Posted on

Lewes launch for the 100th Papers and Clare Best’s End of Season

28th September saw the launch of the 100th edition of The Frogmore Papers alongside Clare Best’s new bilingual Frogmore publication End of Season (Fine di Stagione) at the Elephant and Castle in Lewes.

From left: André Evans (co-founder of The Frogmore Press), Neil Gower (with original artwork for Frogmore Papers 100), Jeremy Page (holding first issue of The Frogmore Papers from 1983), Clare Best with her collection End of Season, Alexandra Loske (Managing Editor, with a copy of Frogmore’s 2019 anthology Pale Fire: New Writing on the Moon)

Frogmore Press Managing Editor Alexandra Loske welcomed a near capacity audience before handing over to Clare Best, who spoke about the background to her new work before reading a selection of the poems, which were delivered in both English and Italian. Frogmore Papers editor Jeremy Page then introduced the second part of the evening, with Frogmore co-founder André Evans reading his account of the Papers’ origins at the legendary Folkestone tea-rooms.

This was followed by readings from some of the more local contributors to the 100th edition: Stephen Bone (Newhaven), Neil Gower (Lewes/Berlin), Robin Houghton (Eastbourne), Wendy Klein (Lindfield), John O’Donoghue (Brighton), Peter Stewart (Lewes), Janet Sutherland (Lewes) and Margaret Wilmot (Selmeston).

This special issue of The Frogmore Papers is available post-free from The Frogmore Press, price £10.00. Clare Best’s End of Season is £12.00. Payment by cheque payable to The Frogmore Press, at 21 Mildmay Road, Lewes BN7 1PJ, or email frogmorepress@gmail.com for details of how to pay by BACS or PayPal.

Posted on

Frogmore hits 100 not out

The Frogmore Papers have published their 100th edition in their fortieth year. Number one hundred includes poems by Simon Armitage, Dean Atta, Mike Barlow, John Freeman, Christine McNeill, Myra Schneider, Catherine Smith, Janet Sutherland and fifty-two other outstanding poets, including those shortlisted for this years’ 36th Frogmore Poetry Prize, which was won by County Antrim poet Laura Jenner. There is short fiction from D S Curran, Catherine Kelley, Denise McSheehy and Mike Lewis-Beck, artwork from Lydia McDonnell, and a look back to the Papers’ origins from Frogmore co-founder André Evans.

Neil Gower, who is also a contributor, has created stunning cover art for this celebratory issue.

Frogmore Papers No 100, with cover art by Neil Gower

And as part of their mission to ensure the enduring appreciation of the work of Frogmore poets who are no longer with us, this special edition of the Papers features an extended ‘from the archive’ section showcasing the work of Elizabeth Bartlett, Ruth Bidgood, James Brockway, Linda Chase, Sam Gardiner, Geoffrey Holloway, Judith Kazantzis, Matthew Mead, Peter Russell and Carole Satyamurti.

The Frogmore Papers number 100 will be launched at the Elephant & Castle, White Hill, Lewes on 28 September, alongside Clare Best’s new bilingual Frogmore publication End of Season. Doors 7.00 pm, readings from 7.30. All welcome.

This special issue is available post-free from The Frogmore Press, price £10.00. Payment by cheque payable to The Frogmore Press, at 21 Mildmay Road, Lewes BN7 1PJ, or email frogmorepress@gmail.com for details of how to pay by BACS or PayPal.

Posted on

Free launch event for Echoes from the Old Hill, 1 June 2022, Lewes

The Frogmore Press has published a companion volume to its 2012 anthology, Poems from the Old Hill.  Echoes from the Old Hill, edited by Jeremy Page, brings together the work of eighteen widely-published poets resident in Lewes and will be launched at the Elephant & Castle, White Hill, Lewes, on Wednesday 1 June, 7.00 – 8.30pm (doors 6.45). All welcome, free admission. A number of contributors to the anthology will read.

Copies of Echoes from the Old Hill will be available at the launch (£10.00, cash or cheque only please), or can be purchased from Skylark in the Needlemakers or post free from The Frogmore Press at 21 Mildmay Road, Lewes BN7 1PJ (cheques payable to ‘The Frogmore Press’).

Contributors to the anthology are: John Agard, Colin Bell, Patrick Bond, Molly Chasseaud, Caroline Clark, James Flynn, Charlotte Gann, Martin Gayford, Neil Gower, Grace Nichols, Jeremy Page, Rachel Playforth, Ann Segrave, Catherine Smith, Peter Stewart, Janet Sutherland, Chris Sykes and Marek Urbanowicz.

Posted on

The Old Hill is alive with poetry: A new Lewes anthology out now

The Frogmore Press has today published a new anthology of work by poets resident in Lewes: Echoes from the Old Hill, edited by Jeremy Page.

A companion volume to Poems from the Old Hill (Frogmore Press, 2012), it features work from eighteen widely published poets including John Agard, Grace Nichols, Catherine Smith and Janet Sutherland, and will be launched at the Elephant and Castle, White Hill, Lewes, on Wednesday 1 June 2022, 7pm (free, no booking necessary, all welcome).

The arresting cover image of the chalk cliff overlooking the river and railwayland is by local artist Neil Gower.

Copies of the book (£10.00 post free) are available from: The Frogmore Press, 21 Mildmay Road, Lewes BN7 1PJ; or can be purchased locally from Skylark in the Needlemakers.

Posted on

Join us at free book launch event for Neil Gower, Jeremy Page, and Marion Tracy – Wednesday, 6 October, 7pm, Lewes

On 6 October 2021, the eve of National Poetry Day, three new titles from The Frogmore Press will be launched upstairs at the Elephant & Castle pub in Lewes. These are Neil Gower’s debut poetry collection Meet Me in Palermo, Jeremy Page’s The Naming and Marion Tracy’s Evidence of Love. All are welcome and admission is free but space is limited, so if you’d like to come please reserve a place by contacting frogmorepress@gmail.com. Doors 7.00 pm and readings from 7.30.

Elephant & Castle Pub, White Hill, Lewes BN7 2DJ

These titles will all be available for purchase on the night and can also be obtained from Skylark in the Needlemakers, Lewes, Much Ado Books in Alfriston, or direct (and post free) from The Frogmore Press.Email: frogmorepress@gmail.com

Meet Me in Palermo and The Naming are £10.00, Evidence of Love is £5.00.

Payment can be made in the old fashioned way by cheque, payable to The Frogmore Press (at 21 Mildmay Road, Lewes BN7 1PJ), by PayPal to Alexbythesea@hotmail.com or by BACS to:
Account name: The Frogmore Press Account number: 01436686 Sort code: 40-14-28
If paying by PayPal or BACS please confirm purchase by contacting frogmorepress@gmail.com with your postal address.

Posted on

Three new Frogmore Press collections out now: Neil Gower, Jeremy Page, Marion Tracy

Three new collections of poetry are published by the Frogmore Press today (Monday 6 September).

Renowned graphic artist Neil Gower’s first collection, Meet Me in Palermo, has a long-distance love affair at its heart, but a whole life, full of fear and hope, pressed between its pages.

Jeremy Page’s The Naming revisits some familiar subjects from his last collection (Closing Time from Pindrop Press, 2014), but has been described as his darkest, most lyrical work to date.

And Marion Tracy’s pamphlet, Evidence of Love, provides evidence of all kinds – personal, political, mythical. Earthy and literary, in poems that embrace uncertainty from the beginning.

The Naming by Jeremy Page (£10.00)

Meet Me in Palermo by Neil Gower (£10.00)

Evidence of Love by Marion Tracy (£5.00)

You can order post-free directly from The Frogmore Press. Copies available at Skylark Shop, Lewes. There will be a combined launch event in Lewes in early October. Details soon.

Posted on

Poetry South East 2020 anthology now published

The third Frogmore Press Poetry South East anthology, showcasing the work of poets from Kent, Surrey and East and West Sussex, has been published and is now available from the Frogmore Press (£7.50 post free).

Poetry South East 2020
Cover art: Neil Gower

The original series was published by South East Arts between 1976 and 1983, with Howard Sergeant editing the first and Anthony Thwaite the last. The Frogmore Press revived the series with Poetry South East 2000 and published Poetry South East 2010 ten years later.

The latest incarnation boasts another striking cover by Neil Gower, who designed the covers for both its predecessors, and includes poems by three poets whose work appeared in Poetry South East 1 back in 1976: John Arnold, Ian Caws and John Rice. In total fifty-two poets, among them John Agard, Brendan Cleary, Sasha Dugdale, Maria Jastrzębska, Patricia McCarthy, John McCullough, Grace Nichols, Catherine Smith, Susan Wicks and Jackie Wills have contributed to this unique survey of poetry from the region.

If you would like to purchase a copy (£7.50, post free) please write to us or email frogmorepress@gmail.com 

Posted on

‘Pale Fire – the Moon in Poetry and Art’ at the New Venture Theatre in Brighton on 29 November 2019

If you missed the launch of Pale Fire – New Writing on the Moon earlier this year, here is your second chance to hear from some of the contributors, at a very special venue.
The Moon has inspired lovers, poets and artists since time began and was in fact our first timekeeper. This year it has been 50 years since humans first set foot on the Moon. Join us for an evening of lunar poetry hosted in collaboration with the The New Venture Theatre in Brighton.

Writer and editor Alexandra Loske will introduce new and classic writing on the Moon, composed, chosen and read by contemporary poets and NVT members.

Poets performing will be: Jeremy Page, Maria Jastrzębska, John O’Donoghue, Chris Sykes, Stephen Plaice, Chris McDermott, Seema Kapila, Claire Booker, Zel Norwood, Neil Gower and Janet Sutherland.

Friday 29th November 7.45pm (doors open at 7pm)
New Venture Theatre
Bedford Place
Brighton
BN1 2PT
Posted on

The Frogmore Papers 93 now available, post-free

As The Frogmore Papers approach their 36th birthday, the 93rd issue has been published. With poetry from  James Aitchison, Sharon Black, Maggie Butt, Ian Caws, Stuart Pickford, Gill McEvoy, Clare Best, Neil Gower, Fred Johnston, Nancy Mattson, Michael Bartholomew-Biggs, Karen Smith, Michael Curtis, Fokkina McDonnell, David Shields, and many others, prose from Mark Czanik, as well as reviews of latest literary publications, the issue promises and delivers a very varied read. The cover design is by Guildford-based artist Jane Chapman, who was also responsible for the cover of The Frogmore Papers’ 27th edition back in 1990!

Available post-free from the Frogmore Press at £5. Also at Skylark in Lewes.