Bernie Morgan on writing her pioneering great-grandmother
All her life, Bernie has been interested in women and how much they achieve in the face of adversity. In bringing her great grandmother’s story to life, Bernie hopes to inspire readers to uncover their own family histories, and more women’s stories they can be proud of.
Tell us about your connection to Margate?
I have lived in Thanet for over 17 years, currently in Ramsgate. I owned a cafe in Margate and have been involved with Bookie virtually from the off.
Paint us a picture of your book, ‘The Amazing Life of Cecilia Chatterjee’?
Cecilia Chattergee was my great-grandmother, and one of India's first female lawyers. She broke every social barrier that she was supposed to observe. She was married four times and had 13 children. She was 48 when she married for the fourth time. Her husband was 23 years old. She lived through a plague, a famine and an earthquake. Her story is one of triumph over tragedy.
What are your most memorable moments from writing this book?
Uncovering her story which had got lost in family history because no-one really talked about her. Another was my research trip to India, visiting the church where her children were baptised. Very moving.
What is your goal in bringing Cecilia's story to a wider audience?
Originally, I wanted to tell her story for future generations of my family. But as I uncovered more of her story, I thought more people should know about her. It was about reclaiming women's histories and putting them in their rightful place, alongside men.
What are you currently working on?
I am working on a comic novel. Quite a change from Cecilia's story.
The Local Writers Showcase will take place at The Margate School on Tuesday, 1st October from 7.30-9.30pm. Other writers set to share their work are Jeanine Connor, Madeleine F White, Seb Reilly, Simon Mason, Gavin Boyter, Mike Goldwater & Sarah Tait, Andrew Dennis, Zita Whalley, Anna Gash, Naomi Gale, Sarah Bowman, Sarah Candlish, and Joshua Piercy. Tickets cost £5. Book yours here.