Surrey Cultural Lives Talk on Jane White

Jane White: From the Norfolk Coast to the Surrey Jungle

Jane White was a novelist who lived in Godalming from 1963 to 1985. Her first novel Quarry, published in 1967, was set in the town. There are scenes in the local grammar school and in an imagined cave in a nearby quarry. Compared with Lord of the Flies by one critic, Quarry was named the scariest book of the year by another.

In the 1960s White was new to Surrey, having grown up in Norfolk. She found the county scarily verdant, almost like a jungle. The talk will explore her first novel Quarry and its view of the surroundings in which its three teenage characters become adults. Her intense descriptions of overwhelming green growth will then be compared with some of her later writing about the bleaker landscapes of Norfolk.

Please arrive 15 minutes ahead so that you can be served tea/coffee and find a seat.

Key information about booking:

• The event starts at 2pm to 4pm
• The event is suitable for adults
• Please book a ticket for each person attending.
• Booking is essential, so be quick to avoid disappointment
• Refreshments will be provided.
• Please arrive 15 minutes early

About Surrey Cultural Lives Project

The Surrey Cultural Lives map brings together the rich stories of Surrey’s distant and recent cultural past.

Funded by the University of Surrey and created by academics and researchers in Surrey and beyond, the map springs from a desire to bring local stories to life and connect people with their local heritage. Surrey has been filled with inspiring stories of creativity, resistance, and community. The county has welcomed diverse communities and also seen its share of conflict. It has been home to Nobel prize winners, ground-breaking artists, rebels and innovators. From the top of Leith Hill to the basin of the Devil’s Punch Bowl, Surrey is home to a range of cultural stories which the map brings to life in accessible ways. Explorers of the map can follow the links at the bottom of individual entries to find out more about the stories that interest you most. You can even provide us with some of your own reflections or suggest a Surrey life that you think we should include. To find out more about the project visit Surrey Cultural Lives

If you are not able to or do not wish to provide us with any contact details (landline or mobile number and email address) you won’t be able to purchase a ticket online. Please visit the library that is hosting the event to purchase a ticket in person.