It was a busy weekend. On Saturday morning Sue arrived and during the afternoon we headed into the city to go to the Mitchell Library for an event. It was called ‘Love Letters to a Murder.’ The main aspect of it was a ‘In Conversation’ talk between the author of a fictionalised account of the life of Madeleine Smith called Love and Other Poisons by Lesley McDowell.
The ‘love letters’ were scandalous in their time due to the fact they were exchanged between Madeleine and her French lover Emile L’Angelier. She was from a very healthy upper-middle class family, whereas Emile was lower-middle class/white collar working class. Put it this way – Madeleine’s family was well-off and Emile was in his 30s and just getting by. Madeleine’s higher social status meant that a relationship between them was not going to be openly welcomed so they began an affair. When parted – with Emile back in France and Madeleine away for the summer months with her family in Helensburgh, many letters were exchanged between them. Emile kept many of the letters he received from Madeleine and as the relationship started to sour he threatened Madeleine with blackmail. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” as the old saying goes. Early in 1857, Emile died of arsenic poisoning, and it appeared Madeleine had done the poisoning! She was tried for murder in the summer of 1857 with a resulting verdict of unproven.
After the talk (which was fascinating by the way) there were some of the letters on show for attendees to look it. They are held in the Mitchell Library archives and can be viewed at any time upon request. The viewing of the letters was popular and what few letters Sue and I got to view were hard to decipher, esp. a few in which Madeleine would rewrite over the paper – writing in one direction then turning the paper ninety degrees to write over what she’d just written with more text.
I hadn’t realised there was going to be an authors talk and now I am quite keen to get myself a copy of Lesley McDowell’s book. In the meantime, if you’re interested in learning more about the story of Madeleine Smith – it’s discussed in episode two of the first series of Lady Killers, the podcast aired on Radio 4 presented by Lucy Worsley – https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0016xqm
After this, Sue and I met up with Gina and Nish Shah who had come up with the north-west of England to see the talk with the Glesga Twins. We had a lovely meal at Non Viet. On the walk down I pointed out where Tiffany’s once stood and relayed my daydreaming tale of one day rounding the corner on my walk from Charing Cross to reach Sauchiehall Street and look upon the old facade visualising it being 1982 and I readying myself for a Simple Minds gig, about to see His Nibs in all his lithe, svelte feline glory and the frisson it gave me. But that frisson was quickly replaced with a fleeting melancholy. Never mind.
After a few hours of wonderful food and cheerful banter we planned to reconvene the next day at Tantrum Doughnuts. I have to get people to go to all the best places in Glasgow. Lol
Sunday was a typical Glasgow day – pishing doon. Thanks Jim and Charlie for choosing the best day you could. Not only a pishing fucking day, but a Sunday so no one could make use of the subway or be hindered by lack of trains on the main rail network. Not only does the subway stop at 6.30pm on a Sunday, the last train to Ashfield on a Sunday is at 6.33pm.
Nae bother, aye. Sue had driven up, so she drove in and we used this app recommended to us by Hamish Hawk fan Mark called “Yourparkingspace.” We were able to use a spot in one of the streets running just off Gorbals Street so we were grand. With that, to get to Tantrum we took the subway from Bridge Street back to Buchanan Street and took the short walk to Tantrum. When we arrived, Gina, Nish and some other fans were there. Two couples that the Shahs had met in previous travels to do with Simple Minds. With 8 of us there, we pretty much took over Tantrum for the next 45 minutes. Lol
A parting of the ways for a reconvene at the Premier Inn near the Citz. Drinks, chat, staying warm and dry in the bar area of the hotel. At around 6pm we made the short walk over to the Citz.
Billy Sloan was pacing around the foyer, phone constantly to his ear. I spied a number of familiar faces on the look out for Michelle and Ronnie. I didn’t see either of them at that point. Nearer to start time we bid farewell to Gina, Nish, and co, and then Sue and I went up to the circle to take our seats. We then spied Michelle round the opposite side of the circle. David Lindsay was there too – being his usual anarchic self having us in fits of giggles.
On to the talk itself. It pretty much played out as had I thought it would. A telling of the book’s highlights. There was a point where Kerr said “Glasgow was on its knees” and I very nearly wanted to shout out “HOUSE!!” My Kerr’s Repetitive Bingo card was pretty much filled in within the first 30 minutes. Lol. Charlie was actually asked the first question. It gave me hope – but alas, it was short lived. Charlie did get asked questions and did some talking but much like the book it was split around 70/30 Kerr’s way. Sometimes Charlie just relinquished the chat by conceding to Kerr’s “superior” banter. I guess he has a point – sometimes. It’s hard to beat Kerr’s almost scripted regale.
Did I learn anything new? Well, I had always wondered how some of the “inner set” came to be in the “inner set.” So my new piece of knowledge was to learn that at the time of the formation of Johnny and the Self Abusers, Sheila Forbes was John Milarky’s girlfriend. Other than that? ….
Well, there was the story of Charlie as “the worst shopper” – that was genuinely a new tale I had not heard before, and it was quite funny. Mr Kerr was quite animated with the story’s punchline, so I’ll give him that one. I’m sure I would have found the rest of the talk utterly hilarious had I not heard many of the tales at least once (and usually several times) before. I admit to many an eye-roll and probably looked like a miserable old bitch to those around me as I rarely laughed. The biggest laughs for me came from Billy Sloan introducing them back on the stage for the second part as “rock ‘n roll’s Francie and Josie” – and there was something Charlie said at one point which was a real slice of knocking Kerr down a peg or two that I wish I could recall because it was so cutting but so hysterical, I nearly choked on my own spit. Kerr looked genuinely deflated for a second – which made it all the sweeter. (Yes, I am shallow bitch.)
I’m glad I went. I’m glad Sue distracted me from washing my hair last night by twisting my arm to accompany her.
We both had our signed copies of the book already so we didn’t feel any need to hang about afterwards. We finally bumped into Ronnie on the way out, and Michelle was making her way to join the signing queue at the same time. A brief chat and then we were off home.
I’m sure those going to Edinburgh and London tonight and tomorrow will enjoy it. Now for me to finish reading the book and get back to study!
Tara.
