC Radio 4 Arts and Drama production. It consists of 15 minute episodes, broadcast every weekday 10.45-11.00am , repeated 7.45-8.00pm. These tend to be plays which extend over a week, or multiple of 5 episodes...
in 2004.
Carr was offered an advance of £5,000 for the novel, including paperback rights, but as this was the same amount that he had been offered three years earlier for The Battle of Pollocks Crossing
The Battle of Pollocks Crossing
The Battle of Pollocks Crossing is the sixth novel by J.L. Carr, published in 1985. The novel was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1985 and followed a nomination in 1980 for A Month in the Country, his preceding novel....
, he decided to publish it himself. The book was published in an edition of 2,850 copies and is the first novel published by The Quince Tree Press
The Quince Tree Press
The Quince Tree Press is the imprint established in 1966 by J. L. Carr to publish his maps, pocket books and novels. The Press is now run by his son Robert Carr and his wife, Jane.- History of the press :...
. As Carr usually offered to send his books post free, he included the price of postage in the price of the book, which had to be printed on the back. However he based postage mistakenly on the cost of sending a Penguin paperback, and What Hetty Did was printed on superior paper with card covers, so it was heavier than expected and he lost money on postage. However the book sold well at £3.95 a copy and he soon had another 3,000 copies printed. The novel is still published by The Quince Tree Press.
The book is notable for the fact that he gave his name as James Carr on the spine and J.L. Carr on the front. Carr was christened Joseph Lloyd and adopted the name 'Jim' or even 'James' in his early 20s.