What was your childhood like as the daughter of such an important writer? - Children and Books PodCast

Show notes

Behind every person who believes in them self is a parent who believed first. And that's what we're talking about today with Jenny England, what it was like for her to grow up as Joan Lingard's daughter and carry these works with her.

She told us what it was like to grow up with such strong role models, to have so many exciting books at home and even what it was like to read her mother's books in school.

Enjoy listening and we look forward to your feedback!

Here is the Website of Joan Lingard: https://www.joanlingard.com/index.html

Here is the our blog: http://lubina-hajduk.com/what-was-your-childhood-like-as-the-daughter-of-such-an-important-writer

Show transcript

00:00:00: Hello and welcome to the children and books podcast today we got it,

00:00:10: very interesting guest exchange English and Jenny maybe maybe you want to introduce yourself to our listeners.

00:00:18: So it says England but that's fine

00:00:31: in actual fact used to and used to lots of jokes about my name of Scotland Street when I was young to,

00:00:41: so my name is Jenny and I'm.

00:00:46: Difficult to see what do I do because I feel like it's such a while because it's like seeing.

00:00:56: But I would say that,

00:00:59: I'm passionate about education for children and how they can express themselves through music or two language

00:01:09: and that's,

00:01:11: been for a lot last 20-years and within well-being for adults as well but she sort of creative playful way.

00:01:21: And my mum is Scottish writer and I think we're going to meet today because it's had such a huge influence on I think the work with emphysema with children.

00:01:35: Yeah Jenny I like to say hello I'm very very happy and proud that you are a guest

00:01:44: and it is totally interesting to see what you are doing we had the little talk before we are going to the

00:01:52: a recording and now my ears are growing and I listen to everything and it is just touching and interesting so I'm very happy that you are here today,

00:02:04: that we can talk a bit about you about your mother how it influenced you and I like to say to hello to Rachel.

00:02:13: Hello hello from Scotland on the west coast stop here so the Chinese in Edinburgh today

00:02:21: that's good we have a good Scottish contingency here for the journey.

00:02:30: Would you like to start off by telling us a little bit I mean your mum is the very well-known Scottish author Joan Lingard,

00:02:40: and can you tell us a little bit about what it was like.

00:02:45: Growing up with a with an author of a mother and how that influence due in your life.

00:02:55: I didn't in retrospect I think how much I loved it actually was one of the best things was.

00:03:09: Because I would look forward to each new book coming out.

00:03:17: Am I loved reading them.

00:03:21: So that was fantastic and I guess she also instilled in us a real love of books books were really really precious,

00:03:33: shouldn't be folded in a bad way had to look after them.

00:03:38: You know we were lucky that of course we did have books in the house.

00:03:45: Which was not my mum's experience because she came from a house without books without you know well I ever you know.

00:03:55: So she really does amazingly and the older I get the more I appreciate what she didn't.

00:04:05: And also I think secretly as a child,

00:04:11: there is a bit of quite nice because you say your mum was and they would say is your mum,

00:04:22: childhood pride.

00:04:25: That means when you why wasn't school the children around you knew your mum or your her name and her books.

00:04:34: Yes because we actually had to study her books at school.

00:04:41: And so the Dead.

00:04:46: It was really interesting and also meant we had to get involved in a lot of research with her sometimes,

00:04:55: times of travelling cos she wrote this series all about the Highland clearances at one point.

00:05:03: How to Maggie books TV series in the 80s,

00:05:10: are all the Highland clearance sites.

00:05:14: She also wrote one book based on my experiences in the 80s at Greenham Common and protesting against nuclear power,

00:05:29: so she wrote one book based on my experiences so that we so we did a lot of that together,

00:05:36: thinking about your your mother in 17 here it's really beautiful have the opportunity to do something together.

00:05:45: Yeah it's like you were you are a collaborator with your mum sounds like it but she got you all involved and takes you all over the highlands to visit the united the different settings for her books.

00:06:02: Yeah absolutely and what also think was quite empty won't show Wars that all her protagonists were really strong woman.

00:06:14: 22 great role models you always stand up for what they believed in they would spite we would say the word feisty.

00:06:26: That's if the Scottish word Rachel feisty is really strong kick your heels up if you don't like something the way it is so you don't believe it's right.

00:06:37: 5c is a rebellious.

00:06:42: Yeah yeah often used in relation to women or girls.

00:06:50: Because I guess generally their thought not to be so rebellious and Force forelands in a strong willed and strong minded,

00:07:00: but I think Joan,

00:07:03: I was not afraid of putting strong characters in her books and strong themes and strong issues as well quite contentious issues I think as well can you say a bit more about.

00:07:17: Yeah sure because I think the first books for teenagers that she became best known for radiant series set in Belfast.

00:07:32: In the 70s 60s 70s.

00:07:37: Protestant girl called Sadie and a boy called Kevin.

00:07:47: In one sense it's a teenage romance but it's a teenage romance across a very large religious divide,

00:07:55: yeah families are opposed to this Union teenagers.

00:08:05: When she first wanted to publish this the publishers part the topic was too difficult to approach well,

00:08:17: Penguin Books decided they were going to publish it and it was a huge success.

00:08:26: Very good yeah and,

00:08:30: do you think you'll grow up like a little rebellion to when you are surrounded with a box full of powerful girls,

00:08:43: I think it gives us confidence.

00:08:49: To stand up as a teenager I became quite political.

00:09:02: You know nuclear power was he no nuclear weapons at that time and I just thought that was,

00:09:11: the normal thing to do I think it was acceptable to my mum as well but I didn't.

00:09:19: I don't think she was that happy about it because I got arrested and ended up going,

00:09:25: prison for a week or a week but she wasn't very happy about that but because I was,

00:09:34: doing mate set up an organisation called Rachel's against the bowl.of writers.

00:09:43: Anime posters so she was a great.

00:09:53: So she was supporting U2 in this in this development you're your own process.

00:10:01: I would say so a lot of that,

00:10:06: When I Look Back In with subconscious but I think the influence that she had just be strong,

00:10:19: girls c infection in the 70s there wasn't so many of those.

00:10:27: Yeah you know and there's three of us to my mum has three Doctors.

00:10:35: Qr33.

00:10:44: Rachel you're just to say more about the general Stevens about connecting cross difference yeah today no because,

00:10:56: you know like we've been entering a period of polarisation more and more over the last few years.

00:11:05: Greater divide between some Communities and I think her work still really important and relevant.

00:11:15: Example you know there's been trouble again you in Belfast just recently that is original for brexit issues to do with brexit but between you know,

00:11:27: the communities in Belgium,

00:11:31: that's still relevant and she's taking the same team and looked at it and many different settings.

00:11:39: When is my my father.

00:11:52: Of being driven out of Latvia during the war by the Russians.

00:11:59: It's a very different take on a second world war story.

00:12:09: Stories about the Jewish community of we sleep and the Germans in this case it's a story that has not been told so much

00:12:21: Latvian community was persecuted by the Russians.

00:12:28: Found themselves in to displaced person's camps in Germany during the war.

00:12:34: So I really like that she's taking up these type of things.

00:12:43: Yes she is not very door she is not she has no fear 2,

00:12:49: put the theme to the book which are important,

00:12:54: yes in a very child friendly where would have to say taking out a lot of Arsenal.

00:13:04: As well which sunlight agree or disagree but you know.

00:13:09: Yes and I'm I'm just thinking that you know when when thinking about writing one is quite often advised to write about what you know.

00:13:21: And and,

00:13:23: thinking about the fact that Jane grew up in in Belfast so she had first-hand experience of of what it was like

00:13:32: you know to live in in a place that felt divided the place where she felt that her you know her allegiance is might be questioned in terms of you know what friends she makes

00:13:45: and you know and interestingly enough that you know that she then married a man who.

00:13:51: And of experience has the experience of refugee somebody who's kind of you know exiled or expelled from their home country and and needing to,

00:14:02: and the find a place somewhere else in the world,

00:14:05: to be able to call that home which you know what home means which I guess is about safety and security as.

00:14:19: Yeah it's really interesting and and that makes me kind of you know come onto how you have developed your.

00:14:29: I guess your career journey in terms of communicating across divides.

00:14:37: Can you say a little bit about that do you get what I mean yes I've been.

00:14:47: Working within and communication and compassionate communication.

00:14:55: Communication of being together.

00:15:05: Where we can understand each other without prejudice,

00:15:11: perfectly and also together started with a Michael Marshall Rosenberg,

00:15:20: DLC the creative arts to take that into a school setting.

00:15:33: And there's a lot of training in that say working with troubled.

00:15:39: Teenagers also the project worked with to called my shoes your shoes.

00:15:48: The embassy to the Crease of arm

00:15:53: what does it mean that your mother brought your her experience from her childhood into your family and that she brought this

00:16:02: compassionate communication or non-violent communication to your family.

00:16:09: No something that I came across myself and.

00:16:15: Student ring that I think yeah but I think about this is so important and I think this isn't very good,

00:16:27: branko what do you say yes definitely

00:16:32: definitely then I would say thank you Jenny we will talk again thank you

00:16:38: let you was open to talk about your experience with your mother and her books and children books it was totally interesting and I say thank you to Branco for meeting today over

00:16:54: ivydale.

00:16:58: Next up.

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