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Maidens' Trip
''Maidens' Trip'' is a 1948 autobiography by Emma Smith based on her experiences as a volunteer boatwoman on Britain's Grand Union Canal during the Second World War. It won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for 1949. Background In 1943 Emma Smith (then known as Elspeth Hallsmith) joined the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company under their wartime scheme of employing women to replace men who had gone off to fight. Freed from a middle-class background, Emma and her new workmates joined the boating fraternity and learned how to handle a pair of 72 ft long canal boats, carrying cargoes of steel and coal north from London to Birmingham and Coventry. Radio and television In 1968 Smith's book was serialised on the BBC's Woman's Hour and read by Miriam Margolyes. A decade later it was adapted as a 3-part television serial, produced by the BBC (Birmingham) and broadcast in 1977.''The Stage'', 16 June 1977. It starred Tina Heath, Liz Bagley, Tricia George and John Salthouse John ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emma Smith (author)
Emma Smith (21 August 1923 – 24 April 2018) was an English novelist, who also wrote for children and published two volumes of autobiography. She gave encouragement to Laurie Lee while he was writing his bestselling memoir of his childhood, '' Cider with Rosie''. Early life and fame Smith was born as Elspeth Hallsmith in Cornwall, daughter of a bank clerk, Guthrie Hallsmith, D.S.O. and his wife Janet, a nurse. Her father suffered a nervous breakdown and left the family, after which Smith only saw him three more times in his life. She received a "negligible" private education up to the age of 16, when she decided to take up a job at the War Office. During the Second World War, she volunteered to work on the canals as a boatswoman. Later on, her experiences as a trainee boatswoman on the Grand Union Canal would become the basis for her debut novel, '' Maidens' Trip''. In September 1946, Smith, still only 23, went off to India with a team of documentary film-makers that included ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Putnam & Company
G. P. Putnam's Sons is an American book publisher based in New York City, New York. Since 1996, it has been an imprint of the Penguin Group. History The company began as Wiley & Putnam with the 1838 partnership between George Palmer Putnam and John Wiley, whose father had founded his own company in 1807. In 1841, Putnam went to London where he set up a branch office, the first American company ever to do so. In 1848, he returned to New York, where he dissolved the partnership with John Wiley and established G. Putnam Broadway, publishing a variety of works including quality illustrated books. Wiley began John Wiley (later John Wiley and Sons), which is still an independent publisher to the present day. In 1853, G. P. Putnam & Co. started ''Putnam’s Magazine'' with Charles Frederick Briggs as its editor. On George Palmer Putnam's death in 1872, his sons George H., John and Irving inherited the business and the firm's name was changed to G. P. Putnam's Sons. Son George H. Pu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Boatwomen's Training Scheme
The boatwomen's training scheme was an initiative in the United Kingdom during the Second world war to attract women to work on Britain's canal network. Initiated by the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company (GUCCC) in 1942 the scheme was taken over by the Ministry of War Transport in 1944. The scheme closed after the end of hostilities in 1945. Nicknamed the ''Idle Women'' due to the Inland Waterways badge they wore in lieu of a uniform, it is estimated that approximately 100 women joined the scheme but only about 45 completed the training and only six are recorded as having participated throughout the length of the scheme. Background In the early part of the Second world war Britain's canals suffered from a labour shortage, caused mostly by military service (although until 1942 being a waterways boatmen was a reserved occupation) and the higher wages available in other employment. A recruiting drive in 1941 did attract some men to the waterways but the GUCCC noted that they also ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. It is the principal navigable waterway between London and the Midlands. Starting in London, one arm runs to Leicester and another ends in Birmingham, with the latter stretching for with 166 locks from London. The Birmingham line has a number of short branches to places including Slough, Aylesbury, Wendover, and Northampton. The Leicester line has two short arms of its own, to Market Harborough and Welford. It has links with other canals and navigable waterways, including the River Thames, the Regent's Canal, the River Nene and River Soar, the Oxford Canal, the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal, the Digbeth Branch Canal and the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. The canal south of Braunston to the River Thames at Brentford in London is the original Grand Junction Canal. At Braunston the latter met the Oxford Canal linking back to the Thames to the south and to Coventry to the north via the Coventry Canal. "Grand ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers. World War II was a total war that directly involved more than 100 million personnel from more than 30 countries. The major participants in the war threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. Aircraft played a major role in the conflict, enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and deploying the only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II was by far the deadliest conflict in human history; it resulted in 70 to 85 million fatalities, mostly among civilians. Tens of millions died due to genocides (including the Holocaust), starvation, ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
The John Llewellyn Rhys Prize was a literary prize awarded annually for the best work of literature (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama) by an author from the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth aged 35 or under, written in English and published in the United Kingdom.John Llewellyn Rhys Prize "John Llewellyn Rhys Prize" Booktrust. Retrieved 29 January 2011. Established in 1942, it is one of the oldest literary awards in the UK. Since 2011 the award has been suspended due to funding problems. The last award was in 2010.Alison Flood "John Llewellyn Rhys prize 'suspended'" [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grand Union Canal Carrying Company
The Grand Union Canal Carrying Company was a freight carrying transport service in England from 1934 to 1948. Background ''For more detail on this section see the History of the Grand Union Canal.'' In 1929 the Regents Canal Company bought the Grand Junction Canal Company and a new company, the Grand Union Canal Company, was established. Later that year the new company bought the Warwick and Napton Canal and the Warwick and Birmingham Canal. In 1932 the Grand Union Canal Company bought the Leicester Navigation, the Loughborough Navigation and the Erewash Canal for £75,423 (£ million in ). For the first time the main line from London to Birmingham and the River Trent were all owned by one company with the exception of the Oxford Canal between Braunston and Napton. The Grand Union Canal Company attempted to buy the Oxford Canal but the agreement failed. The Grand Union Canal was now over 300 miles long. A main objective was to create a route capable of taking 14&nbs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Woman's Hour
''Woman's Hour'' is a radio magazine programme broadcast in the United Kingdom on the BBC Light Programme, BBC Radio 2, and later BBC Radio 4. It has been on the air since 1946. History Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey, ''Woman's Hour'' was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme. Janet Quigley, who was also involved with the birth of the UK radio programme ''Today'', has been credited with "virtually creating" the programme. The programme was transferred to its current home in 1973. Over the years it has been presented by Mary Hill (19461963), Joan Griffiths (19471949), Olive Shapley (19491953), Jean Metcalfe (19501968), Violet Carson (19521956), Marjorie Anderson (19581972), Teresa McGonagle (19581976), Judith Chalmers (19661970), Sue MacGregor (19721987), Jenni Murray (1987–2020), Martha Kearney (1998 to March 2007), and Jane Garvey (8 October 2007 to December 2020). Fill-in presenters have included Andrea Cather ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miriam Margolyes
Miriam ( he, מִרְיָם ''Mīryām'', lit. 'Rebellion') is described in the Hebrew Bible as the daughter of Amram and Jochebed, and the older sister of Moses and Aaron. She was a prophetess and first appears in the Book of Exodus. The Torah refers to her as "Miriam the Prophetess" and the Talmud names her as one of the seven major female prophets of Israel. Scripture describes her alongside of Moses and Aaron as delivering the Jews from exile in Egypt: "For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam". According to the Midrash, just as Moses led the men out of Egypt and taught them Torah, so too Miriam led the women and taught them Torah. Biblical narrative Miriam was the daughter of Amram and Jochebed; she was the sister of Aaron and Moses, the leader of the Israelites in ancient Egypt. The narrative of Moses' infancy in the Torah describes an unnamed sister of Moses observing him b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tina Heath
Tina Heath (born 1953) is a British actress and former television presenter. She and husband Dave Cooke have two children. Early career Her first television appearance was in 1969, when she appeared in ''Broaden Your Mind'' on BBC Two, BBC 2 alongside Graeme Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor. A one-off appearance in ''Z-Cars'' followed in 1970. She appeared in the ''Look and Read'' serial ''Cloud Burst'' in 1974. ''Lizzie Dripping'' In 1973, she played the title role in the children's television serial ''Lizzie Dripping'' after first playing the character in an episode of ''Jackanory, Jackanory Playhouse'' in 1972.McGown, Alistair D. & Docherty, Mark J. (2003) ''The Hill and Beyond: Children's Television Drama - An Encyclopedia'', BFI Publishing, , p. 76 Her character was supposed to be 12 years old, but in fact Heath was already 20 at the time. Further Television Appearances The BBC serial production of ''Jane Eyre (1973 TV series)'', (1973), followed, and Heath played the characte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Salthouse
John Salthouse (born John Lewis; 16 June 1951) is a British actor and producer. His best-known screen roles are those of Tony in Mike Leigh's ''Abigail's Party'' and DI Roy Galloway in ''The Bill'' from 1984 to 1987. He has also appeared in " Coronation Street" (1977) '' I Didn't Know You Cared'', '' EastEnders'', ''Miracles Take Longer'' and in films such as '' A Bridge Too Far'' (1977), '' The Spy Who Loved Me'' (1977), '' An American Werewolf in London'' (1981), ''Give My Regards to Broad Street'' (1984) and ''Prick Up Your Ears'' (1987). Salthouse had previously been a professional footballer until injury had forced him to retire. He had played for Crystal Palace under the name of John Lewis in the 1960s, a fact which he drew on in playing the sullen Tony in ''Abigail's Party''. He also appeared in the early series of the Sky One soap opera ''Dream Team'' as the club's academy coach, Frank Patcham. He appeared in Series 1 and Series 2, and later became one of the show's pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1948 Non-fiction Books
Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British Railways. * January 4 – Burma gains its independence from the United Kingdom, becoming an independent republic, named the ''Union of Burma'', with Sao Shwe Thaik as its first President, and U Nu its first Prime Minister. * January 5 ** Warner Brothers shows the first color newsreel (''Tournament of Roses Parade'' and the ''Rose Bowl Game''). ** The first Kinsey Reports, Kinsey Report, ''Sexual Behavior in the Human Male'', is published in the United States. * January 7 – Mantell UFO incident: Kentucky Air National Guard pilot Thomas Mantell crashes while in pursuit of an unidentified flying object. * January 12 – Mahatma Gandhi begins his fast-unto-death in Delhi, to stop communal violence during the Partition of India. * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
