British Library loans Blackman works to Norfolk

12 October 2024

Andrew Turner

BBC News, Norfolk

Reporting fromGreat Yarmouth

Malorie Blackman is one of the UK's most successful children's authors

Paul Akinrinlola Malorie Blackman smiling and looking directly at the camera — Malorie Blackman is one of the UK's most successful children's authors

A collection of books and illustrations used within the works of one of the UK's most celebrated Black authors has opened in a Norfolk seaside town.

The British Library has loaned its Malorie Blackman collection to the Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth.

Blackman, who was Children's Laureate from 2013 to 2015, wrote children's and young adult classics including the Noughts and Crosses series and Thief, saying she began writing because she had felt unrepresented in literature as a child.

Natalie Fairweather, exhibitions officer for Norfolk Museums Service, said there were many conditions attached to the loan but she said it was worth the effort to host a nationally-important collection.

Malorie Blackman began writing because she felt unrepresented in literature during her childhood

Andrew Turner/BBC Malorie Blackman on a video screen with artworks used to illustrate her books on display at the Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth — Malorie Blackman began writing because she felt unrepresented in literature during her childhood

Exhibitions officer Natalie Fairweather says the loan of the collection comes with many stipulations, including dim lighting which means visitors are given torches to highlight texts

Andrew Turner/BBC Natalie Fairweather wearing a black top, pictured near the collection of rejection letters sent to Malorie Blackman by publishers. — Exhibitions officer Natalie Fairweather says the loan of the collection comes with many stipulations, including dim lighting which means visitors are given torches to highlight texts

Ms Fairweather said the exhibition highlights Blackman's struggle to break through prejudice with publishers to get stories representing the Black community into the mainstream.

She said: "It's a really important and beautiful touring exhibition from the British Library, and we have worked really closely with them to bring Malorie's story to Yarmouth.

"She's a woman who fought against prejudices in her childhood. She really wanted to see herself in literature; she didn't see herself in a lot of the stories she had as a child.

"She worked really hard with Black British publishers, persevered and eventually got her stories out there.

"She's got 70 books out now and she's a household name, OBE, winner of the Children's Laureate medal in 2013, she's a really important character and it's important to bring her story to Yarmouth."

A collection of rejection letters are on display, including one that misspelled her name and was sent almost two years after she submitted her work

Andrew Turner/BBC Picture of a letter dated 5 December 1991, which reads:
Dear Marlorie (with a crossed out 'r') Blackman
To my great embarrassment, I've just discovered that I may have been holding onto your novel, HACKER, since February 1990. Many apologies! I'm afraid we are not publisihing any teenage novels in the near future, and I'm returning the manuscript to you. With best wishes. — A collection of rejection letters are on display, including one that misspelled her name and was sent almost two years after she submitted her work

Malorie Blackman's Children's Laureate Medal forms part of the exhibition

Andrew Turner/BBC Malorie Blackman's Children's Laureate medal which was presented to her in 2013 when she became Children's Laureate. — Malorie Blackman's Children's Laureate Medal forms part of the exhibition

Ms Fairweather said visitors will notice the exhibition is dimly lit because the works on paper are sensitive to light.

That means visitors will be offered torches to help illuminate texts so they can read them without causing damage to the paper or print.

"We have to keep it dark because it's work on paper," she added.

"We don't want the light to damage it so we have little torches available so you [visitors] can read labels and spotlight on things you can't see.

"It's really important that the collections and big exhibitions from the London institutions come out to these places. Not everybody has the ability to go down to London."

The BBC Computer, which Malorie Blackman used to write her early works, forms part of the collection, with a picture of her using it

Andrew Turner/BBC The BBC Computer, which Malorie Blackman used inside an exhibition display case, with a picture of her using it. — The BBC Computer, which Malorie Blackman used to write her early works, forms part of the collection, with a picture of her using it

A collection of books and novels are on display through the museum, with many of the artworks used for book covers and illustrations also forming part of the exhibition

Andrew Turner/BBC A selection of Malorie Blackman's books in a display case, on a perspex stand — A collection of books and novels are on display through the museum, with many of the artworks used for book covers and illustrations also forming part of the exhibition

The exhibition, Malorie Blackman: The Power of Stories, is open at the Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth until Sunday 9 February 2025. There is an entry charge to the museum which allows access to the collection.

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