Jane Duncan
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Jane Duncan (March 10, 1910-October 20, 1976) was the pseudonym of Scottish writer Elizabeth Jane Cameron, best-known for her My Friends series of semi-autobiographical novels. She also wrote four novels under the name of her principal heroine Janet Sandison, and some children's books.
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[edit] Biography
Jane Duncan was born in Renton, West Dunbartonshire and brought up in the Scottish Lowlands where her father was a police officer, but much of her childhood was spent in the Highlands on the Black Isle in Easter Ross, on her grandparents' croft "The Colony": the "Reachfar" of her novels. She graduated in English from the University of Glasgow and did various secretarial jobs before serving as a Flight Officer (Intelligence), WAAF during World War II alongside the choreographer Frederick Ashton. She afterwards lived in Jamaica for ten years, returning to Jemimaville, near "The Colony", in 1958 as a widow. In 1959 Duncan became something of a publishing sensation when Macmillan Publishers announced that it would be publishing seven of her manuscripts, the first to be produced being My Friends the Miss Boyds. The nineteenth and last of the series, My Friends George and Tom, was published in 1976. The biographical background to her writing is given in her Letter from Reachfar (1975) (ISBN 0-333-18755-5).
[edit] Writing
The "Reachfar" (My Friends) series is narrated by Janet Sandison and follows her life (which in outline parallels that of the author) from the World War I period through to the 1960s, depicting the people she encounters and showing how her crofting upbringing influences her in whatever society and geographical location she finds herself.
In the four-novel Jean Robertson sequence (1969-75), notionally written by Sandison (who herself becomes an author), the heroine and part-narrator moves from bleak beginnings in the town of "Lochfoot" (based on Balloch, West Dunbartonshire) to become a house-servant in the interwar period, influencing for good the lives of many around her.
The five-book "Camerons" series for children have a contemporary setting (being inspired by the author's niece and nephews, "The Hungry Generation") and are particularly notable for including the young Iain who has learning difficulties. Camerons on the Train was filmed as The Camerons (Children's Film Foundation, 1974).
[edit] Bibliography
As Jane Duncan:
My Friends the Miss Boyds
My Friend Muriel
My Friend Monica
My Friend Annie
My Friend Sandy
My Friend Martha's Aunt
My Friend Flora
My Friend Madame Zora
My Friend Rose
My Friend Cousin Emmie
My Friends the Mrs. Millers
My Friends from Cairnton
My Friend my Father
My Friends the MacLeans
My Friends the Hungry Generation
My Friend the Swallow
My Friend Sashie
My Friends the Misses Kindness
My Friends George and Tom
Autobiography:
Letter from Reachfar
Children's books:
Camerons on the Train
Camerons on the Hills
Camerons at the Castle
Camerons Calling
Camerons Ahoy!
Herself and Janet Reachfar
Janet Reachfar and the Kelpie
Brave Janet Reachfar
Janet Reachfar and Chickabird
As Janet Sandison
Jean in the Morning
Jean at Noon
Jean in the Twilight
Jean Towards Another Day
[edit] External links
[edit] Further reading
- Hart, Francis Russell (1978). The Scottish Novel: a critical survey. London: John Murray. ISBN 0719535344.
