'TOM
WAKEFIELD
WRITER EDUCATOR
MOTHER
1935 – 1996'
Oddly, I can find very little online about Tom Wakefield, who is perhaps best known for his openly gay novel Mates (1983). Nevertheless, I give two links below, one from the West Midlands Literary Heritage web site, another from a blogger who personally knew him.
On the headstone is a cartoon portrait of Wakefield by David Shelton, who I can only imagine must be the same person who published and illustrated the (very well received) children's novel A Boy and a Bear in a Boat last year.
CORRIGENDUM: A comment below from Dave Shelton clarifies that he didn't do the portrait, and he suggests that it was Dave Shenton: yes, I'd mis-read the signature.
ADDENDUM 1: In a comment below, Sheila asks why is Tom Wakefield called a mother on his gravestone. That's a question I too would like the answer to. Any takers?
ADDENDUM 2: Be sure to read the very interesting comment by Hugh Barney Miller, JP: he actually knew Tom Wakefield, and makes a comment on the 'Mother' note on his headstone.
ADDENDUM 3: Brian Wigginton informs me that Tom Wakefield's cat was a lesbian, which for some reason reminds me of the short story (the name of which I've forgotten) by Rys Davies which mentions two inseparable ganders that the narrator takes sides with.
West Midlands Literary Heritage: Tom Wakefield
Get Mummy's Purse: Tom Wakefield
Posts
8 comments:
I'm pretty sure that's actually a David Shenton drawing. Not one of mine, anyway.
See here for more of Mr Shenton's work: http://www.davidshenton.com
Tony, why is Tom listed as a mother? I came here hoping for enlightenment on that point. Have you come across any explanations?
Do you know why he is epitaphed as a mother?
That's a very good question, Sheila, and if I knew the answer I'd have written it up there on the post! In fact I'll put an addendum there to make your question more visible, in the hope that someone will provide the elusive reply. Perhaps as interesting (even though it may in effect be the same question rephrased) is 'Did Tom Wakefield write his own epitaph?'
I knew Tom in the eighties and early nineties. He used to visit Brighton to see Peter Burton, a long time writer for the gay press (who also worked for Denis Lemon during the 'blasphemy case' against Gay News and was features editor for Gay Times) and myself. I lost contact with him around 1993.
He was a kind, gentle and lovely man. I do recall him talking about how 'family' was more than the stereotypical married-with-kids. He was supportive of younger gay men in pursuing their careers. He told me he based one of his characters on me (a young politically active granddaughter but I can't recall which novel so I will re-read his books).
William Godwin writing of Tom said "He proves once and for all that there are families not necessarily based around a mother." This would tie in with the epithet "mother" and I would be unsurprised with Tom stating this should be on his headstone.
I hope this is of interest to you and your readers.
Best wishes,
Hugh Barney Miller JP
Brighton
Thank you so much for this extra information, Hugh, which certainly gives us fresh insight into Tom. If anything else comes to mind - no matter how small it may seem - please don't hesitate to make a further comment.
All the best
Tony
I knew Tom Wakefield in the 1980s and often went to visit him in the shadow of the Arsenal football stadium. He went regularly down to the betting shop in Holloway Road. Very often there was a triumvirate of three generations of gay authors - Francis King the senior, buried in an armchair from which he fired acerbic comments in an undertone; Tom in the middle, immensely kind and concerned for all and sundry, especially young writers - he dutifully came to see all my plays for Consenting Adults and Homo Promos, and was full of enthusiasm and suggestions; and the then precocious Patrick Gale, supernaturally fluent and at ease. King is now unfortunately receding, though a great novelist, Tom unjustly all but forgotten. Gale, completed Tom's last book with great skill and love, remains a lion. I think of Tom's books, which reflect all his humanity, generosity and indignation, as a literary equivalent of Beryl Cooke's paintings. They all concern families of choice pitted against the biological unit. They will come back. I wish he could.
Apologies if this is known to everyone. The respected poet U.A. Fanthorpe wrote New Highgate Cemetery: 4 April 1996 in memory of Mr Wakefield.
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