During this late spring and summer there are a number of major literary festivals happening in towns across Suffolk including Aldeburgh, Felixstowe, Southwold and Stowmarket, as well as a myriad of one-off events in other venues. Please check out our calendar of events for more details https://www.suffolkbookleague.org/literature-festivals
One venue which has a number of such events is The Hold, Suffolk Archives’ new heritage centre near the University of Suffolk’s Waterfront building in Ipswich. Linked to the present exhibition Women Don’t Do Such Things!, which runs until 19 June, there are two talks.
The first on Thursday 26 May is ‘Virginia Woolf in Suffolk’ given by Gill Lowe. ‘This talk will pursue Virginia Woolf through the Suffolk Countryside. In the summer of 1906 Virginia stayed at Blo’ Norton Hall, an Elizabethan manor house between Thetford and Diss where she began the short story ‘The Journal of Mistress Joan Martyn.’ (Suffolk Archive What’s On Guide).
The second talk on Thursday 9 June, by Vivienne Aldous, is on Elizabeth Cobbold (1765-1824), novelist and poet who had Margaret Catchpole as her one-time servant. Elizabeth was wife of the Suffolk brewer John Cobbold and mother of Richard Cobbold, author of the well-known book on Margaret Catchpole. She was also a friend of Ipswich- born Gothic novelist Sara Reeve
Between 15 July and 25 September the summer exhibition at The Hold is ‘Marvellous and Mischievous: Literature’s Young Rebels’ an ‘interactive, family friendly exhibition [which] showcases…rebellious characters such as Tracey Beaker, Pippi Longstocking, Jane Eyre, Dirty Bertie and Matilda.’ (Suffolk Archive What’s On Guide). This exhibition is on tour from the British Library and there are a number of linked activities both for children and adults.
Further details and tickets for all these events can be obtained at Suffolk Archive What’s On Guide
If you have a literary talk, festival or project that you would like us to include please email: enquiries@suffolkbookleague.org