Flaming Nora: 5 Locations in The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon

Sunday, July 05, 2020

5 Locations in The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon

Would you like to know more about the locations I use in my novels? I hope that if you read the book, or if you've read it already, that these pictures might give some context and background and add a bit of depth to the locations I've written about.

Here we go with my top 5 favourite locations in The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon.

The book is available now in e-book and audiobook. The paperback is out on October 1st 2020. During July 2020 the e-book is available for just 99p, download it here.

The Uplands

The Uplands is the family home of the ruthless McNally family. I based the Uplands on a beautiful building in Ryhope called the Wilderness. It's a gorgeous building in Ryhope village, tucked away in Church Ward.

The picture at the top of this blog post shows the front door of the Uplands where a baby is left in a basket. A scarlet ribbon is tied to the basket's handle. And so begins the adventure of The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon!

Grand Hotel, Scarborough

Action in the book ranges from the coal mining community of Ryhope to the seaside town of Scarborough in Yorkshire. The Grand Hotel in Scarborough was one of Europe's finest and largest hotels when it was first built. Much of its splendour can still be seen to this day, although it's fair to say the hotel has now seen better days. When in Scarborough, do call in to have a wander about.

The staff at the hotel helped me with my research for The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon and gave me a guided tour. In my book, the hotel plays a pivotal role for James McNally.

Victoria Hall, Sunderland

Sunderland's Victoria Hall no longer exists but it leaves behind a heartbreaking tale that changed the law of the land in the UK. Its legacy is known to everyone in Sunderland and should never be forgotten. In 1883, 2,000 children attended a variety show. When it was announced that presents would be given out on stage, children in the upper balcony rushed down the stairs but became caught on a door which opened inward onto the staircase and was bolted. Only one child could get through at a time. In the resulting crush, 183 children aged between four and 14 died. This led to national safety legislation for entertainment venues, later being recognised as one of the first examples of Health and Safety legislation. The restored Victoria Hall Disaster Memorial stands in Mowbray Park as a memorial of the tragedy. I can't walk through the park without making a detour to visit the memorial, a mother with a dying child in her arms.

After the disaster, Victoria Hall remained open to the public and continued to host plays and performances. I wanted to include Victoria Hall in my book so that it wasn't forgotten. The characters discuss the children who died there and the disaster that took place. In The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon, Victoria Hall is where a very important plot point happens, on stage, a very dramatic moment that turns the book around.

St Paul's Terrace

This street does still exist in Ryhope to this day, but it looks very different indeed with different houses standing where those in the picture are. In The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon, St. Paul's Terrace plays a very important role for the heroine of the book (no spoilers!) and I can't say any more than that.

Ryhope Beach

The beach at Ryhope is fringed by cliffs and when the tide's in, the waves crash at the cliffs, creating caves at the base of the cliffs. Ryhope beach features in all of my books, whether it's a romantic liaison in the caves, a day playing in the sea, or danger on the cliff tops. However, in The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon Ryhope Beach plays a starring role in a very dramatic and dangerous way, much more so than in any of my other books.

The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon is available now in e-book and audiobook. The paperback is out on October 1st 2020. During July 2020 the e-book is available for just 99p, download it here.

And if you'd like to find out more about locations in my Ryhope-set novels, here you go: