AN event happening next month will highlight the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of a former best-selling Frome author.
‘Betty Trask: Her Life & Legacy’ takes place at Frome Library on Wednesday 1st June, from 7.30pm, and will include a panel discussion about her work and the award set up in her name.
It is part of a programme of events organised to coincide with the Celebrated Women of Frome exhibition, currently on display at Frome Heritage Museum in North Parade.
The event is a collaboration between the museum, Frome Writers Collective, Frome Library, and Society of Authors, the latter being responsible for administrating the Betty Trask Award.
Betty Trask was born in Bath in 1893, but her maternal family was descended from Philip Le Gros, co-owner of the town’s famous Thompson & Le Gros silk mill.
She came to Frome during World War Two and spent the remainder of her life in the town; first at North Hill House and then in Oakfield Road.
Her first novel was published in 1928 and during the next 30 years, she wrote more than fifty others, all of which became best-sellers in their day.
Although her writing is little known today, as all her books are currently out of print, her name is nevertheless synonymous with the modern literary scene.
This is because when she died, in 1983, she bequeathed £400,000 to the Society of Authors to set up a literary award in her name, which rewarded debut novelists under the age of 35.
Winners of this award over the years, or its accompanying prizes, is a who’s who of well-known latter-day authors, including Sarah Waters, Nicholas Shakespeare, Nathan Filer, Zadie Smith, and Alex Garland.
The panel will include David Lassman, curator of the Celebrated Women of Frome exhibition, who will also give an illustrative talk on Betty’s life, along with two Betty Trask recipients, Frances Liardet and Samantha Harvey, who will discuss what impact winning had on their careers.
The event takes place on the same day as this year’s Society of Author’s Betty Trask Award ceremony In London and so it is hoped to stream the announcement of the winners during the evening.
In the period leading up to the event, however, Frome Library will have an extensive display of books by Betty Trask-winning authors that can be borrowed.
For more details, see: https://www.facebook.com/events/1616035928760651
The event is free, but tickets must be pre-booked through: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrated-women-of-frome-betty-trask-event-tickets-330183336247
Picture: Betty Trask.
