Meet the author who hopes to achieve greater awareness of Whitehaven

Lorna Hunting herself is not local as she now resides in Stamford but she has links to Cumbria in that her forebears, the McAvoys and Devlins, fled the Irish famine and settled in Whitehaven. Lorna's grandmother, Mary Bell, was born in Parton and then emigrated to Canada. 

Apart from her general love of writing and her desire to share the stories she creates as a writer, Lorna hopes to achieve greater general awareness for Whitehaven town, its buildings, and its history.

This is why she has produced two books, one named New Beginnings on Vancouver Island and the other The Shackletons of Whitehaven.

New Beginnings on Vancouver Island begins in Whitehaven then transfers to Liverpool and Canada. It was inspired by Lorna's mother talking about her Devlin relatives going to Canada to help set up the coal mines there. It follows Stag Liddell, a Whitehaven collier, who signs up for Vancouver Island’s new coal mines. Where he meets ambitious school teacher Kate McAvoy on the dock in Liverpool.

The Shackletons of Whitehaven which is set wholly in Whitehaven takes inspiration for this was the town itself and Lorna's relatives who probably lived there at the time the book is set in 1860. This novel follows Fergus Shackleton, who after a disagreement with his overbearing father, Hector, head of the Shackleton shipping company in Whitehaven, is forced to forge his own path in life.

Lorna spoke about how she wants to promote the town in her books, saying:

"That's why I make a lot of references to streets and have a map at the beginning of Shackletons so people can get a real sense of where my characters are in the town."

"I am a historian and I have a strong sense of history and Whitehaven is a part of my personal history so although I don't live there I've always felt an affinity with it. It's such an interesting place, the streets are full of stories and characters for me."

Read more: The Whitehaven artist whose 'Street Scapes' promote Cumbria