2025 has been ‘a bit of a year’ so I haven’t been able to support authors as much as I’d have liked. However, I’m trying to rectify that a little today by inviting Janys Thornton to stay in with me and tell me a little about her latest book. I’m delighted Janys agreed to come along.
Let’s find out more:
Staying in with Janys Thornton
Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag, Janys. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.
Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?
I’ve brought my latest – Dockyard Widows. I’m really proud of it as it tells the story of the women left behind in the Great War, – those that don’t usually get a voice.
Aha – herstory rather than history then. I understand that you did the artwork for Dockyard Widows too. Congratulations. What can we expect from an evening in with Dockyard Widows?
Dockyard Widows is a rare type of book – a prequel/sequel. I wanted to tell the story of those women widowed when HMS Princess Irene exploded in Sheerness Dockyard in 1915, killing over seventy men. It was said there wasn’t a street untouched. There was a newspaper article that gave information on the money collected for a “disaster fund” and as well as the widows and orphans being beneficiaries, it included dependent elderly parent – but most interesting were the “unmarried mothers acting as housekeepers” to the men. It showed that they recognised that some couples who co-habited were not married, and they wanted to do right by them.
I didn’t know about that event previously. How interesting.
I also wanted to write something for my Dockyard Teachers series, I had written Female Remedies set in 1913/1914, and An Unsustained Charge set in 1917/1918 and wanted to fill the gap. However, I soon realised I couldn’t just tell the story of what happened in 1915 without telling my readers about what came before. Dockyard Widows starts with the various romances that brought our women to the point of the disaster and left them widows, hence the prequel/sequel!
I think that all sounds fascinating. What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?
I’ve brought some of the historical artefacts I use when I do talks about my writing.
I have quite a collection of WWI bits and pieces. My favourites are the brass triangular badges that women workers were awarded, and as well as a badge, I have what is called a “sweetheart” postcard, which has a design of the brooch together with forget-me-nots.
I have some great photos too, I have one showing a schoolroom, but what I like is that on the walls behind the class, are lots of drawings of ships. The children would have seen the Naval ships in the dockyard every day, and most of them would have fathers, brothers, uncles who worked there. All the artefacts end up as little vignettes in my novels.
I think Dockyard Widows – indeed, the whole series – sounds so interesting Janys. Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat all about it. I’ll just give Linda’s Book Bag Readers a few more details, but I wish you every success with the series.
Dockyard Widows
Dockyard Widows tells the story of the lives of a group of women in a small naval dockyard town during WWI- their loves and loses, their small triumphs and loyal support for each other in times of need. This is a community that pulls together through the historic disaster of the explosion of the HMS Princess Irene that touches the lives of everybody. in the town At the very heart of it are the teachers from the Broadway Girls School, Hattie, Betty, and Miss Garrett who do their best to help friend and family through adversity.
Dockyard Widows is available for purchase here.
About Janys Thornton
Janys Thornton is a retired Civil Servant. She is married to Jeremy and they have just celebrated their silver wedding anniversary. They currently have one dog, but a second will soon be joining them.
Janys acts as a grandparent to her nephew’s children where she gets the opportunity to shout but be ignored all at once when she is babysitting.
Janys likes writing, drawing/painting, going to aerobics and visiting museums and galleries.
English (US) · 