October book club - Miss Carter's War

My mum had a maroon fitted coat in the same style. It had very large buttons, if I remember. I still have a photo of her wearing it while out pushing me in the pram. She would have worn this coat for years - no choice as there was no money for another one in those days. She was tall and slim and suited it so well.
At school I wore a bottle-green gymslip with the box-pleats all the way down the front and with a sash round the waist. Also the beret with the school badge. The little bit on the crown of most of the children's berets was always missing because we used to spin them round - the 'bit' came off, leaving a hole!

I am half way through Miss Carter's War and am really enjoying it. Loved it when they went in the car to Ullswater and although she didn't name the country house hotel I recognised it as the fabulous Sharrow Bay. I actually googled to find out when LPs were first produced because I found it hard to believe they had them at the beginning of the 50s, sure enough first ones released in 1948.

No, but my Mum did and very good she looked in it too. It was brown I seem to recall. She was a very beautiful woman and had a lovely figure (sadly I didn't inherit her looks!) I did have to wear a gabardine mac for school in a very fetching forest green which had a belt making me look like a sack of potatoes tied in the middle.
Back to the book.....

Did anyone else have a fitted coat like the one on the cover? Mine was just like that one, but in turquoise. I remember when "loose" coats came in, hating them to start with, they felt strange.

Sheila -I'm enjoying this book So-o-o much.
I echo all that nonnanna said - a brilliant historical,sociological study.

So many of the places and people bring back memories - grammar school in Lancs, -London Uni in early 50s, living in Islington by Myddleton Sq,church services at St Mark's,shopping in Chapel Market, queuing at Sadlers Wells for gallery seats. My college was in Bloomsbury Sq.
My first holiday work was in Dartford (Joyce Green hospital)
Much later (in the 70s) with 3 children at school we lived in Watford for 12 years.
I met Michael Duane in 1977! We talked and walked in a N.London garden at the end of year party of a training course he shared with my husband .I so admired his work at Risinghill School-an amazing man.

Now I'm going back to read 'Miss Carter's War' as a novel.I would like to know at what stage and why you decided to write it in this form

P.S My husbands twin sister was named 'Elsie'and one of my ancestors is
named 'Buckmaster' !

Is any of the book based on her own experiences or maybe someone she knew. Perhaps Marguerite is a combination of people she has met?

Many thanks I've just received the book today and it looks very interesting.

I received my copy yesterday too. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but if this one is anything to go by the book will be very good. I can't wait to get stuck in. Thank you GNHQ.

Have just collected mine from the PO as I was not in when it was delivered yesterday. Thank you very much. I am looking forward to reading it.

Oh Sheila Hancock, you are one extremely talented lady. Everything I wanted to say has already been said in the previous comments. I am loving 'Miss Carter's War'. Like many other Gransnetters here, I experienced grammar school but my cousin actually attended Dartford Girl's during the 1950/60's and I have very clear memories of seeing her in her green school uniform. Having worked in London during the 70/80's so much of this book has brought back memories of those times too. Thank you Gransnet for my copy of Sheila's brilliant, historical, sociological study - for this is what it is. Congratulations Sheila Hancock - John Thaw would be so proud of you x

Finished it, LOVED it!

Many thanks for this book, I like Sheila Hancock anyway, she always has something interesting to say from her experiences, and I'm really looking forward to reading it, and to the Q&A.

This book has been a pleasure to read, once I started it , I couldn't put it down, Shelia, give up the stage.. this is your future, I could visualize your strong character coming through in Miss Carters personality. Looking forward to your next novel.

Thank you! . I should have commented on this thread that I'd received my copy - I'd put it on the 'Won anything?' thread. I actually received 2 copies as well (as did Maniac), so the extra one will go to my elderly friend who's a great reader. I know she will really appreciate it, too. She had actually given me a copy of The Two of Us, so I'm returning the favour! I remember reading one particular part of that book, where Sheila is describing the grief of losing John Thaw. I'll not speak of it here, but it's stuck with me. She's such a good writer.

I received my copy yesterday. Really looking forward to reading it as I have loved her autobiographical books. We also had the dreaded hat detention Apparently one girl got into terrible trouble because she was caught with her hat off and sticking cherry blossom in her hair! Such depravity!

I`m just over 100 pages into it now, and loving it! I really want to read The Two of Us now, the story of Sheila Hancock and John Thaw.
Even despite Jerusalem being our school song, and I hated school, I still love that song, or is it a hymn? It seems so strange reading about Edward Heath being a "young man", I only ever remember him as being older, remember Aneurin Bevan very well, my grandma hated him, I quite liked him.

Found my copy waiting for me tonight. Just read all the comments and can't wait to get started.

I was sorry to finish it too Soutra. Plan to reread it very soon, because I am bound to have missed things in my headlong gallop.

It's a long time since I sat for hours engrossed in a book, but have just done this with Miss Carter's War. Meals have been very scratch and late today. At first I thought the characters a bit too stereotypical, but this improved as the story evolved and I just had to finish it to find out what happened. The acknowledgements show that this book has been well researched, but there is also so much personal experience in the writing. Although my own experience of a girls' grammar school was 12 years later, it brought back many memories including the singing of Jerusalem and as Number says, stiff penalties for being caught without your hat outside. In our case it was a hat detention which meant wearing the wretched thing all day! A lovely book. Thank you again Ms Hancock.

I started it this morning, after staying up all night to finish the one I started yesterday. It looks as if it`s going to be a very good read, I can remember being at grammar school and having to wear my hat going to school and going home, there was a stiff penalty if you were caught without it by a teacher or prefect..........the embarrassment of wearing it all day in school! And the change thing in the shops, as a child I loved seeing the little canister whizz through the air.

Mine came this morning - so excited and it came at the right time as I was floundering as to what to read next!

Thank you for my copy of " Miss Carter's War " , I have started reading it, and enjoying it so far.

Thank you so much. My book has just arrived and I am delighted. I am not usually lucky in winning anything and am off to the garden now to sit in the sun and make a start. Thanks again.

<surfaces> That is a brilliant read!! It covers such an interesting period for women of our generation and teachers and ex teachers will empathise! I have done nothing else since I started the book and DH was looking a bit worried at the apparent absence of supper.
Quite sorry I have finished it really!

Thank you for my copy which arrived today. That's a lot of reading to do!