Walsall Writers' Circle: Club Books
- Ref No: 1397
- Repository: Walsall Local History Centre
- Date: 1967 - 1998
- Creator: Walsall Writers' Circle
- Description: These books are an amalgam of an official scrapbook, attendance books, events books and basic minute books. They contain the date and name of speaker or event, a list of those members and guests present, notes on club decisions, competitions, basic state of Society funds, member's acceptances for work published and sales, books loaned, as well as newspaper clippings and magazine articles covering members, their books and the Circle. They have been arranged chronologically.
- Admin History: The Walsall Writers' Circle was formed as the Walsall and District Writers Circle in April 1966, following a short story competition organised by the Libraries Committee for National Library Week. Its purpose was to help keen writers build up style and creative writing. The introductory sheet for the Walsall Writers Circle states that the Circle was formed in 1967 by Norrey Ford, but clearly this date is incorrect based on the news cuttings evidence, though the Society books date from this time.
Originally, there were fifteen "enthusiastic amateur writers" in the Circle with Mrs Dilcock (Norrey Ford) as the President, the Borough Librarian Mr. R. H. Malbon as Secretary and Treasurer, and Committee Members Mrs. Y. Onions, Miss. E. Ulian, Mrs. M. Whitehouse and Mrs. M. Green.
They originally met monthly at the Central Library for an event or writers' workshop, but by June, 1966, it appears the 'District' element was already falling out of use. The members examined and acted as critics to each others work.
By 1971, several of its 16 members had been published, like Mrs Dilcock, Stella Nowells and Gwyn Lavender, performed, like Marjorie Green, written for television, like Michael Hurney and Barbara Carr, or won national award, such as Judith Trueman, who won the National Romantic Novelists Association's best unpublished novel of the year. Aileen Quigley had several historical novels published.
Sadly, in 1975, Mrs Y Onions, founder member, passed away, but the Society continued to move forward with Margaret Mayo, from Bloxwich, having two books and Barbara Banks, one book published. The Circle had many recognised guest speakers, including Malcolm Hulke, writer for Crossroads and Doctor Who.
The Circle moved to Park Hall Community Centre in the 1980s, which also saw first-time success for Ron and Irene Kirkham and in 1988, Philip Arnold. The late 1980s saw the society with 30 members. Sadly, in 1985, Noreen Dilcock (Norrey Ford), founder and life president passed away.
1991 saw a worry over the Circle as attendances dropped significantly, but somehow, it kept going and attendances improved. The later 1990s saw a healthier state and continued publishing success.
The Circle meet at Park Hall Community http://www.wwc.mereed.co.uk/wwchomepage.htm - Extent: 2 vols
- Level: Fonds
- Tags:
- For more information contact: Walsall Archives / Local History Centre
- Catalogue
