Brian Whittingham
{{Short description|Scottish writer (1950–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{sources|date=July 2010}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Brian Whittingham
| image =
| caption = Brian Whittingham reading an extract from a book in November 2018
| pseudonym =
| birth_date = 1950
| birth_place = Drumchapel, Glasgow, Scotland
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|1|19|1950|df=y}}
| occupation = Writer
| nationality = British
| website = {{URL|http://www.brianwhittingham.uk/}}
| imagesize =
}}
Brian Whittingham (1950 – 19 January 2022) was a Scottish writer, editor and lecturer on creative writing.
Early life and career
Brian Whittingham was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1950. He lived in a council tenement in Drumchapel until the early 1970s.
Before becoming a full-time writer he worked as a steelworker/draftsman in Glasgow shipbuilding yards close to the Titan Crane. He worked on the squad that built the QE2, launched 1967 and attended a gala dinner on board in 2008 to mark the ship's retirement to become a floating hotel in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai.
Personal life and death
He has two children. He enjoyed the Scottish climate and travel. He was an art fan with a preference for Post impressionists work.
Works
;Poetry
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110717175856/http://www.booksfromscotland.com/Books/Bunnets-N-Bowlers-9781906307943 Bunnets 'N' Bowlers (A Clydeside Odyssey)] (Luath Press)
- Drink The Green Fairy (Luath Press)
- Septimus Pitt & The Grumbleoids (Luath Press, illustrated by Mandy Sinclair)
- Old Man from Brooklyn and The Charing Cross Carpet (Maricat Press)
- Swiss Watches & The Ballroom Dancer (Taranis Books)
- Ergonomic Workstations & Spinning Tea Cans (Taranis Books)
- Industrial Deafness (Crazy Day Press)
;Editorial work
- Making Soup in a storm
- The Dynamics of Balsa
- Bucket of Frogs
- West Coast Literary Magazine
;Plays
- Diamonds in Bedlam
- The Devil's dandruff
- Boo!
- Smugglers and Black Damp
;Performance
- Ballad of the Big Ships - he read his poetry and told stories of his life in the shipyards.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/radioballads/2006/ships/|title=BBC - Radio 2 - 2006 Radio Ballads - The Ballad of the Big Ships|website=bbc.co.uk}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.brianwhittingham.co.uk/bigships.htm|title=brianwhittingham.co.uk|website=brianwhittingham.co.uk}}
He recorded Edwin Morgan's poem, "The Loch Ness Monster Song" as a tribute along with other invited poets, to celebrate Edwin's 80th Birthday.
His workshops have consisted of teenagers writing poems in the sand on the Normandy beaches, senior citizens writing their memories whilst sitting in tramcars in Glasgow's Transport Museum, youngsters writing plant poems in Glasgow's Winter Gardens and Hawaiian students writing dialect pieces in Seattle University.
He has worked as Writer in Residence for East Lothian Council.{{Cite web |url=http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=236 |title=Writers Groups |access-date=19 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824234253/http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=236 |archive-date=24 August 2010 |url-status=dead }} He has enjoyed long term fellowships at Yaddo in Seattle{{Cite web |url=https://www.artisttrust.org/about_us |title=About Artist Trust | |access-date=19 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613054558/http://artisttrust.org/about_us |archive-date=13 June 2010 |url-status=dead }} and Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship at Chevillon Grez in Paris.{{cite web |url=http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/1/latestnews/1005037.aspx |title=Scottish Arts Council - Writers awarded Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship |accessdate=2010-07-19 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100517035124/http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/1/latestnews/1005037.aspx |archivedate=17 May 2010 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
Sources
- [http://www.booksfromscotland.com/Authors/Brian-Whittingham Books From Scotland]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20101017034355/http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/contacts/brian-whittingham Scottish Book Trust]
- {{YouTube|R84weVC7jPk|The 3 Queens Video}}
{{Authority control}}
External links
- [http://www.brianwhittingham.uk/ Brian Whittingham]
- [http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/latest-news/2009/02/24/world-x2019-s-now-poet-x2019-s-oyster-87085-22990652/ Paisley Daily Express article]
- [http://heritage.scotsman.com/heritage/-Brian-Whittingham-started-as.5156138.jp Scotland Heritage & Culture]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100802000802/http://www.scotlandistheplace.com/stitp/1890.html Scotland is The Place]
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00khw4d BBC Radio-Stark interview]
- [http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/poetry-in-motion-brian-is-bard-of-the-yard-1.967947 Glasgow Evening Times article]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whittingham, Brian}}