Wednesday 18 September 2024

E.C.R. Lorac Commemorated - With a Blue Plaque!


With my latest novel Hemlock Bay published last week, plus two anthologies - Metropolitan Mysteries (a British Library Crime Classic) and Midsummer Mysteries (for the CWA) - not to mention the appearance of The House on Graveyard Lane in the States and various urgent writing deadlines plus travels to Nashville, London, and Yorkshire for David Stuart Davies's funeral, I've not had chance until now to talk about a fantastic occasion that took place just a month ago, on 19 August.




This was the official unveiling of a blue plaque celebrating E.C.R. Lorac (aka Carol Carnac, real name Carol Rivett) and her life in Lunesdale, her adopted home for the last decade and a half or so of her life. This was a wonderful event and I was thrilled to be part of it. The plaque is to be found on Newbanks Cottage in Aughton, Lancashire, which was Carol Rivett's home; in those days, it was known simply as Newbanks.



Newbanks Cottage is currently the home of Rachael Horay and she had worked with Lancaster Civic Vision for some time to organise the plaque. There is a piece here about it, with some more photos. The unveiling of the plaque was performed by Lena Whiteley, which was wonderfully appropriate, given that Lena knew Lorac and actually featured in one of her novels. In a marvellous touch, Lena covered the plaque with a gorgeous scarf that belonged to, and I think was designed by, the author herself, seen in the photo above. 





Rachael kindly provided refreshments and allowed us to look around the house, which is highly atmospheric and retains many of the period features that Lorac would have known so well. This gave us a real sense of the life she lived. Ten years ago, Lorac was forgotten and such an occasion would have been unimaginable. I'm thrilled to have played a part in ensuring that this talented and interesting woman, whose books my parents loved, is now so widely read and - especially with the new plaque! - properly remembered.  







16 comments:

David Chapman said...

I feel they should have mentioned her main pseudonym on the plaque. What a difference in attitudes. I have tried for years to get Gravesham Council to consider a Blue Plaque for R. Austin Freeman or even a leaflet. So far nothing.

Madeleine C-W said...

How interesting; I’d not heard of her so shall look into her books. Hemlock Bay is on my coffee table to be read after I’ve finished my current book.

Anonymous said...

Lovely article Martin xxx

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing the wonderful event with us (and for creating the modern Lorac revival!)

Martin Edwards said...

David, I do hope you get somewhere with the campaign. If ever I can give any help, let me know.

Martin Edwards said...

Madeleine, thanks very much and I do hope you enjoy Hemlock Bay!

Martin Edwards said...

Thanks!

Martin Edwards said...

My pleasure!

marmee said...

Yes! Thank you so much for this! Loved seeing the pics, and very glad about the blue plaque!

Jeff Baker said...

Oh how wonderful! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Really pleased to read this. Visited Aughton last year, and in particular her grave in idyllic Church grounds. Will certainly go and see the plaque as luckily only a short car journey away for me. Following your earlier post on ECL, I was also able to see the small exhibition at a Lancs library. Sorry I missed you in Kendal library but look forward to reading Hemlock Bay!

Martin Edwards said...

Thanks for these further comments - and I hope, Anon, that you enjoy Hemlock Bay!

Anonymous said...

Is The House on Graveyard Street another name for Sepulchre Street ? I'm looking forward to Hemlock Bay, takes a while to come to the US 😊

Martin Edwards said...

Thanks, Anon. Yes, it is the same book as Sepulchre Street, just the American edition.

Juxtabook said...

How wonderful! And greatly to your credit that she has been re-discovered by a wider audience. We have visited Aughton inspired by one your previous posts and it is great to see that there is now a plague. The scarf was a great touch! (I have not been allowed to buy Hemlock Bay. I think it might be coming my way from Santa in a few months!)

Martin Edwards said...

Thank you!! And I hope that - whenever the opportunity arises - you enjoy Rachel's trip to the seaside. You might recognise a bit of Heysham, too...