The Westerman Yarns: Westerman Exhibition opens at Emsworth Museum

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Westerman Exhibition opens at Emsworth Museum

The exhibition currently on display at Emsworth Museum is the first time 'The Westerman Yarns' have staged a complete exhibition with books and ephemera, celebrating the life and works of the prolific writer of children's adventure stories, Percy F. Westerman. The exhibition reflects his fifty year story writing career, illustrating how his interest in history and the Hampshire and West Sussex area, influenced and shaped his early writing.

I am grateful to everyone at Emsworth Museum for their kindness and generosity in hosting the exhibition. James Priory, Headmaster of Portsmouth Grammar School opened the exhibition and in his address made reference to the school pride in having Percy F. Westerman as an 'Old Portmuthian'.

Left to right: Tony Stimson, Chairman - Emsworth Maritime and Historical Trust; Nigel Gossop, The Westerman Yarns; James Priory, Headmaster of Portsmouth Grammar School.

Photo: John Tweddell

The Westerman Yarns

Percy F Westerman was born in Portsmouth in 1876 and for a time attended Portsmouth Grammar School. He worked as an Admiralty Clerk in the Portsmouth Naval Dockyard, and whilst there he began to write contributions for yachting magazines and other periodicals

At the age of 31 he began writing adventure books for children and during a fifty year writing career, he wrote more than 170 books. In the 1930s he was voted the most popular boys' author in a Daily Sketch poll conducted through public libraries.

His son John F C Westerman went on to write another 30 books in a similar style.

‘Westerman’ books are now sought after by collectors around the world.
If you are interested in learning more about Percy Westerman, please contact me as there are several different themed talks about him, his books and his love of sailing.