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| The day Emma wouldn’t bite... |
EMMA Thompson wouldn’t bite when I met her sometime ago
at Gospel Oak and pitched her with an idea that had seized me.
I know she writes film scripts and, as I walked with her in a
procession along Grafton Road, I rapped out a love story that
I couldn’t get out of my head.
I thought it would make a dreamy film. I had come across it in
a book by historian Paul Preston about three women who had played
heroic roles in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. It centred
around a couple in King’s Cross – the husband George
Green, determined to support the Republicans against General Franco,
went to war in Spain leaving his wife Nan and two children.
A rich friend placed the children in a private school, allowing
Nan to follow her husband as a nurse.
She wanted to be with her husband but only met him briefly once
– later he was killed in battle. Heartbroken she returned
to England.
I have to confess I couldn’t attract Emma Thompson’s
interest. Maybe, she couldn’t take it in at the time. Maybe,
I just can’t sell a story-line for a film.
Before Nan Green died she wrote a stunning memoir, A Chronicle
of Small Beer (Trent Editions, £6.99) – and recently
I dropped in at the launch of her little book at Marx Memorial
Library in Clerkenwell where her son Martin Green said a few words.
It turned out that like Emma Thompson most publishers weren’t
interested in Nan’s story. But finally after 18 years
Martin found a publisher, Trent Editions of Nottingham Trent University.
Thank goodness, Nan’s life, particularly in those brief months
in Spain, is now recorded. It’s been worth the wait.
Pictured at top right: Trent Editions publisher Professor John
Lucas, Martin Green, poet and playwright Andrew Rattenbury at
Clerkenwell Library fro the launch. Pictured middle: Emma Thompson.
Pictured below: Nan Green.
Farewell to quiet Eva
WHENEVER I met Eva Taylor at her Highgate home I tried to turn
the conversation to how she came to meet her husband, AJP Taylor,
the great historian of the last century. It wasn’t fair really
because Eva (pictured above at the launch of her book five years
ago at Highgate Library) herself possessed a fine intellect and
was a recognised historian in her own right.
But AJP Taylor (pictured right) had led such a mercurial life –
writer of umpteen popular books on British history, a man who could
dash off articles week after week for the popular tabloids, who
was followed by millions for his TV series.
Whatever he earned from his writings, and it amounted to a small
fortune, it was soon spent. He was a romantic figure who attacted
women. He had already been married twice before her met Eva in her
50s. She talked openly about AJP to me – and, in fact, in the
last ten years wrote two very good memoirs about their lives together.
Now, Eva, I have to sadly report, has died at the age of 82 in her
homeland – Hungary.
She was already a recognised historian in Budapest and because she
could speak English well she worked with AJP when he went to the
city for a conference.
They had more than a passion for history in common. They also shared
a Marxian view of the subject.
AJP’s other marriages had been stormy affairs attracting publicity
in the tabloids.
I got the impression he found a quiet harbour in Eva who had also
been married before and had two children.
They loved the countryside, and found a substitute in Hampstead
Heath where they would go for long walks.
Father Wheeler’s got the write stuff
TAKEN as a whole, journalists usually rank poorly in surveys
of who the public trusts – above politicians, but some way
below vicars and policemen. There are always exceptions, of course;
the best hacks rise above that low estimation through years of steadfast
reporting, while others, like Father Nicholas Wheeler (pictured)
of St Michael’s Church in Camden Town, honourably jump ship
and take up more highly regarded careers.
Fr Wheeler, whose thoughtful ministry has won him respect beyond
the confines of his flock since he came to Camden, worked as a reporter
on the Barnet Times and the Enfield Gazette in the 1970s.
He must have witnessed a few quirky stories in both professions,
but he won his highest honour to date on Tuesday when he led a congregation
of 2,300, including the Queen, in prayer at the July 7 memorial
service at St Pauls. He told me: “I wrote the prayers for the
transport workers, emergency services and the police. I write prayers
every week so it was not too out of the ordinary. I am to prayers
what journalists are to stories.
“Many of the people caught in the blasts were not local. I
think it was important for the families to recognise the incredible
work that was done.”
Griff the historian
HE may be most famous for his comedy double act with partner
Mel Smith but Griff Rhys Jones (pictured) is also, it seems, a
passionate historian.
Rhys Jones, 52, who lives in Holborn is a member of the Camden
Civic Society, and has agreed to be the Society’s guest of
honour at its annual general meeting in Kelly Street Congregational
Church Hall on Thursday.
As Martin Morton, chairman of the Civic Society told me: “He
lives locally, he’s a well-known name and he is very interested
in historic buildings. He was the obvious choice really.”
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