We are delighted to welcome author KATE MORGAN to talk about her new book THE WALNUT TREE: WOMEN, VIOLENCE AND THE LAW, A HIDDEN HISTORY.
Kate Morgan’s fascinating new book The Walnut Tree lifts the lid on the shocking history of women under British law, and what it means for women today.
ABOUT THE WALNUT TREE
“A woman, a dog and a walnut tree, the more they are beaten, the better they’ll be.” So went the proverb quoted by a prominent MP in the Houses of Parliament in 1853. But were things about to change?
Kate investigates the legal campaigns, test cases and individual injustices of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, and explores the untold stories of women whose cases became cornerstones of our modern legal system; the uniquely abusive marriage which culminated in the dramatic story of the Clitheroe wife abduction, the domestic tragedies which changed the law on domestic violence; the controversies surrounding the Contagious Diseases Act and the women who campaigned to abolish it; and the real courtroom stories behind notorious murder cases such as the Camden Town Murder.
ABOUT KATE MORGAN
Kate Morgan is a writer and former solicitor. She worked as a senior in-house lawyer in the water industry for most of her legal career. Long fascinated with the darker side of the law, her writing focuses on British legal history and the stories behind the important cases that have shaped the law over the centuries. Her first book, Murder: The Biography, was published in 2021.
ABOUT THE EVENING
Kate will discuss her book, her research and inspirations with an interviewer from The Steyning Bookshop. The venue is the warm and comfortable Steyning Methodist Church.
Teas & Coffees will be available.
Doors open 7pm, start time 7.30pm.
‘Book with ticket’ option = £18 – Amazing value as the book alone is RRP £20
‘Ticket only’ option = £8 – Books available to buy on the night
Tickets available in the Steyning Bookshop, by phone on 01903 812062 or buy online tickets here:
