South Riding
Authors: Winifred Holtby
Winifred Holtby
SOUTH RIDING
AN ENGLISH LANDSCAPE
With an introduction by Andrew Davies
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Version 1.0
Epub ISBN 9781446416464
This book is published to accompany the television series entitled
South Riding
, first broadcast on BBC1 in 2011.
Executive Producers: Anne Pivcevic and Hilary Martin
Producer: Lisa Osborne
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Published in 2011 by BBC Books, an imprint of Ebury Publishing.
A Random House Group Company
Introduction © Andrew Davies 2011
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
The Random House Group Limited Reg. No. 954009
Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at:
www.randomhouse.co.uk
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978 1 849 90203 8
Commissioning editor: Lorna Russell
Project editor: Laura Higginson
Production: Sarah Jenkins
To buy books by your favourite authors and register for offers, visit:
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Prefatory letter to Alderman Mrs Holtby
1. Lord Sedgmire’s Granddaughter Awaits an Alderman
2. Kiplington Governors Appoint a New Head Mistress
3. Mr. Holly Blows Out a Candle
4. Alderman Mrs. Beddows Considers Heredity
5. Miss Burton Surveys a Battlefield
6. Alderman Snaith Contemplates a Wilderness
7. Madame Hubbard Has Highly Talented Pupils
1. Councillor Carne Misses a Sub-Committee
2. Councillor Huggins Incurs an Obligation
3. Tom Sawdon Decides to Buy a Dog
4. Sarah Acquires an Ally, and Carne an Enemy
Book III: Agriculture and Small Holdings
1. The Cold Harbour Colonists State a Case
2. Alderman Snaith is Very Fond of Cats
3. Mr. Castle Counsels Caution
4. Mr. Barnabas Holly Toasts Heredity
5. Miss Sigglesthwaite Sees the Lambs of God
1. Mrs. Holly Fails Her Family
2. Teacher And Alderman Do Not See Eye to Eye
3. Councillor Huggins Secures Floodlighting of the Hospital
5. Lily Sawdon Propitiates a God
6. The Hubbards’ Only Object is Philanthropy
1. Nancy Mitchell Keeps Her Dignity
2. Mrs. Beddows Has Three Men to Think of
3. Sarah Looks Out of a Window
4. Nymphs and Shepherds, Come Away
5. Carne Visits Two Ideal Homes
6. Mr. Mitchell Faces an Inquisition
1. Temporary Insanity is Acknowledged at the Nag’s Head
3. Mr. Huggins Tastes the Madness of Victory
4. Mrs. Beddows Pays a Statutory Visit
5. Nat Brimsley Does Not Like Rabbit Pie
6. Two in a Hotel are Temporarily Insane
1. Mrs. Beddows Receives a Christmas Present
2. Mr. Holly Brings Home a Christmas Present
3. Councillor Huggins Prepares for an Election
4. A Procession Passes Through Maythorpe Village
5. The Head Mistress Introduces a Governor
Book VIII: Housing and Town Planning
1. Astell and Snaith Plan a New Jerusalem
2. Three Revellers Have a Night Out
3. Councillor Huggins Vindicates Morality
6. Mrs. Beddows Sends Sarah About Her Business
Winifred Holtby had a short life and writing career, sadly passing away one year before the publication of
South Riding
in 1935 at the age of 37. During her life, she worked as a journalist writing for numerous newspapers and magazines, and wrote three other successful novels
Anderby Wold
(1923),
The Crowded Street
(1924) and
The Land of Green Ginger
(1927), as well as a collection of short stories,
Truth is Not Sober
. Having lived through the horror of the First World War, Winifred, still only in her late twenties, joined the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps in 1918 and moved to France. She returned to England in 1919 to attend Somerville College, where she met and became good friends with Vera Brittain. After college, the women moved to London together to pursue writing careers. Vera wrote about their close friendship in her book
Testament of Friendship
(1940).
In their order of appearance:
L
OVELL
B
ROWN
, a young reporter on the
Kingsport Chronicle.
S
YD
M
AIL
, his senior.
C
OUNCILLOR
R
OBERT
C
ARNE
of Maythorpe Hall, a sporting farmer.
A
LDERMAN
F
ARROW
, a memory.
A
LDERMAN
A
NTHONY
S
NAITH
, a rich business man.
A F
AT
R
EPORTER
, from the
Yorkshire Record.
A
LDERMAN
M
RS
. B
EDDOWS
, née Emma Tuke.
C
OUNCILLOR
S
AXON
, a local celebrity.
A
LDERMAN
G
ENERAL
T
HE
H
ONOURABLE
S
IR
R
ONALD
T
ARKINGTON
, K.C.M.G., D.S.O., of Lissell Grange, Chairman of the South Riding County Council.
L
EET OF
K
YLE
H
ILLOCK
, a farmer.
C
OUNCILLOR
C
APTAIN
G
RYSON
, a retired regular army officer.
L
ORD
K
NARESBOROUGH
, a pre-war beau of Muriel Carne.
C
OUNCILLOR
P
EACOCK
, member for Cold Harbour Division.
C
OUNCILLOR
(afterwards Alderman) A
STELL
, a Socialist.
M
ISS
L. P. H
OLMES
, retiring Head Mistress of Kiplington High School for Girls.
M
ISS
S
ARAH
B
URTON
, M.A. (Leeds), B.Litt. (Oxon), the new Head Mistress.
M
IDGE
C
ARNE
, Carne’s fourteen-year-old daughter.
E
LSIE
, Carne’s maid.
A
PPLETON
, labourer on Carne’s farm.