Sadly missed - Frank Palmer

Frank started his writing career in the 1950s.

His first jobs were on local newspapers in Lincolnshire but he eventually went on to join the Daily Express and the Daily Mirror.




He took early retirement to concentrate on a career in writing detective novels.

'Unfit to Plead' introduced us to his most famous character, Detective Inspector 'Jacko' Jackson who was the backbone of a series of six thrillers.

'Jacko' was eventually replaced by Assistant Chief Constable Phil (Sweeney) Todd who survived for eight full length novels.

Another of his great passions was cricket - and Frank was often seen supporting his local team, Keyworth Cricket Club, of which he was vice-president.

Frank Palmer died last year at the age of 66.

Alan Sillitoe

Alan Sillitoe is perhaps the best known of all of Nottinghamshire's modern authors.

He certainly has a varied history, working on factory floors, as an air traffic control assistant, and as a wireless operator in the RAF until the end of the 1940s.

He began his writing career after leaving the RAF and lived for six years in France and Spain before his first stories were printed in the 'Nottinghamshire Weekly Guardian'.

His first novel, 'The Saturday Night and Sunday Morning' was published in 1958 and was an account of working class life in Nottingham. It was a bestseller and Alan Sillitoe became an overnight success!

His works include drama, crime, prose and poetry.

'Birthday', the sequel to 'The Saturday Night and Sunday Morning', is due to be published in April.