Over the last week there has been an exhibition at the Abingdon County Hall Musuem about one of the most influential novelists of the twentieth century – Dorothy Richardson, who was born in Abingdon.

She lived for the first 8 years of her life in Abingdon and the exhibition tells us about her grandfather – a successful local trader, and her father who aspired to escape trade and become a gentleman of leisure.

She lived for the first 8 years of her life at number 18 Park Crescent in Abingdon.

A few years ago I believe there was a discussion at the Oxfordshire Blue Plaques scheme about who next to honour in Abingdon. In contention was Arthur Preston, a local historian and civic dignitary of local importance, and Dorothy Richardson, the creator of a new style of female novel, labeled ‘stream of consciousness’. They both lived at the same house, and the blue plaque went to Arthur Preston.

Dorothy Richardson is held in great honour and people came on pilgrimage throughout the week of the exhibition from far flung places.

This was also a chance for some of us who live in  the town of her birth to become acquainted with her works for the first time.

She wrote a series of thirteen novels – together called Pilgrimage – following the life of Miriam. The first is called ‘Pointed Roofs’. You can find out more at http://dorothyrichardson.org/ which includes a review of the exhibition at the Dorothy Richardson Blog.