Maureen Emerson, from an
Irish-Austrian background, grew up in London - for which she is
eternally grateful. Marrying young, she brought up her family in
North Africa, Lebanon, Dallas and Singapore, before settling in
Provence for twenty-two years. There she worked as a local
co-ordinator for CBS and NBC news during the media festivals at
Cannes and Monte Carlo. While still harbouring a strong affection
for Provence, Maureen has now settled in Sussex with her husband.
The
true story of Winifred Fortescue and Elisabeth Starr, two remarkable
women and their quest for a new life in an idyllic Provence of the
early 1900s. An evocative description
of how the Second World War brought both selfless courage and tragedy
and would change their lives for ever.
This
exciting new publication, the culmination of 8 years work, is available direct
from 'Chapter and Verse Books'.
Price £10.99 (plus £2 p&p U.K.)
(The photograph depicts Elisabeth Starr at her home the Castello in 1934)
Picture -
with kind permission of the owner
Escape to Provence
is the true story of two remarkable women who, with style and energy, carved out
new lives for themselves in the South of France in the first part of the last
century. An American, Elisabeth Parrish Starr, and an Englishwoman, Winifred
(Peggy) Fortescue, the author of the best-selling Perfume From Provence,
both escaped to Provence for quite different reasons. Elisabeth as the result of
a personal tragedy, coupled with a need to live her life without censure, and
Peggy because she and her husband felt that in Provence ‘one could be poor with
dignity’.
After dangerous aid work on the
Somme during the Great War, Elisabeth bought an ancient house in the hills above
Cannes, drew other expatriate friends around her and, with a now widowed Peggy,
lived a bucolic existence in their Provençal village until the threat of another
conflict changed their lives for ever. Peggy raced to safety in England, while
Elisabeth fell under the oppressive Vichy regime that affected everyone in the
region during the dark years of war. When the South of France was liberated by
American and French forces, Peggy returned to a Provence that would never be the
same again.
Over the years their lives
became involved with those of Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough; the poet John
Betjeman, the dashing Spitfire pilot Richard Hillary, the artist Rex Whistler
and the families of President Theodore Roosevelt and Charles, 6th Marquess of
Anglesey. As well as the story of two unusual women, Escape to Provence
is also a portrait of an era.
Watch a short video of Maureen talking about her book!
Kindly provided by Alice Barker of
AMB-Cote d'azur
‘An account of expatriate lives in Provence: Maureen
Emerson has produced a remarkable book which will captivate any
reader with a genuine interest in the history of the Cote d'Azur and
of its English-speaking expatriate community’. Patrick Middleton,The Riviera Reporter.
‘The impact of the
war makes for some of the book's most compelling reading. The author
has thoroughly researched her subject and the book paints vivid
portraits not just of a beguiling place and a tumultuous era, but of
two plucky and unusual women ... whose love of Provence changed the
course of their lives’. Vivian Thomas,France Today.
‘Remarkable
women's lives the subject of a fascinating book’. Dianne Jones, The Mid-Sussex Times.
‘By patiently
piecing together the lives of these two women, Maureen Emerson has
produced a fascinating portrait of a bygone era and reveals an
expatriate community far different from the one that could be seen
in the luxury hotels of the French Riviera’. Nicole Benazeth, LMS News, The Magazine
of Sophia Antipolis.
‘Maureen
settled back in England eight years ago to be closer to her family
but Winifred and Elisabeth were never far from her mind and she has
just completed her fascinating book on their lives after eight years
of research’. West Sussex County Times.
‘This is a
captivating and sometimes poignant description of a pivotal time.
Maureen Emerson, whose French home was in a neighbouring village to
the one where Elisabeth and Peggy lived, has researched her subject
meticulously. A fascinating history set in a fascinating time.’ Destination France Magazine.
‘Fans of the
writings of Winifred Fortescue, whose book Perfume from Provence
can perhaps be said to have started the cavalcade of British
residents, will be fascinated to read the new biography of her by
Maureen Emerson. Var Village Voice. 5-star
review on Amazon.
‘The reader is
given an incredible insight into the two women’s lives together and
apart. Their somewhat eccentric lifestyles are a blaze of colour
in the already colourful Provence.’ The Riviera WomanWebsite.
‘I
turned to her book and was soon unable to put it down. Elisabeth and
Peggy are the main characters in the book, but there is a supporting
cast of many other fascinating personalities.’ Canon Roger Greenacre, St Michael’s
Messenger, Beaulieu-sur-Mer.
Escape to Provence by Maureen Emerson was
officially launched on Saturday 14th June 2008 at the English Book
Centre, Valbonne, France, courtesy of the proprietor Jill Shepperd
who had provided an excellent backdrop for the event. Maureen gave a
short talk of about 15 minutes covering firstly the writing of the
book and then a brief description of the contents. Speaking
perfectly, despite claiming she had never done it before, the
audience in the packed bookshop were enthralled. Afterwards she
happily chatted with the visitors outside and signed numerous
copies. Maureen has to be congratulated on a splendid publication.
The depth of her research and the ends to which she has gone, (and
places), to obtain it is quite staggering. The venue and the weather
were perfect and made for a delightful day.
EVENTS
Maureen
Emerson has confirmed that she will be at the following
venues:
Escape to Provence:
The true story of two remarkable women.
Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution
16 - 18 Queens Square, Bath, BA21 2 HN
visit the website at
www.brlsi.org
Tuesday 23rd February at 7.30 p.m.
Visitors are welcome £4 admission
Click poster to see advert
The France Show 2010
Earls Court, London
Maureen will be on the France Bookshop stand with her book!
1pm to 5pm on the 8th, 9th and 10th January 2010.
Escape to Provence:
From Provence to Wartime Sussex
– the story of two remarkable women.
Wednesday, 21st October 2009 at 7.45
p.m.
West Hoathly History Society, Sharpthorne Village Hall, Sussex
NEUVIEMES ENTRETIENS DE
CABRIS
SAMEDI 26 SEPTEMBRE 2009
0915 hrs MAIRIE DE CABRIS, SALLE ROUMANILLE
ces étrangers qui ont fait la cÔte
Anglais, Russes,
Italiens et bien d’autres aux XIXème et XXème siècles
Escape to Provence:
From Provence to Wartime Sussex
– the story of two remarkable women.
Friday 17 July 2009 at 7.30 p.m.
Haywards Heath Library, 34 Boltro Road RH16 1BN
REVIEW
Escape to Provence:
From Provence to Wartime Sussex
– the story of two remarkable women.
Friday 17 July 2009 at 7.30 p.m.
Haywards Heath Library 34 Boltro Road RH16 1BN
Author Maureen Emerson gave an illustrated talk
on her book Escape to Provence, the true story of Winifred Fortescue
(author of the best-selling Perfume from Provence)and the
American Elizabeth Starr, two remarkable women whose idyllic life on their
hillside in Provence was shattered by the outbreak of the Second World War.
Escaping to a woodman’s cottage in Ardingly, Winifred worked tirelessly for the
Free French, befriending the dashing spitfire pilot Richard Hillary and Grace Kimmins, the founder of Chailey Heritage. Maureen also provided tips on
“successful self publishing”.
60 people, the maximum permitted in this library,
enjoyed Maureen's illustrated talk. Questions were taken at the end of the
evening and copies of Escape to Provence, signed by the author, were available
for purchase.
Maureen at
Haywards Heath Library July 17th 2009
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Our favourite author, (after
Winifred Forstecue!), Maureen Emerson gave a splendid talk and
slide show to a gathered audience at the Bath Royal Literary and
Scientific Institution last month. Not one to sit back and rest,
Maureen has been working on two more projects recently. The
first of these is a piece on the life of
Hélène
Vagliano who was active in the French resistance. Her family
had moved from Ascot in Berkshire to Cannes in the south of
France in the 1920's. To read the full and very moving story of this
incredibly brave young woman who was tortured and murdered by
the Gestapo, click here.
