Other Titles
A Life Well Lived
By Pamela McMaster-Morgan
Pamela McMaster-Morgan was born into the Fewster family who once owned the North East’s biggest horticultural nursery, Ragworth Nurseries in Stockton. She tells of wandering as a child through the vast greenhouses and of the day a wartime bomb smashed them to pieces.
Pamela, who had a long career as a dentist, also tells the fascinating and often funny story of how she and her husband Alec rescued a vast, decaying mansion in North Yorkshire from demolition and turned it into their home.
This moving story goes on to describe how Pamela was widowed but found happiness again with her second husband, Howell, only to be widowed again. But she picked herself up and got on with life, with the help of her rescue greyhound Sam. As she says in her introduction, “I am not going to live for ever but whilst I am still around, I will not worry about what could have been or what will be. I shall eat pudding every day!”
What Pamela McMaster-Morgan Says:
I thoroughly enjoyed the process of telling my story and now have the book I had intended to write for many years. My granddaughter couldn’t put it down. I don’t think I would have had the time or confidence to tackle it without Caroline. Together we sorted out many photos which make the book come alive. I never dreamed so many people would enjoy reading it. At first I thought 100 copies would be too much but after giving them to family and friends and also selling some to raise money for a greyhound rescue charity, I wonder if that’s enough.
I am astonished by the positive reactions, such as this one from a friend: “I was OVER THE MOON to find a book had landed through my letterbox written by you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t tell you how delighted I am. Thank you so much, it’s a truly inspirational biography and you should be very proud. I can imagine that it was also rather cathartic for you, to have all those wonderful memories committed to print. Well done!”
Producing this Book:
Caroline says:
Pamela’s story was fascinating but complex with many different strands. We spent some time working out the correct structure, which is one of the most difficult things writers face. It was enormous fun discovering the centenary brochure for Ragworth Nurseries, which Pamela had kept since 1939, and the now historic photos of the staff. Much in this book, including the rescue of the derelict mansion and details of dental training in the early years of the NHS, are important stories of social history which would otherwise be lost.
No Time to Stand and Stare:Memories of Childhood and Farming Life in Teesdale from 1918-1945.
By Richard Gill
Richard Gill came to Caroline Brannigan with a handwritten memoir compiled in the 1980s. This was edited and designed into a book for him. Dick, as he was widely known, had left school at 14 and considered himself to have no talent for writing. He was wrong. His descriptions of farm and village life and the characters among whom he grew up are beautiful. There is a strong sense of the farm labourer’s many hours of solitude, watching the natural world around him.
The world in which Richard Gill grew up has now passed into history - the years of the Great Depression, never-ending work, very little ready cash and in which the horse was a more familiar sight than a tractor or car. Yet the strong sense of community and a satisfaction in a job well done brought some contentment.
The story of how during the war he and his brother took on a semi-derelict farm and forced it to produce much needed food is one of astonishing self sacrifice and intense physical toil. And yet there is no self pity, only a sense of a man at one with his world.
What Richard Gill Says:
I wrote these memories some time ago for my family and grandchildren in years to come. Then, from time to time, I wondered if a wider audience would be interested in reading them, but had no idea how this could be accomplished. I then heard about the service that Caroline offers in preparing memoirs and having them printed. The jacket pictures of my former farm taken by Caroline contributed to the success of the finished book. It has been a privilege to work with her on all stages of the book.
Mr Gill’s daughter wrote after his death:
I would like to say a very big thank you for your involvement in publishing his book. I am so pleased that he had it published before he died and held it in his hands. It gave him such pleasure.
Producing this Book:
Caroline says:
I loved doing this book. It came to me as set of neatly hand-written papers which had been seen only by close family. Yet it contained a historic and often heroic tale of farm and village life. It deserved a wider audience. All I did was to shorten the sentences, correct the rare spelling mistakes and explain terms now unfamiliar. I also explained the characters a little more and added a short explanation of what happened next, as the memoir ends in 1945. I for one was desperate to know.
On the one nice day of summer 2009, I climbed high on the moors to take a photograph of one of the farms described and created one of my trademark wraparound dust jackets, where the main photo goes right round the book.
Richard Gill’s family approached me in March 2009 when he was 90. I pride myself on working fast and Richard had his book in his hands by mid-August. He was intensely satisfied and slightly bemused by the clamour from people wanting to buy copies which resulted in a second print run in October. Sadly, he won’t see the second edition as he passed away peacefully early in that month but I have been proud to be associated with it and consider myself fortunate to have my own signed copy.
Seeds of Success
By Doug Bradbrook
Doug Bradbrook’s Seeds of Success tells a fascinating and entertaining story of the highly successful Ravensworth Nurseries set up with virtually no cash, which blossomed through the hard work and perseverance of two men.
Doug Bradbrook says “Young people who want to start their own business often ask Bill and I, “How did you start a place like this from nothing?” The truth is, I don’t really know how we managed it. But I do know that a lot of sweat and determination went into it, plus a bit of luck, the most lucky thing perhaps being that we both have wives who have been prepared to put up with us working long hours and refusing to retire, though they are very proud of what we’ve achieved. But the early days were a struggle and I sometimes wonder how we survived that time. It beggars belief.”
Seeds of Success begins with Doug’s childhood, capturing a self-sufficient way of life in an isolated rural community which, since the arrival of mass car ownership, has disappeared completely. He was born in Yorkshire in the Thirties and grew up on a large country estate called Wycliffe where his father was head groom. During the war there were plenty of dangerous things lying around to pick up and play with: “When I was about six, one of my friends, an older boy, decided to use some old cannon shells from a crashed plane to make cigarette lighters. One night we were out the back of my house and he had one of these things. After hitting the cannon shell twice with a hammer to try to open it, he made me hold the knife while he cut the end off and of course it exploded while I was hanging on to it. The resulting blast blew all the concrete up from the floor and he was pretty badly injured. I was blown into a muck midden and was unconscious for a while until they got me into the house and sent for the doctor. I was at home recovering for six or seven weeks.”
Seeds of Success goes on to tell the story of how Ravensworth Nurseries came through freezing weather, floods, storms and a coal strike which threatened to leave the plants with no warmth to become one of Yorkshire’s most successful horticultural businesses supplying plants countrywide.
What Doug Bradbrook says:
I would like to congratulate Caroline Brannigan on the very professional way she has handled this project. When I heard about her Memoir Writing service, I knew it was exactly what I had wanted for a long time. I’ve always wanted the story of my childhood and of Ravensworth Nurseries to be written down but knew I’d never have the time.
Now we have a marvellous chronicle and some wonderful pictures both old and new as a permanent record.
Producing this Book:
Caroline says:
Working with Doug Bradbrook was a joy. We talked through what he wanted to say, then carried out interviews from which I wrote the story. But the words are mainly Doug’s and I’ve made sure his voice shines through. I don’t want these books to read like school essays but as warm, human stories. My contribution has been my interviewing skills, which helped Doug to tell his story in the best way, and my ability to structure the tale and make it a good read. I also took new photographs to create an eye-catching cover and digitally repaired old photos where necessary. I think Doug really enjoyed doing this project – I know I did.
Building a Life in Swaledale
By Edward Brown
Edward Brown was born in the Yorkshire Dales in 1937 into a way of life which was about to change out of all recognition. His story captures the spirit of a small, remote community where people accepted that surviving was tough but that wasn’t going to get in the way of having a bit of fun.
His story is full of entertaining anecdotes but also charts the story of GE Brown & Son, the well-known Swaledale building company. There have been Browns building in the dales for generations.
What Edward Brown says:
Although I was a bit uncertain at first at the idea of telling my own story, Caroline put me at my ease and helped me to organize my thoughts. In the end I really enjoyed the experience of revisiting my past. My grand children keep asking me, "What was it like when you were a boy" and now they know and so will their children. It's also been good to record how my son Andrew and I have built up the building firm of GE Brown & Son and to celebrate the work of generations of Browns before us who were builders in Swaledale. It gave him such pleasure.
Producing this Book:
Caroline says:
Edward Brown has been surprised and touched by the number of people who have now enjoyed his book. It is also in local libraries and a museum. I wasn’t surprised at all because his story of life in a small dales village is fascinating and his tales of the joys and tribulations of a rural builder are highly entertaining. The book also charts the dramatic changes brought by the car to dales life and the gradual improvement of farm buildings and homes. Though Edward Brown paints a picture of childhood freedom in an idyllic place, he acknowledges the monotony of endless work and money worries faced by many adults. “It was time things changed in the dales and change they did,” he says.
I'm Fine! Mark's Story
By Les and Caroline Simpson
I’m Fine: The Story of Mark Simpson is the moving tale of a young man with Down’s syndrome and autism and the struggle his parents have had to get the right care for him. It’s a compulsive and inspiring read, charting Mark’s life from birth to today at the age of 23. There are moments of despair but throughout Mark’s funny, mischievous character shines through.
What Les and Caroline Simpson Say:
We had wanted to write a book about Mark for a long time but didn’t know where to start. Caroline Brannigan made the job of recording a difficult and emotional story about our son very easy. She was extremely professional and efficient, the outcome being a beautifully written and well-illustrated book. The photographs in the book serve to bring the story alive. A great job was done. Thank you.
Producing this Book:
Caroline says:
I am extremely proud to have written this book on behalf of Les and Caroline Simpson. They have a mountain of paper concerning their son. However, it is the human story which really matters and, through extensive interviews, I was able to help them to produce the book they wanted and which will be an inspiration to many. From first telephoning me before Christmas 2008, they had the book in their hands in May 2009.
Len & Resi Mead: Their Story
By Caroline Brannigan
Len and Resi Mead were married on April 29th 1939. They were in a hurry, because war was looming and Len had received his call-up papers to the RASC – Royal Army Service Corps - three days before. It must have been love because it certainly wasn’t easy, for Resi was German and had been born in the village of Schwangau in Bavaria near the famous castle of Neuschwanstein.
Len survived the horrors of Dunkirk but was later sent to fight in North Africa and didn’t see his wife and baby son for three years. Left alone, Resi was accused by a neighbour of flashing signals to enemy aircraft and of mistreating her baby – claims dismissed by the authorities. At the same time she and her son were nearly killed by a V1 bomb. But the letters between Len and Resi show an enduring love which helped them to survive and go on to build a life together which lasted 50 years.
Producing this Book:
Caroline says:
Len & Resi Mead: Their Story is about my parents, who died in 1989. I wish they had written their own story or that I had asked them more about their early lives. There are so many questions now which can’t be answered. My father, in common with many soldiers, never spoke about Dunkirk. How did he get back? When did Mum know he was safe? Was it when he walked through the door? How did she cope with being persecuted as a German? How I wish it had all been written down.
Manby on Manby
By David Manby
David Manby wrote this memoir himself by hand and it was typed into a computer by his wife Audrey. He tells the story of a Yorkshire childhood after which he joined the Army as a boy soldier and soon found himself fighting on the other side of the world. There are no extracts from this book as this is one for family and friends only.
What David Manby Says:
Caroline, thank you. With your expert advice and knowledge “I have built a monument longer lasting than bronze”. I have actually written a book which readers have variously described as "beautifully presented", "very readable", "easy to read and well laid out", "how on earth did you produce such a lovely book?" and more.
I really do appreciate your hard work and expertise, nothing was ever too much bother for you and any problem quickly became no problem. I am proud of what we have produced and look forward to more of the same.
Producing this Book:
Caroline says:
David Manby’s manuscript was entertaining and fluent. It also contained a lot of acronyms and abbreviations. These make a memoir difficult to follow for those outside the situation and lots of capitals don’t look good on the page. These were written in full where needed or brought down to one word, such as “the battalion” where appropriate. I also quizzed David about places and situations which were not quite clear. Our team effort has created a very informative and often entertaining memoir.