Stone's Fall
Encyclopedia
Synopsis
An aging BBC reporter approaching retirement in 1953, Matthew Braddock is on a farewell tour, visiting the old Paris bureau. Chancing upon a familiar name in the obituary notices, he decides to attend the funeral of an acquaintance he has not seen for many years. After the service, he is approached by a stranger who introduces himself as the deceased woman's solicitor. He surprises Braddock with the information that the firm has been holding a package for many years, addressed to him, with instructions to deliver it only after this woman's death. Later, on his trip back to London, Braddock reminisces about those days of his youth in 1909 when he met the beautiful and mysterious Elizabeth. Equally mysterious was the death (and life) of her husband, Baron Ravenscliff, born John William Stone. Later, Braddock opens the long-delayed package to find a pair of extraordinary manuscripts. These two documents, written accounts of events occurring in 1890 and 1867 respectively, follow Braddock's recollections to form the three-part structure of the historical-mystery novel Stone's Fall.Many historical-fiction novels place their fictional characters in a believable historical setting (e.g. Pears' own The Portrait), but few attempt to include actual persons and events that can be researched and verified (or not) by the curious reader. As in Pears' earlier novel An Instance of the Fingerpost
An Instance of the Fingerpost
An Instance of the Fingerpost is a 1997 historical mystery novel by Iain Pears.-Synopsis:A murder in 17th-century Oxford is related from the contradictory points of view of four of the characters, all of them unreliable narrators...
, the reader is challenged to learn more about the history underlying the fiction. This is especially true in the middle (1890) section, where the fictional Henry Cort becomes involved with historical events that later came to be known as "The Panic of 1890
Panic of 1890
The Panic of 1890 was an acute depression, although less serious than other panics of the era. It was precipitated by the near insolvency of Barings Bank in London. Barings, led by Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke, faced bankruptcy in November 1890 due mainly to excessive risk-taking on poor...
".
The next article section, Historical references, lists existing and/or historical persons, places and events mentioned in quotations from Stone's Fall, with citations or internal links to other Wikipedia articles. Page numbers are from the hardcover edition. The final section, Historical liberties, includes a listing of inconsistencies found between historical facts and the same "facts" as presented in Stone's Fall (liberties rather than errors: it is, after all, a novel).
Prologue - Paris, 1953
- p.3 Church of Saint-Germain-des-PrésAbbey of Saint-Germain-des-PrésThe Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, just beyond the outskirts of early medieval Paris, was the burial place of Merovingian kings of Neustria...
- site of Elizabeth's funeral
London
- p.11 "St. James's SquareSt. James's SquareSt. James's Square is the only square in the exclusive St James's district of the City of Westminster. It has predominantly Georgian and neo-Georgian architecture and a private garden in the centre...
...an impressive townhouse" – Ravenscliff's residence. - p.25 "Mornington CrescentMornington Crescent (street)Mornington Crescent is also a street off the A4 near Heathrow Airport.Mornington Crescent is a street in Camden, London, England. It was built in the 1820s, on a greenfield site just to the north of central London. The crescent was named after the Earl of Mornington, brother of the Duke of Wellington...
trial" – the name given to a fictional(?) murder trial. The name suggests a reference to the "Camden Town murderCamden Town MurderThe Camden Town Murder was a murder which took place in Camden Town, London in 1907. Robert Wood, an artist, was tried for the murder of Emily Dimmock, a prostitute and acquitted after a brilliant defence by Edward Marshall Hall....
" of 1907. Painter Walter SickertWalter SickertWalter Richard Sickert , born in Munich, Germany, was a painter who was a member of the Camden Town Group in London. He was an important influence on distinctively British styles of avant-garde art in the 20th century....
lived on Mornington Crescent at the time, and later renamed a group of his paintings The Camden Town MurderThe Camden Town MurderThe Camden Town Murder is a title given to a group of four paintings by Walter Sickert painted in 1908. The paintings have specific titles, such as the problem picture What Shall We Do for the Rent or What Shall We Do to Pay the Rent....
. - p.32 "Bow Street Magistrates Court or the Old BaileyOld BaileyThe Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
" – two primary sources for Braddock's crime reporting - p.33 "Kaiser Wilhelm", "King Edward". Wilhelm II was the last German Kaiser, 1888-1918. Edward VII became king after the death of Queen Victoria, reigning from 1901 to 1910 (see also the p.306 reference below, where Edward visits Biarritz before he was king).
- p.34 "The Prime Minister, AsquithH. H. AsquithHerbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
, and his chancellor, Lloyd George" - leaders of the Liberal government from 1908 to 1916. - p.37 "ChelseaChelsea, LondonChelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
...Paradise Walk...Tite StreetTite StreetTite Street is a street in Chelsea, London, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, England, just north of the River Thames. It was created in 1877, giving access to the Chelsea Embankment. In the late nineteenth century the street was a favoured and fashionable location for people of an...
" - Paradise Walk runs parallel to Tite StreetTite StreetTite Street is a street in Chelsea, London, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, England, just north of the River Thames. It was created in 1877, giving access to the Chelsea Embankment. In the late nineteenth century the street was a favoured and fashionable location for people of an...
. - p.38 "Sargent" - The American painter John Singer SargentJohn Singer SargentJohn Singer Sargent was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings...
lived on Tite StreetTite StreetTite Street is a street in Chelsea, London, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, England, just north of the River Thames. It was created in 1877, giving access to the Chelsea Embankment. In the late nineteenth century the street was a favoured and fashionable location for people of an...
.- "Henry MacAlpine" - a little joke here; MacAlpine is a fictional painter in Pears’Iain PearsIain Pears is an English art historian, novelist and journalist. He was educated at Warwick School, Warwick, Wadham College and Wolfson College, Oxford. Before writing, he worked as a reporter for the BBC, Channel 4 and ZDF and correspondent for Reuters from 1982 to 1990 in Italy, France, UK and...
novel The Portrait.
- "Henry MacAlpine" - a little joke here; MacAlpine is a fictional painter in Pears’
- p.41 "Chelsea Library" - the old library was on Manresa Road. In 1980, it was acquired by Chelsea College of Art and DesignChelsea College of Art and DesignChelsea College of Art and Design, the erstwhile Chelsea School of Art, is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, and is a leading British art and design institution with an international reputation...
. - p.42 "Fleet StreetFleet StreetFleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
" – synonymous with London journalism in the 20th century.- "Reform ClubReform ClubThe Reform Club is a gentlemen's club on the south side of Pall Mall, in central London. Originally for men only, it changed to include the admission of women in 1981. In 2011 the subscription for membership of the Reform Club as a full UK member is £1,344.00, with a one-off entrance fee of £875.00...
" - a gentlemen's club "for LiberalLiberal Party (UK)The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
grandees", still in existence
- "Reform Club
- p.50 "...King of Portugal was assassinated..." - refers to King Carlos I, assassinated in 1908
- p.54 "at the Exchange" - refers to the London Stock ExchangeLondon Stock ExchangeThe London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
, located (in 1909) in Capel Court, off Bartholomew Lane across from the Bank of EnglandBank of EnglandThe Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
. Capel Court is now gone, along with the rest of the block. - p.57 "Cazenove…acting for BaringsBarings BankBarings Bank was the oldest merchant bank in London until its collapse in 1995 after one of the bank's employees, Nick Leeson, lost £827 million due to speculative investing, primarily in futures contracts, at the bank's Singapore office.-History:-1762–1890:Barings Bank was founded in 1762 as the...
" - two of the leading London merchant bankMerchant bankA merchant bank is a financial institution which provides capital to companies in the form of share ownership instead of loans. A merchant bank also provides advisory on corporate matters to the firms they lend to....
s at that time. - p.64 "Jean-Jacques HennerJean-Jacques HennerJean-Jacques Henner was a French painter, noted for his use of sfumato and chiaroscuro in painting nudes, religious subjects, and portraits....
" - Elizabeth volunteers the artist's name after observing Braddock's admiration of a portrait of her, dressed in "a golden red dress". Henner was a prominent French painter in Paris when Elizabeth lived there in the 1880s. - p.75 "Ritz HotelRitz HotelThe Ritz London is a luxury 5-star hotel located in Piccadilly and overlooking Green Park in London.- History :Swiss hotelier César Ritz, former manager of the Savoy Hotel, opened the hotel on 24 May 1906...
" - The famous PiccadillyPiccadillyPiccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
hotel, still in existence at the north-east corner of Green ParkGreen Park-External links:*...
, was the upscale residence of the fictional Theodore Xanthos. Note: the fictional Xanthos bears some resemblance to real-life arms dealer Basil ZaharoffBasil ZaharoffBasil Zaharoff, GCB, GBE , born Zacharias Basileios Zacharoff, was an arms dealer and financier...
. - p.83 "...out of the Ritz and up Bond StreetBond StreetBond Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London that runs north-south through Mayfair between Oxford Street and Piccadilly. It has been a fashionable shopping street since the 18th century and is currently the home of many high price fashion shops...
" - Braddock catches a bus (horse-drawn) and makes his way to his former editor's home in CamdenCamden Town-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
. On the way, he passes the "great houses of Portman Place" (not found, but maybe part of the Portman EstatePortman EstateThe Portman Estate is a property estate in Marylebone, Central London. It lies between Oxford Street and Edgware Road, and includes Portman Square, Manchester Square, and some parts of Baker Street and Gloucester Place....
? Or did the author mean Portland PlacePortland PlacePortland Place is a street in the Marylebone district of central London, England.-History and topography:The street was laid out by the brothers Robert and James Adam for the Duke of Portland in the late 18th century and originally ran north from the gardens of a detached mansion called Foley House...
?) Later, Braddock passes the "even greater establishments of Regent's ParkRegent's ParkRegent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...
". - p.83 "furniture from Heal's" - a venerable department store on Tottenham Court RoadTottenham Court RoadTottenham Court Road is a major road in central London, United Kingdom, running from St Giles Circus north to Euston Road, near the border of the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile...
- p.90 "The Russell HotelHotel RussellThe Hotel Russell is a four star hotel, located on Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London, owned and operated by the Principal Hayley Group.The Hotel Russell was built in 1898 by the architect, Charles Fitzroy Doll. It is distinctively clad in decorative thé-au-lait terracotta, and was based on the...
in BloomsburyBloomsbury-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
was a fairly new building"(completed in 1898, still in existence) - p.138 "...an agent for the Dual AllianceDual Alliance, 1879The Dual Alliance was a defensive alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary, which was created by treaty on October 7, 1879 as part of Bismarck's system of alliances to prevent/limit war. In it, Germany and Austria-Hungary pledged to aid one another in case of an attack by Russia...
...the thanks of the Kaiser...". Elizabeth jokes about being a spy for Britain's current continental rivals, the alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary, negotiated in 1879 by BismarckOtto von BismarckOtto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
. - p.149 "The Anarchist Club, 165 Jubilee Street". Apparently fictional, but similar to historical places and events. For example, see: Walsall AnarchistsWalsall AnarchistsThe Walsall Anarchists were a group of anarchists arrested on explosive charges in Walsall in 1892.Although the British Home Office and the Metropolitan Police attempted to conceal the evidence for over 80 years, recent research into police files has revealed that the bombings were instigated by...
. Jubilee Street, Commercial Road, Turner Street,and Newark Street are all located in the old East End of LondonEast End of LondonThe East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
(now part of the Tower Hamlets district) - p.151 "Comrade Kropotkin" - refers to Peter Kropotkin, the exiled Russian anarchist
- p.160 "Wine Office Court, past the Cheshire Cheese". The venerable pub Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is still open for business, just off Fleet StreetFleet StreetFleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
. - p.170 "Rothschild'sRothschild familyThe Rothschild family , known as The House of Rothschild, or more simply as the Rothschilds, is a Jewish-German family that established European banking and finance houses starting in the late 18th century...
at Waddesdon". Waddesdon ManorWaddesdon ManorWaddesdon Manor is a country house in the village of Waddesdon, in Buckinghamshire, England. The house was built in the Neo-Renaissance style of a French château between 1874 and 1889 for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild . Since this was the preferred style of the Rothschilds it became also known as...
was the Rothschild family seat in England, and the most opulent of the many Rothschild properties in England. - p.170 "Natty Rothschild". A nickname for Nathaniel Mayer Rothschild, 1st Baron RothschildNathan Rothschild, 1st Baron RothschildNathan Mayer Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild, Baron de Rothschild was a British banker and politician from the international Rothschild financial dynasty.-Life and family:...
, head of N M Rothschild & SonsN M Rothschild & SonsN M Rothschild & Sons is a private investment banking company, belonging to the Rothschild family...
, principal rivals to Barings in London merchant bankMerchant bankA merchant bank is a financial institution which provides capital to companies in the form of share ownership instead of loans. A merchant bank also provides advisory on corporate matters to the firms they lend to....
ing. - p.172 "". Braddock takes a train to NewcastleNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and checks into this Victorian hotel, still in business opposite the main station. - p.174 "...the Beswick Shipyard..." - fictional name, but similar to an historical shipbuilding yard at ElswickElswick, Tyne and WearElswick is a ward of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in the western part of the city, bordering the river Tyne. One of the earliest references to the coal mining industry of the north east occurs in 1330, when it was recorded that the Prior of Tynemouth let a colliery, called Heygrove, at...
(a ward of the city of Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
). The facility (no longer in existence) was part of Armstrong WhitworthArmstrong WhitworthSir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. Headquartered in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth engaged in the construction of armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles, and aircraft.-History:In 1847,...
, the manufacturing company founded by William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong. - p.175 "HMS Anson, a dreadnought, 23,000 tons." The , built in Armstrong's shipyard, is a close match for the fictional HMS Anson. There was a real , but it was an older and smaller (10,600 tons) battleship that was sold in 1909.
- p.177 "When we launched Intrepid last year..." - there were eight versions of , but this one is fictional.
- p.194 "Tom Baring himself..." - refers to Thomas "Tom" Baring (1839-1923)Thomas "Tom" Baring (1839-1923)Thomas Baring, known as "Tom", was the tenth child of Henry Baring of Cromer Hall, and younger full brother of Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke. Like his brother, Baring was involved in the family banking business, beginning his career in the Liverpool office of Barings Bank. He later moved to...
, brought in as one of the Managing Directors of Baring Brothers and Company, Ltd.Barings BankBarings Bank was the oldest merchant bank in London until its collapse in 1995 after one of the bank's employees, Nick Leeson, lost £827 million due to speculative investing, primarily in futures contracts, at the bank's Singapore office.-History:-1762–1890:Barings Bank was founded in 1762 as the...
after the Panic of 1890Panic of 1890The Panic of 1890 was an acute depression, although less serious than other panics of the era. It was precipitated by the near insolvency of Barings Bank in London. Barings, led by Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke, faced bankruptcy in November 1890 due mainly to excessive risk-taking on poor...
. Tom was, in 1909, the eldest of the Barings in the banking partnership, but his nephew , 2nd Baron RevelstokeBaron RevelstokeBaron Revelstoke, of Membland in the County of Devon, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1885 for the businessman Edward Baring, head of the family firm of Barings Bank...
, was senior partner. - p.195 "...the disaster twenty years ago..." - refers to the Panic of 1890Panic of 1890The Panic of 1890 was an acute depression, although less serious than other panics of the era. It was precipitated by the near insolvency of Barings Bank in London. Barings, led by Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke, faced bankruptcy in November 1890 due mainly to excessive risk-taking on poor...
- p.204 "to Cowes…for the week" – refers to the annual Cowes WeekCowes WeekCowes Week is one of the longest-running regular regattas in the world. With 40 daily races, up to 1,000 boats, and 8,500 competitors ranging from Olympic and world class professionals to weekend sailors, it is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world...
regatta - p.208 "WhiteleysWhiteleysWhiteleys is a shopping centre in London, England. It was London's first department store, located in the Bayswater area. The store's main entrance was located on Queensway.-History:...
department store in BayswaterBayswaterBayswater is an area of west London in the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to the west . It is a built-up district located 3 miles west-north-west of Charing Cross, bordering the north of Hyde Park over Kensington Gardens and having a population density of...
..." The site is now Whiteleys Shopping Centre, on QueenswayQueensway (London)Queensway is a bustling cosmopolitan street in the Bayswater district of west London. It contains many restaurants , pubs, letting agents, and high street stores...
. The building existing in 1909 is gone. - p.208 "...to Waterloo StationWaterloo stationWaterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
and caught the 1:45 to SouthamptonSouthamptonSouthampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
". The station was completely demolished and rebuilt starting in 1904, but never completely closed. The official reopening was not until 1922. - p.208 "Henley and Ascot" "Henley" refers to the Henley Royal RegattaHenley Royal RegattaHenley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
. "Ascot" refers to Royal Ascot, the famous thoroughbred race meeting held annually since 1711 at Ascot RacecourseAscot RacecourseAscot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...
in BerkshireBerkshireBerkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
Cowes, Isle of Wight
- p.211 "Mrs. Godfrey BaringSir Godfrey Baring, 1st BaronetSir Godfrey Baring, 1st Baronet was a Liberal Member of Parliament for the Isle of Wight and later Barnstaple.The son of Lieutenant-General Charles Baring, he was a life-long resident of the Isle of Wight...
's bal masque". Godfrey Baring was soon to be a Baronet and MP for the Isle of Wight (1911). - p.211 "the SolentSolentThe Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
". The body of water separating the Isle of Wight from the main island of Great Britain. - p.212 "up the Esplanade to Egypt House..." The Esplanande is a long, paved waterfront footpath, paralleling Queen's Road and running west ("up") from Cowes. "" was built c.1880.
- p.212 "the Victoria and AlbertHMY Victoria and Albert IIIHMY Victoria and Albert III a Royal Yacht of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. The yacht was designed by the Chief Constructor of the Royal Navy Sir William White. She was launched in 1899 but was not ready for service until 1901...
". HMY Victoria and Albert III, the Royal Yacht, entered service in 1901. - p.212 "There is no bridge, just a strange contraption which looks like a floating wooden shed that is pulled this way and that across the water by chains…", The Cowes Floating BridgeCowes Floating BridgeThe Cowes Floating Bridge is a vehicular chain ferry which crosses the River Medina on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. The ferry crosses the tidal river from East Cowes to Cowes. The first floating bridge between East Cowes and Cowes was established in 1859 and is one of the few...
is still in daily operation, connecting CowesCowesCowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...
and East CowesEast CowesEast Cowes is a town and civil parish to the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina next to its neighbour on the west bank, Cowes....
. Nowadays, it resembles an ordinary ferry, but in period photos it does indeed look like a "floating wooden shed". - p.215 "...up Egypt Hill, a road that...skirted the gardens of the Baring house". The house (now demolished) was known as Nubia House; residence of Godfrey BaringSir Godfrey Baring, 1st BaronetSir Godfrey Baring, 1st Baronet was a Liberal Member of Parliament for the Isle of Wight and later Barnstaple.The son of Lieutenant-General Charles Baring, he was a life-long resident of the Isle of Wight...
. - p.221 "The Tsar of all the Russias. Nicholas IINicholas II of RussiaNicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
". The last Tsar, as it turned out. - p.221 "the imperial yacht, the Sandrart". This is a misspelling; the correct name is Standart.
- p.222 "Osborne...up York Avenue to the main gate." Prince Albert designed Osborne HouseOsborne HouseOsborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat....
as a summer home and rural retreat for himself and Queen Victoria. There are two entrances off York Avenue. The Royal Entrance has a gated archway.
London
- p.242 "a lovely AdamAdam styleThe Adam style is an 18th century neoclassical style of interior design and architecture, as practiced by the three Adam brothers from Scotland; of whom Robert Adam and James Adam were the most widely known.The Adam brothers were the first to advocate an integrated style for architecture and...
house in the BordersScottish BordersThe Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
in the summer." - refers to the areas along the border between England and Scotland. - p.244 "BalliolBalliol College, OxfordBalliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
..." - Balliol College is at Oxford. - p.244 "... a Fellow of TrinityTrinity College, OxfordThe College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
..." - refers to Trinity College, Oxford. - p.245 "the AthenaeumAthenaeum Club, LondonThe Athenaeum Club, usually just referred to as the Athenaeum, is a notable London club with its Clubhouse located at 107 Pall Mall, London, England, at the corner of Waterloo Place....
". Another distinguished "gentlemen's club", still in existence.
Paris
- p.250 "train to DoverDoverDover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
...crossed the ChannelEnglish ChannelThe English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
by steamer to CalaisCalaisCalais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
...arrived at the Gare du NordGare du NordParis Nord is one of the six large terminus railway stations of the SNCF mainline network for Paris, France. It offers connections with several urban transportation lines, including Paris Métro and RER...
...". Cort travels to Paris in the days before the Chunnel, or even the Golden Arrow. - p.251 "Fifteen rue Poulletier...Île Saint-LouisÎle Saint-LouisThe Île Saint-Louis is one of two natural islands in the Seine river, in Paris, France . The island is named after King Louis IX of France ....
" Just upstream from, and connected by bridge to the famous Île de la CitéÎle de la CitéThe Île de la Cité is one of two remaining natural islands in the Seine within the city of Paris . It is the centre of Paris and the location where the medieval city was refounded....
, is the less well-known Île Saint Louis. - p.263 "the VickersVickersVickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
, the KruppKruppThe Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
s and the SchneidersSchneider ElectricSchneider Electric is a French global company. It was founded in 1836 by two brothers, Eugène and Adolphe Schneider.In the first part of the 20th century, Schneider et Cie associated itself with Westinghouse Systems, a major international electrical group at the time. The group began manufacturing...
" - a trio of families; British, German and French respectively, that made their fortunes in arms manufacturing. - p.265 "Nancy...much closer to the German border than it wanted to be." This refers to the post-Franco-Prussian WarFranco-Prussian WarThe Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
border. After World War I, Nancy ceased to be a border town (see also p.267 in the 'Historical Liberties' section below). - p.284 "Lord Revelstoke, the chairman of Barings…" - refers to Edward Baring, 1st Baron RevelstokeEdward Baring, 1st Baron RevelstokeEdward Charles Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke , was a British banker.-Biography:A member of the famous Baring banking family, "Ned" Baring was the second son of Henry Baring from his second marriage, to Cecilia Anne . Sir Francis Baring, 1st Baronet, was his grandfather and Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of...
. - p.291 "Theatre only if Bernhardt is involved" - refers to Sarah BernhardtSarah BernhardtSarah Bernhardt was a French stage and early film actress, and has been referred to as "the most famous actress the world has ever known". Bernhardt made her fame on the stages of France in the 1870s, and was soon in demand in Europe and the Americas...
, the French actress.
Biarritz
- p.292 BiarritzBiarritzBiarritz is a city which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in south-western France. It is a luxurious seaside town and is popular with tourists and surfers....
"…Hotel du Palais to the north…" - refers to the Hotel du Palais, built in 1854 by Napoleon III, as a beach palace for his Empress, EugénieEugénie de MontijoDoña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, 16th Countess of Teba and 15th Marquise of Ardales; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920), known as Eugénie de Montijo , was the last Empress consort of the French from 1853 to 1871 as the wife of Napoleon III, Emperor of... - p.292 "Princess Natalie of Romania" [historical or fictional?]
- p.296 "Maurice RouvierMaurice RouvierMaurice Rouvier was a French statesman.He was born in Aix-en-Provence, and spent his early career in business at Marseille. He supported Léon Gambetta's candidature there in 1867, and in 1870 he founded an anti-imperial journal, L'Egalité. Becoming secretary general of the prefecture of...
". Rouvier was Finance Minister from 1889 to 1892. - p.306 "Prince of Wales" - before he became King Edward VII.
- p.307 "Almanach de GothaAlmanach de GothaThe Almanach de Gotha was a respected directory of Europe's highest nobility and royalty. First published in 1763 by C.W. Ettinger in Gotha at the ducal court of Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, it was regarded as an authority in the classification of monarchies, princely and ducal...
". A respected directory of Europe's highest nobility and royalty.
Paris
- P.313 "facade of the Crédit LyonnaisCrédit LyonnaisCrédit Lyonnais is a historic French bank. In the early 1990s it was the largest French bank, majority state-owned at that point. Crédit Lyonnais was the subject of poor management during that period which almost led to its bankruptcy in 1993...
, just visible on the boulevard beyond.". The bank's headquarters was on Boulevard des ItaliensBoulevard des ItaliensThe boulevard des Italiens is one of the four 'grands boulevards' in Paris, a chain running east west and also including boulevard de la Madeleine, Boulevard des Capucines and boulevard Montmartre...
. - p.318 "Chambre des DéputésChamber of Deputies of FranceChamber of Deputies was the name given to several parliamentary bodies in France in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries:* 1814–1848 during the Bourbon Restoration and the July Monarchy, the Chamber of Deputies was the Lower chamber of the French Parliament, elected by census suffrage.*...
". The lower house of parliament from 1875 to 1940, during the French Third RepublicFrench Third RepublicThe French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
. - p.318 "England...bought the Suez CanalSuez CanalThe Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
...to strangle France's Empire". Great Britain bought the Egyptian share of Canal ownership in 1888. Prior to this, British troops occupied the Canal following the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War. - p.319 "the Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas" This was an important French merchant bankMerchant bankA merchant bank is a financial institution which provides capital to companies in the form of share ownership instead of loans. A merchant bank also provides advisory on corporate matters to the firms they lend to....
in 1890; now part of BNP ParibasBNP ParibasBNP Paribas S.A. is a global banking group, headquartered in Paris, with its second global headquarters in London. In October 2010 BNP Paribas was ranked by Bloomberg and Forbes as the largest bank and largest company in the world by assets with over $3.1 trillion. It was formed through the merger...
. - p.327 "Hotel du Louvre" - this Paris hotel fills a prominent block between the Palais RoyalPalais RoyalThe Palais-Royal, originally called the Palais-Cardinal, is a palace and an associated garden located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris...
and the LouvreLouvreThe Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
. - p.330 "Lapérouse" - the Left Bank restaurant.
- p.337 "all the way up to BellevilleBelleville, ParisBelleville is a neighbourhood of Paris, France, parts of which lie in four different arrondissements. The major portion of Belleville straddles the borderline between the 20th arrondissement and the 19th along its main street, the Rue de Belleville...
" - Belleville was annexed by the City of Paris in 1860. - p.343 "Longchamp". Longchamp Racecourse is a horse-racing facility located in the western end of the Bois de BoulogneBois de BoulogneThe Bois de Boulogne is a park located along the western edge of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, near the suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt and Neuilly-sur-Seine...
, which is also the western edge of Paris. - p.348 "the American railroad collapse" - probably refers to the Panic of 1873Panic of 1873The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
. - p.349 "back across the Bois de BoulogneBois de BoulogneThe Bois de Boulogne is a park located along the western edge of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, near the suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt and Neuilly-sur-Seine...
to Paris". One of two huge urban parks in Paris, part of the 19th century redesign of Paris by Baron HaussmannBaron HaussmannGeorges-Eugène Haussmann, commonly known as Baron Haussmann , was a French civic planner whose name is associated with the rebuilding of Paris...
. - p.350 "Avenue de la Grande Armée". One of the twelve grand avenues radiating away from the Arc de TriompheArc de Triomphe-The design:The astylar design is by Jean Chalgrin , in the Neoclassical version of ancient Roman architecture . Major academic sculptors of France are represented in the sculpture of the Arc de Triomphe: Jean-Pierre Cortot; François Rude; Antoine Étex; James Pradier and Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire...
; also part of Haussman's design. - p.355 "Bank of EnglandBank of EnglandThe Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
wouldn't have enough gold..." - these were the days of the "gold standardGold standardThe gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is a fixed mass of gold. There are distinct kinds of gold standard...
". - p.359 "No market [for automobiles in Britain] until the government allows them to go more than four miles an hour." This situation finally changed with the Locomotives on Highways Act 1896Locomotives on Highways Act 1896The Locomotives on Highways Act 1896 removed the strict rules and UK speed limits that were included in the earlier Locomotive Acts which had greatly restricted the adoption of motorised vehicles in the United Kingdom...
. - p.366 "a Rothschild or a ReinachJacques de ReinachBaron Jacob Adolphe Reinach , known as Jacques de Reinach was a French banker of Jewish German origin, involved in many major financial affairs of the era and finally brought down by the Panama scandal...
or a BaringBarings BankBarings Bank was the oldest merchant bank in London until its collapse in 1995 after one of the bank's employees, Nick Leeson, lost £827 million due to speculative investing, primarily in futures contracts, at the bank's Singapore office.-History:-1762–1890:Barings Bank was founded in 1762 as the...
". Three of the top families in European banking at the time. - p.368 "British Embassy". Then and now, located at 35 Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré.
- p.368 "Next came the Russian Embassy". A bit of a walk to Rue de Grenelle, across the SeineSeineThe Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
in the 7th arrondissement; now part of the Ministry of National EducationMinister of National Education (France)The Ministry of National Education, Youth, and Sport , or simply "Minister of National Education," as the title has changed no small number of times in the course of the Fifth Republic) is the French government cabinet member charged with running France's public educational system and with the...
complex. - p.392 "nearby English church" - refers to St. Michael's. The "" has been replaced.
London
- p.394 "arrived at Victoria...then drove directly to the Foreign Office" - refers to the building on WhitehallWhitehallWhitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, constructed in 1868. - p.395 "Glyn MillsWilliams & Glyn's BankWilliams & Glyn's Bank Limited was established in London in 1970, when the Royal Bank of Scotland merged its two subsidiaries in England and Wales, Williams Deacon's Bank Ltd. and Glyn, Mills & Co...
". A private London bank, established in 1753; it is part of RBS Group today. - p.395 "ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
is in a virtual state of war." The Revolución del Parque began in July, 1890. - p.396 "Just round the corner was Downing Street...past the Prime Minister's house10 Downing Street10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
...knocked on the door of Number 1111 Downing Street11 Downing Street , is the official residence of the Second Lord of the Treasury in Britain, who in modern times has always been the Chancellor of the Exchequer...
" - p.396 "Three men were already there: Lord RevelstokeEdward Baring, 1st Baron RevelstokeEdward Charles Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke , was a British banker.-Biography:A member of the famous Baring banking family, "Ned" Baring was the second son of Henry Baring from his second marriage, to Cecilia Anne . Sir Francis Baring, 1st Baronet, was his grandfather and Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of...
; William LidderdaleWilliam LidderdaleWilliam Lidderdale PC was a British merchant, and governor of the Bank of England between 1889 and 1892.Lidderdale was born to British parents at the British Chaplaincy in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and was educated at Birkenhead in Cheshire.After working for the Russian merchants Heath and Co, he...
, Governor of the BankBank of EnglandThe Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
; and George GoschenGeorge GoschenGeorge Goschen, 1st Viscount Goschen was a British statesman and businessman best remembered for being "forgotten" by Lord Randolph Churchill...
, the Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
." - p.400 "head of the English branch at this time was Natty Rothschild". His full name was Nathaniel Mayer de RothschildNathan Rothschild, 1st Baron RothschildNathan Mayer Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild, Baron de Rothschild was a British banker and politician from the international Rothschild financial dynasty.-Life and family:...
.
Paris
- p.403 "the Rothschild mansion in the Eighth Arrondissemant" - refers to the , Paris residence of Alphonse de Rothschild, Natty's cousin and head of the French branch of the family business.
- p.404 "M. Magnin...Bank of France". Pierre Magnin was Governor of the Bank of FranceGovernor of the Bank de FranceList of Governors of the Bank of France, which is a member of the European Central Bank:...
from 1881 to 1897. - p.406 "rue Daru...Alexander Nevski CathedralPatriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western EuropeThe Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe is an exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Russian Orthodox tradition, based in Paris, and having parishes throughout Europe, mainly in France. The Exarchate is sometimes known as Rue Daru from the street...
". The cathedral was and is the headquarters of the Russian Orthodox church in western Europe. - p.410 "Bismark has gone. The treatyReinsurance TreatyThe Reinsurance Treaty of June 18, 1887 was an attempt by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck to continue to ally with Russia after the League of the Three Emperors had broken down in the aftermath of the 1885 Serbo-Bulgarian War....
you [Russia] had with Germany went with him." German Chancellor Otto von BismarckOtto von BismarckOtto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
died in 1898. - p.432 "construction of the port of Nicolaieff [sic] on the Black Sea". The Black Sea ShipyardBlack Sea ShipyardThe Black Sea Shipyard is located in Mykolaiv, Ukraine and is the largest shipyard with near direct access to the Black Sea. It is most often referred to as the Nikolayev South Shipyard and was known as Soviet Shipyard No...
was established at NikolaevMykolaivMykolaiv , also known as Nikolayev , is a city in southern Ukraine, administrative center of the Mykolaiv Oblast. Mykolaiv is the main ship building center of the Black Sea, and, arguably, the whole Eastern Europe.-Name of city:...
in 1897.
Part Three – Venice 1867 – John Stone's story
- p.435 "Hotel Europa". The hotel was later the location of the original Harry's Bar.
- p.444 "Macintyre". The British expat engineer (no first name given) is a fictional character; perhaps loosely based on Robert WhiteheadRobert WhiteheadRobert Whitehead was an English engineer. He developed the first effective self-propelled naval torpedo. His company, located in the Austrian naval centre in Fiume, was the world leader in torpedo development and production up to the First World War.- Early life:He was born the son of a...
, inventor of the self-propelled (or "automobile") torpedoTorpedoThe modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
. - p.444 "Sottini's in MestreMestreMestre is a city part of the comune of Venice, in Veneto, northern Italy.The city is connected to Venice by a large rail and road bridge, called Ponte della Libertà ....
". Mestre is near Venice, on the mainland. - p.446 "as the Venetians themselves abandoned TorcelloTorcelloTorcello is a quiet and sparsely populated island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon. It is considered the oldest continuously populated region of Venice, and once held the largest population of the Republic of Venice.-History:...
". The natural island of TorcelloTorcelloTorcello is a quiet and sparsely populated island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon. It is considered the oldest continuously populated region of Venice, and once held the largest population of the Republic of Venice.-History:...
was the oldest and once the most populous area of Venice. Today it is almost deserted except for tourists. - p.473 Dunbury scandal: "a foolishly conceived scheme…railway built across a two-hundred-mile swamp in Russia" – historical or fictional? This incident is mentioned twice in the novel.
- p.485 "Laird's in Liverpool" Technically, the British ship builder was located in Birkenhead, across the MerseyRiver MerseyThe River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
from LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. Laird's later became part of Cammell LairdCammell LairdCammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, came about following the merger of Laird, Son & Co. of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co. of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century.- Founding of the business :The Company...
. - p.536 "you remember the AlabamaCSS AlabamaCSS Alabama was a screw sloop-of-war built for the Confederate States Navy at Birkenhead, United Kingdom, in 1862 by John Laird Sons and Company. Alabama served as a commerce raider, attacking Union merchant and naval ships over the course of her two-year career, during which she never anchored in...
?" The infamous Confederate raider was built by Laird's during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. - p.545 "San ServoloSan ServoloSan Servolo is an Italian island in the Venetian Lagoon, to the southeast of San Giorgio Maggiore.- History :Benedictine monks lived on this island from at least the eighth century and for almost five hundred years. They were joined later by nuns escaping from the convents of Saints Leone and...
. The island lies between San Marco and the Lido". - An early Benedictine monastery was established on the island, which later became a psychiatric hospital.
Historical liberties
- p.33 Kaiser Wilhelm is mentioned as being the grand-nephew of Queen Victoria. He was, in fact, her grandson.
- p.267 "the occupied part of Alsace...". The author probably meant LorraineLorraine (région)Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
rather than AlsaceAlsaceAlsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. The Treaty of Frankfurt (1871)Treaty of Frankfurt (1871)The Treaty of Frankfurt was a peace treaty signed in Frankfurt on 10 May 1871, at the end of the Franco-Prussian War.- Summary :The treaty did the following:...
ending the Franco-Prussian WarFranco-Prussian WarThe Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
ceded all of Alsace and northern parts of Lorraine to Germany, forming the new German imperial territory of Alsace-LorraineAlsace-LorraineThe Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
. Nancy, the capital of Lorraine, was close to the border between the two sections of divided Lorraine. Nancy is not so close to any part of Alsace.
Possible plot holes
- p.240 "Your account of the events you took part in was impeccable ..." A curious statement, written by Cort in 1943; the evidence in the novel is that Braddock's "account" existed before 1953 only in the form of private notes, which Braddock "digs out" after Elizabeth's funeral. This is not a problem related to any historical information - only a lack of internal consistency in the fictional history. However, Cort might be referring to Braddock's oral account that he offers to Cort during their one meeting in the hospital of 1910, not to the written account. Alternatively, as Cort is a very skilful spy, he may have gained access to Braddock's notes secretly around that time.
Awards and nominations
- Shortlisted for the 2010 Walter Scott PrizeWalter Scott PrizeThe Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction is a British literary award founded in 2010. At £25,000 it is one of the largest literary awards in the UK...
for historical fiction.(accessed 09-2010)