Events run from Friday 27th September to Monday 7th October 2002

Details Coming Soon

Knutsford’s second Literature Festival, (5th - 7th October), was a complete sellout.

The inaugural event at Tabley House, on Friday (5th) evening set the tone of the festival. A large audience, listened attentively to the poet, Vernon Scannell, reading his work; which spans half a century. His voice, damaged after treatment for throat cancer, rallied to perform such gems as, ‘Walking Wounded’, Six Reasons for Drinking’ and ‘A Case of Murder’.

Local poet, Charlotte Peters Rock, was allowed to perform such poems as ‘Elaine’, ‘The Widow’s Complaint’ and ‘Picnic on the Lawn’, from his ‘Collected Poems - 1950-1993', (Robson Books), to supply the female voice which these poems needed.

Jardine’s Bookshop, attending Tabley House, reported a sellout, that evening, of his many poetry books.

To start the evening - and the festival - local historian, Joan Leach, gave a short talk on the life and work of John Byrne Leicester-Warren, of Tabley House. He was an interesting but shy man, who had always regarded himself as a failure, in spite of excellent reviews of his poetry.

Saturday (6th) saw Liverpool writer, Beryl Bainbridge, eagerly received at the Methodist Church for her reading of her newly published book, ‘According to Queeney’ (Little,Brown). She also spoke about her life and career, avoiding reference to her recent six-times rejection for the Booker Prize.

Admitting that she had read very little of Mrs Gaskell’s work, she promised to read more in future, following her visit to Knutsford.

Joan Leach’s A Cranford Walk around Knutsford’ on Sunday morning, (7th), took place in glorious sunny weather. A gentle stroll from the Unitarian Chapel, where Elizabeth Gaskell, and many of her relatives lie buried, took us into her past - and the past of Knutsford.

Frequent stops were made around the town, where interesting details about lives and buildings mentioned by Mrs Gaskell, in her books, were related by Joan Leach, who is constantly unearthing new information and speaks with infectious enthusiasm. She included a visit to Elizabeth Gaskell’s old home - where she had ‘kept a cow in the garden’.

The first visit to Knutsford of the theatrical production, ‘The Ladies of Cranford’, on Sunday afternoon, played to a packed house at the Civic Centre. A touring production, it introduced numerous characters from Mrs Gaskell’s book ‘Cranford’. Many Knutsford people as members of The Gaskell Society, are very familiar with the book. A consensus of opinion as people left the performance, was that it had been excellent.

Plans are afoot for Knutsford Literature Festival 2002, which is expected to be much longer; possibly going back to a 7 or 9 day festival.

The earliest event to be announced is the Cheshire Life Short Story Competition which was launched during this festival, to give writers the chance to consider their entries.

The winning story will be read at Knutsford Literature Festival in 2002 and printed in the October 2002 edition of Cheshire Life. Details are in this month’s Cheshire Life and will also be placed in libraries and other venues throughout the year.

The Committee is also investigating possible literature links to the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and to countries taking part in the Commonwealth Games, which is due to be held in Manchester next year.

For the first time, feedback forms have been used, to ensure that potential audience members will have the chance to suggest future guests, and so that the performances and venues suit the audience.