Gunpowder Plot post one: Interview with novelist Tony Morgan

           Interview with novelist Tony Morgan 

                                   

               

It is a pleasure to interview York based author Tony Morgan via email, who has written three novels related to 'The Gunpowder Plot. 'Remember, Remember the 6th of November', '7th November 1617', and 'The Pearl of York:Treason and Plot'. The first novel, as the title suggests is a rather different  unfolding of The Gunpowder Plot', as if the elements that make up the traditional narrative are all in freefall. Found the start was a bit awkward, then got totally caught up in the story. '7th November 1617' is a sequel, set in an alternative post Plot world. 'Pearl of York'.....looks at the formative years of Guy Fawkes, speculating about his gradual conversion to Catholicism, which coincided with the brutal public execution of local  butcher's wife Margaret Clitherow in 1586. Mistress Clitherow later became recognised as a Catholic martyr. 'Pearl of York' is one of those historical novels which are almost too effective. Though fiction, 'Pearl of York' shapes some readers view of Guy Fawkes, looking at the feedback it has received. More information on Tony's work can be found at author's website

     

1. Obvious question - how did your interest in The Gunpowder Plot come about? 

​

Well, a few years ago I was planning to write my first novel and looking for a subject. I took a creative writing class at York University and there was an exercise to write an enticing six-word title or first line for a book. It was Bonfire Night - November 5th - so I came up with "Remember, Remember the 6th of November".

After that, I began reading about the Plot and found it fascinating - particularly the parallels with the modern day - terrorists in London, splits with Europe and even government surveillance (although in those days it was more about spies in prominent households rather than CCTV and milking social media).

I'd found the topic for my first book and it's spiralled from there. Thankfully, the books have been well received. I also found myself being invited to deliver more and more talks about the real-life story of the Gunpowder Plot etc to local history groups and that's also been great.

2. How are Guy Fawkes and the other conspirators such as Kit and Jack Wright regarded in York - bearing in mind their local connections?

I think they are regarded with interest. Guy Fawkes in particular is a tourist attraction, with plaques and an inn named after him and another pub in the village of Scotton. There are also the links to St Peter's School etc. The Wright brothers are much less well known. When I give talks around York, the local people are very interested to find out more about all three of them.

3. Your novel 'Remember, Remember the 6th November' presents an 'alternative history' model of the 'Plot.   Whilst ' 7th November 1617' you go one further and offer an alternative post 'Plot world. What inspired you to construct these ?

Actually, the majority of "Remember, Remember" sticks pretty closely to real events, at least as we understand them. I did a lot of research to ensure this was the case. There obviously had to be some fictionalisation and, yes, I did insert a twist. I was most interested though by the parallels I saw with the modern day.

But in "7th November" I let my imagination fly. I wanted to explore the "what if" scenario of the Gunpowder Plot having been at least partially successful. How may the world have changed? For example, I was interested to see what sort of Queen King James I's daughter Elizabeth may have made and examine how the history of Ireland could have been different if James I's plantation plans had halted.

For my new book though, "The Pearl of York, Treason and Plot", I've definitely not strayed into alternative history territory. The plot line of what happened to Margaret Clitherow has been very well researched. And for the fictionalisation around Guy Fawkes' final days in York, something must have radicalised him. After all, he soon left England to fight for the Spanish Catholic cause in the Low Countries.

I wanted to tell a story about a young man with a potentially bright future and explore why he may have transformed himself into a soldier and a terrorist. I've included a short section at the end which clarifies the fact from the fiction.

4. In a similar vein, do you think that the downfall of the Plot was a foregone conclusion - in the sense that Robert Cecil knew what the conspirators wrote planning and decided to let it run to capture as many culprits at their most active?

That's a great question and nobody fully knows the answer. My own view is that Robert Cecil had discovered and was monitoring their plans, and waited to the last moment to foil the Plot to achieve maximum publicity and impact. He probably had an inside man by the end. Cecil was a spin doctor before his time. But that's just my opinion.

5. Do you think that there were Jesuit priests who knew about the 'Plot -outside the seal of confession? Or do think they were wrongfully implicated ? I am thinking  particularly of Henry Garnet for alleged complicity, getting executed in 1606.

Again, just my own view. I think the Jesuits knew and a few of them, certainly not all, may have been supportive. But Robert Cecil wanted rid of them and was struggling to find them. Any links he could manufacture between the Jesuits and the Plot would have greatly increased people's propensity to inform the authorities about where they were hiding. After that, it was a quick bit of torture in the Tower, a show trial and goodnight Father Garnet and several others.

6. In your novel ' The Pearl of York Treason and Plot' , you cover the possibility  that Guy Fawkes was brutalised by the ghastly execution of Mistress Marjorie Clitherow  from York, pressed to death between stones  in 1586 . What made you choose this subject for the novel ? 

I wanted to write a novel about Guy Fawkes's formative years set in Tudor York and as described above, I wanted to explore what may have caused his future radicalisation. As the protagonist in the novel, I've tried to get into his head as a teenage boy. He has aspirations for the future, falls in love for the first time, has friends and enemies at school and gets into fights. And then by accident, he falls within the sphere of York's underground Catholic community and Margaret Clitherow.

To write about this, I researched Margaret's life. It's a fascinating history of family, friends and local politics. A few weeks before she was arrested, her stepfather became Lord Mayor. The local council in York was in conflict with the Queen's Council of the North.

All this was happening during Guy's final school days. To me, their combined story is an engaging combination of fact and fiction, although parts of the fiction might even be true. We'll never know!

7. What books or on line documentaries would you recommend on the Gunpowder Plot?

By far, my biggest recommendation is to read Lady Antonia Fraser's book about the Gunpowder Plot. When I did my initial research, I used lots of sources but this book brought the history to life.

8 . Curious to know your views,who do you think sent the Monteagle letter ?  (Warning Catholic peer Lord Monteagle not to attend the opening of Parliament on 5th November ....who took the letter to the authorities) .

This is one of my favourite mysteries around the Plot. Monteagle could have written it himself because he knew Cecil was aware of the Plot and wanted to keep his hands clean. Cecil might have written it, or they may have written it together.

Three of the Plotters had large motives. Thomas Wintour used to work for Monteagle. Francis Tresham's sister was married to Monteagle. And Monteagle owed Thomas Percy a lot of money. Dead men make poor debtors.

It sounds more like an Agatha Christie novel than real life. But there you go - history is fascinating. I won't give you my answer as - spoiler alert - I cover this in "Remember, Remember".

9 Finally, what are your  future writing plans? 

I had started work earlier this year on a new novel based in Tudor York after Guy Fawkes left. However, I've since agreed to write a non-fiction book for a publisher about Margaret Clitherow and related topics. I'm so pleased - it's such a fascinating story, well beyond the religious angle. 

So, at the moment I'm very busy working to the publisher's deadlines on that. I'm sure much news will follow.

Ends

 I would like to thank Tony Morgan for taking the time to do an interview . Tony is on Facebook and also can be found on Twitter @morganthebook .

Further Links 

Have also covered the Gunpowder Plot in an interview with John Paul Davis last month on this blog. 

A companion blog to this one is World War 2 poetry

The  13th century history blog is still accessible but have not got round to adding to if for months now. 

I have a new Twitter account  A Burnt Ship @shipburnt 

Stay safe and well during this chaotic times. 

Michael Bully

October 2020