The Annual Westerman Seminar 2015

 The Ripping Yarns Literature Day

A special day of talks and presentations celebrating the life and works of Percy F. Westerman, his contemporaries and the 'golden age' of adventure writing for children

Saturday 14 February

10am  -  4pm

at

 The Memorial Library

The Portsmouth Grammar School

 A full programme of talks, discussions and displays

Programme

Whatever next: an update on new research into Percy F. Westerman
by Nigel Gossop

Biggles and the Hun: Learning to fly, quickly!
by Alan Blatchly

Living Together Again: a look at three books all set , Back Home, Cuckoo in the Nest and A Spoonful of Jam.  These books are set in 1945 and 1947.
by Michelle Magorian

The Black and Grey: Children's Fiction of the Two World Wars.
by Dennis Butts

Diving for Treasure: the real pioneering science of deep-sea diving.
by Dr John Bevan

Westerman and the Great War: Fact and Fiction.
by Nigel Gossop
 

Places at the seminar are £15.00 and include a buffet lunch.  To book, please contact The Westerman Yarns:

email. westermanyarns@gmail.com. or Tel: 023 92 37 55 94.

 We are only a 10 minute walk from Portsmouth Harbour Station and free parking on site

Portsmouth Welcomes Home the Forgotten Author

Percy F. Westerman celebrated in his home city of Portsmouth with an exhibition at the Portsmouth History Centre in the Central Library.

The exhibition ‘Ripping Yarns’ and the Tale of the Forgotten Author charts the life and works of Portsmouth born children’s adventure writer Percy F. Westerman. 

Portsmouth promotes itself as ‘The Home of Great Writing’ and Westerman’s contribution was significant, but this is the first time our touring exhibition has been shown in his home city.

Nigel Gossop, the founder of The Westerman Yarns said “I am delighted that the Portsmouth History Centre have chosen to host this exhibition; this is a wonderful opportunity to show Westerman’s work to a wider audience.  Percy loved Portsmouth and often used it as a location in his books.”

The exhibition dates are from Monday 5 January until Monday 2 February, 2015.   Opening hours will follow Portsmouth History Centre normal opening hours, please check their website for details.

There will be a talk entitled A Lifetime of Writing Adventures at 11am in the Doyle Room at the Portsmouth History Centre on Tuesday 20 January at 11am.  Admission to the talk is free, but advanced booking is advised and can be made through any Portsmouth City Council library.

The Portsmouth History Centre

Central Library
Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
PO1 2DX

In addition, Cosham Library is hosting a ‘one-day only’ exhibition Westerman’s Great War Adventures on Friday 23 January from 10am – 4pm with a talk entitled Fact and Fiction, Stories from the Great War at 2.30pm.  Admission to the talk is free, but advanced booking is advised and can be made through any Portsmouth City Council library.

Cosham Library

Spur Rd,
Cosham,
Portsmouth,
PO6 3EB

Note:
If you are planning a group visit to the 'Ripping Yarns' and the Tale of the Forgotten Author exhibition, I am happy to meet with groups for a short presentation/talk.  Please contact the Portsmouth History Centre who will be happy to arrange this.