Anne of the Borders: The Story of Anne Hepple, Author, 1877-1959 - by Mary Rawnsley & Wendy Bell Scott

By Mary Rawnsley

Written to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Anne Hepple, novelist, who lived most of her life in Northumberland and Berwickshire.
Her books, which often feature thinly-disguised local places have been read and enjoyed worldwide.
Print Version Published 2009.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Button Publications
• Release date: Apr 6, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476425245

Mary Rawnsley

Mary Rawnsley was born in Glasgow and first began to write for her School magazine. Her varied working experience includes nursing and teaching. After marriage, she returned to writing and soon articles, poems, children’s and adult stories began to appear in magazines and local newspapers. Some of her stories – both for children and adults, have also been broadcast on Radio Scotland and other stations. Mary is retired and lives in the Scottish Borders.

Book preview

Anne of the Borders

The Story of

Anne Hepple, Author.

(1877-1959)

Mary Rawnsley

&

Wendy Bell Scott

A Blue Button Publication

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and didnot purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return toSmashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard workof these authors.

Copyright 2012 Mary Rawnsley, Wendy Bell Scott

and Blue Button Publications.

Heatherytops Painting,copyright Jean Curtis.

Back Gate of the Allanton House, photograph copyright Jacqui Adams.

Additional Photography by Wendy Bell Scott

Cover design by Bluebell.

Editing and Layout by Bluebell.

Print History

First published in 2009

by Blue Button Publications,

Berwick upon Tweed TD15 2RH.

Print version ISBN: 978-1-907131-10-3

Figure 1. The Lane south from Heatherytops and (inset) Anne Hepple.

Contents

Introduction

Family Background

The Batty Family

The Dodds Family

The Stepmothers and their Families

Another Year of Goodbyes

Education

Adult Life

Pursuit of a Career

Marriage and her Own Family

The End of an Era

The Years Pass and a Return to Writing

Clues in the Dedications

The Later Years

Endpiece

Books by Anne Hepple

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following people for their help with researching and preparing this book.

Francis Cowe, Chris Green, Linda Bankier at Berwick Record Office, Mrs M. Metcalfe, Mrs K. Bambrick, Erica Bamford, Jean Curtis, Jacqui Adams, and Kevin Graham

Illustrations

The lane from Heatherytops and insert: Anne Hepple

The view east from Heatherytops

Scremerston Parish Church

The surviving wall of Berwick Primitive Methodist Chapel.

Heatherytops (Artist’s Impression)

Tweedmouth Parish Church

The former Bankhill United Reformed Church

Allanbank, Castle Terrace, Berwick

Berwick Parish Church

Marygate (High Street), Berwick, c. 1903

The upstairs flat, Castle Terrace, Berwick

Back gate of the House at Allanton

St Aidan’s, Spittal

Anne Hepple with her dog

Figure 2. The view east from the end of Heatherytops Steading. A view Anne Hepple would have known.

Introduction

It was in the lovely area known as The Scottish Borders and North Northumberland that Anne Hepple spent most of her life. In these remote places she walked and studied the wild life. Many of her books were set there and the country springs to life under her pen. Dotted over the moors and hills are the little farms and cottages where the stalwart Borderers were busy with their everyday lives.

Who could fail to recognise Breckan as Berwick-upon-Tweed in Piper in the Wind? Berwick is also called Aidensford in The House of Gow.

Underpinning the romance of her various novels was the down-to-earth traditional work of the country women. Anne had a wide knowledge of the ways of the countryside. She was well acquainted with the work on the farm. But how did she