Winston
Graham
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Winston Graham was one of the most successful and prolific novelists of the twentieth century.
He wrote in many genres but his best known body of work was undoubtedly the twelve historical
novels set in Cornwall at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries which became
known as The Poldarks.
He wrote in many genres but his best known body of work was undoubtedly the twelve historical
novels set in Cornwall at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries which became
known as The Poldarks.
Although it is the Poldarks that brought Winston Graham the most fame, he also wrote more than
thirty other novels, six of which have been filmed (including Marnie directed by Alfred Hitchcock in
1964), as well as short stories, historical works, plays and film scripts. His novels are translated
into more than seventeen languages and many were selected as dollar book club choices in the
USA.
thirty other novels, six of which have been filmed (including Marnie directed by Alfred Hitchcock in
1964), as well as short stories, historical works, plays and film scripts. His novels are translated
into more than seventeen languages and many were selected as dollar book club choices in the
USA.
In 2008, to mark the centenary of Winston Graham’s birth and his long connection with Cornwhall,
te Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro held a hugely successful Centenary Exhibition — Poldarks
Cornwall: the life and works of Winston Graham. It included the trilby hat without which he never
went out, personal memorabilia and many of his manuscript notebooks. The exhibition opened
with the announcement of the Winston Graham Historical Prize for an unpublished work of
historical fiction.
te Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro held a hugely successful Centenary Exhibition — Poldarks
Cornwall: the life and works of Winston Graham. It included the trilby hat without which he never
went out, personal memorabilia and many of his manuscript notebooks. The exhibition opened
with the announcement of the Winston Graham Historical Prize for an unpublished work of
historical fiction.
In the same year panmacmillan re-published The Poldarks series. Seven of these had been
televised by the BBC in the 1970s (the first such historical series by a living author produced by
the BBC). They were such a success — with audiences reaching 14 million on Sunday evenings —
that vicars moved or cancelled church services rather than try to hold them when Poldark was
showing.
televised by the BBC in the 1970s (the first such historical series by a living author produced by
the BBC). They were such a success — with audiences reaching 14 million on Sunday evenings —
that vicars moved or cancelled church services rather than try to hold them when Poldark was
showing.
The Centenary Exhibition along with the re-publication of the Poldarks provided the excuse for a
party. The weekend of 28th/29th June 2008 saw Winston Graham’s family along with many of his
dearest friends including Christopher Biggins, Angharad Rees and Jane Wymark (actors in the
Poldark series) all in Cornwall. They had gathered together to celebrate Winston Graham’s unique
style of story-telling and gifts as a writer in the beautiful scenery of North Cornwall where he had
grown up and which he had so loved.
party. The weekend of 28th/29th June 2008 saw Winston Graham’s family along with many of his
dearest friends including Christopher Biggins, Angharad Rees and Jane Wymark (actors in the
Poldark series) all in Cornwall. They had gathered together to celebrate Winston Graham’s unique
style of story-telling and gifts as a writer in the beautiful scenery of North Cornwall where he had
grown up and which he had so loved.
