Witham and District Ladies Probus Club
When the Witham and District Ladies Probus Club met in May, Ralph Needham came to talk and mentioned how a chance encounter had made him into an author.
It is said everyone has a book in them – and this happened to Ralph.
His family has farmed in the Louth area for more than 200 years; his son and grandson are now continuing this tradition.
One of his grandfathers started to breed thoroughbred racehorses.
One of these was sold for £2,000, which would be worth more than £1million today.
Another grandfather emigrated to America – a very brave thing to do at that time.
Ralph reminisced about village life; about crow pies, candlemas fairs, sausage and chine making.
His records of his ancestors’ lives led him to be contacted by author Miranda France, who encouraged him to become a writer.
So Ralph has written Conscience Hill - about his family farm - and Destiny’s Talisman - set in an imaginary place called Hoult, an anagram of Louth.