It is a joy to welcome Hazel back to the RNA
blog and to be able to read about her research techniques as well as details of
her latest novel.
The idea for my latest novel, THE GIRL FROM THE
SAVOY, first developed from a conversation with my editor about our mutual love
of the 1920s. I was intrigued by the idea of an ordinary working
girl integrating
with the social circles above her. The perfect setting for that to happen was one
of London’s iconic hotels of the era, and that working girl became Dolly Lane,
a chambermaid. I saw her very clearly and loved developing her story. Dolly is flawed
and makes mistakes, but refuses to let go of her hopes for a better life.She
is plucky heroine who I hope readers will be rooting for.
Initially, I was undecided between setting the
novel in The Ritz or The Savoy. I sent speculative enquiries to
both and made contact with Susan Scott, archivist at The Savoy. Susan has
worked at The Savoy for over twenty years and what she doesn’t know about the
hotel’s history frankly isn’t worth knowing! She was incredibly helpful, giving
me some great recommendations for reading about the history of the hotel.
Arnold Bennett’s Imperial Palace and Madeleine Grown Up by Mrs. Robert Henrey
were invaluable in researching life at the hotel, and in London, in the
1920s.
After early drafts, and several emails, chapters
and months later, I arranged to meet Susan at The Savoy. This meeting happened
to coincide with the 2015 RNA summer conference at Queen Mary University. I
left the conference for a few hours (did you miss me?!) made my way up West. To
sit in the beautiful lobby of The Savoy, talking about my fictional
interpretation of hotel in the 1920s was so wonderful. Susan patiently answered
all my questions, sharing invaluable knowledge about the hotel’s history - the
layout, terminology, famous guests, staff uniforms and routine. She also
recommended the lavender eclairs from Melba Patisserie in the Savoy Courtyard,
where you can buy the pastries offered at a Savoy afternoon tea. I took two
eclairs back to Queen Mary University and sat by the canal with Helen Rolfe
where we scoffed those eclairs in the sun before I returned to the conference
to deliver a talk on social media.
I’m so glad the setting for my novel turned out to
be The Savoy. I learnt so much about the hotel and its guests and it really is
the perfect setting for Dolly’s story.
One of my other favourite discoveries during my research was
learning about the ‘gallery girls’ of London’s West End theatres: working class
girls and women who watched their favourite stars from the cheap seats in the
theatre gallery. These women queued for hours at the stage door to get tickets,
and many lost shoes, hats and gloves as they raced inside as soon as the doors
opened, desperate to get to the best position at front of the gallery. Reports
from the time capture the hysteria the gallery girls created, such was their
excitement and admiration for the actors and actresses of the era. Dolly
was partly
inspired by the gallery girls: after the horrors of war, is it any wonder young
women dreamed of a better life – possibly a life on the stage?
The past is such a fascinating place to visit and I
hope my readers will enjoy stepping back into the 1920s with my characters
Dolly, Loretta, Teddy and Perry, and discovering all the passion and glamour of
that mesmerising era.
Links:
Twitter: @HazelGaynor
Facebook: hazelgaynorbooks
Thank
you so much Hazel and good luck with The Girl from the Savoy.
If you
would like to write for the RNA blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com
