The granddaughter of Higham Ferrers literary legend H.E. Bates returns to the town to recount his storied history in the area

The granddaughter of local author H.E. Bates is returning to Higham Ferrers in April to speak about the literary legend’s life and times.

On April 30, Victoria Wicks will recount how the author spent many of his weekends and holidays in Higham Ferrers, staying with his grandparents, Lucas and Priscilla, in York Road.

Victoria said that returning to Higham Ferrers connects her closely to her family’s roots.

She said: “I think of H.E. as a boy riding a pony to the Green Dragon pub for supplies of beer for the men, or playing in the corn stooks with his cousins, or sitting on the pony and trap with his grandfather, or helping his grandmother to bunch violets for sale on his grandfather’s horse-drawn dray.

“I feel I see them all everywhere whenever I visit and it all feels just an arms’ length away.”

The talk is being held at the Bede House on April 30 from 2pm to 4pm, where memories will also be shared afterwards over a cream tea.

Victoria is his eldest granddaughter, has been a director of his literary estate since 2000, and recently completed and edited a collection of her grandfather’s country essays that have never before appeared in a collection before titled ‘Why I live in the Country’. It is due for publication next year.

Victoria has made appearances in Doctor Who, Skins, The Mighty Boosh and the Imitation Game, among others, and now spends much of her time giving talks about the life and times of her grandfather.

Her return is to satisfy requests from H. E. Bates fans who were unable to make her earlier talk in November 2022, and she will be accompanied by the author’s son, Richard, who will read from his father’s work, and actor Graham Padden.

Herbert Ernest (H.E.) Bates was born in Rushden, and produced more than 1,000 works.

Eleven novels, more than 300 short stories, several non-fiction books on country life and gardening, poems, plays and stories for children make up his literary legacy, and more is still being discovered.

Many of H.E. Bates’ stories were set in Higham with real people as the characters, some of whom recognised themselves.

One of his most popular stories, ‘The Darling Buds of May’, follows the adventures of the Larkin family, which were televised in 1991 and adapted again under the name The Larkins in 2021.

Victoria is currently writing a book about her grandfather’s time in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He had been commissioned to write short stories during the time, many of which were written under the pseudonym ‘Flying Officer X.’

On the topic, Victoria added: “What is not generally known is that he hated war.

"It is interesting that a man so dedicated to the hatred of war, was able to write about the men who fought in it with such insight and appreciation.”

Tickets for the talk are available at Sidey Design on the Market Square, Higham Ferrers, from the end of March.

Early bookings can be made via [email protected].