Winston Graham surrounded by Poldark actors Ross Aidan turner Demelza Eleanor tomlinson and others

"First of all, because their observations (the press) are often quite wrong, which I didn't mind so much, and because their memory is frequently haywire and they twist things round in their heads."

Winston Graham on why he did not like giving interviews to publicise his books- Women's weekly 30th July 1983 'Article 'The Poldark Author'

With some commentary along the way this post is a collection of comments and statements given by Winston Graham about his Poldark book saga. It includes his thoughts on the story line, some of the characters and also the television adaptation he lived to see.

Given the significant number of books that Winston Graham wrote in his lifetime, beyond just the twelve in the Poldark series, he nevertheless did not give many interviews as part of publicity for each book. He was not keen to, though he loved meeting readers that came to events. However, perhaps it is the case that overall he seemed to give disproportionately more interviews for his Poldark books than his other books. Despite this they are still few and far between over the years and perhaps even then the content would only be as in depth as the depth that the interviewer's questioning allowed for. The same applies for the range of topics covered about the Poldark story and themes through them. But Winston Graham was a man who was quite private and ultimately he revelled in the idea of being successful but unknown. Therefore what is available of Winston Graham's thoughts on Poldark will surely be precious for those that love his saga and wish to understand his thinking and inspiration behind the many different aspects of it.

Winston Graham did explain his reluctance to do publicity for his books by the mode of giving interviews. Across some of his interviews he expressed his view that the writer of a book should not be the focus and therefore he preferred to stay as private as possible. He also indicated that he felt shy and nervous upon release of a new book as to readers then knowing his inner thoughts through his writing. However, alongside this, in his interview for 'Women's weekly' in 1983 (as quoted above) Winston went further in revealing that another gripe related to his reluctance was the incorrect observations that the press often made of his stories. Therefore, perhaps the greater fear for Winston Graham was readers reading and misunderstanding the story he was trying to tell or being led to this by the press. An exact example of this occurrence can found in this post in relation to dialogue he had with John Dunn during an interview he did with him for BBC Radio 2. Here Winston Graham corrected John's perception of the character of Elizabeth in Poldark. Hence, there is great value in hearing directly from Winston.

Winston Graham interviewed on the Terry Wogan show
with Robin Ellis who played Ross Poldark in the
first BBC adaptation in the 1970s

The third part of the collection of Winston Graham's comments are about the BBC adaptation of Poldark in the 1970s (which ran up to two series to the end of 'The Angry Tide'). The sway of these comments document that correct interpretations and observations based on his intention with his story was very important to Winston Graham, and that incorrect observations irked him significantly. Certainly he might feel this more so if shared to a mainstream audience at scale (as would be by the press). Winston Graham admitted that he did not even read reviews of his books and it is an easy guess that this was partially to protect his peace of mind lest he find that the reviewer totally misunderstood his story and furthermore gave the wrong impression to potential readers of his story. But this is why, since observations will be made of his story, then at least the handful of interviews and comments Winston Graham gave for insight and guidance provide a wonderful opportunity for readers to understand more deeply and confidently the story, it's themes, his characterisations as he, Winston Graham, was trying to portray this.

Spanning across a number of years the statements and comments listed in this post are taken from various sources including published interviews given by Winston Graham, letters he wrote and his own autobiographical offerings. In addition to the guidance and understanding they offer on his outlook for certain aspects of the saga, they definitely also convey his passion and connection with his story which meant that whilst he constantly announced he was finished with the Poldark, he ended up continuing with this throughout over a 50 year period up to his death and including even short stories. This post will also include some comments made by Winston Graham's two children; Andrew Graham and Rosamund Barteau. This is not so much on their thoughts on Poldark but more so on their comments on their father's thoughts and behaviour in respect of Poldark. This is in so far as they provide an eye witness account to his attitude as Poldark branched out to take form outside of the books to screen.

Winston Graham On The Poldark Story Line

"I had no thought when I began Ross Poldark of a continuing series of books. It was just to be a story of eighteenth century Cornwall, with a gloomy beginning and a happy ending, and that was that."

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg 82

"I had no intention of writing anything like a saga. But there was the theme I wanted to express, dealing with the Ross-Elizabeth-Francis triangle, which it was clear I had not even begun to complete by the end of the first novel. Into it also there had come the engaging and vital character of Demelza, who by now was intent on altering the shape of the story."

Woman (Magazine) December 10 1977 - Interview Article called 'Poldark-How it all Happened'

💡Comment

This is an interesting comment as one could think that the Ross-Elizabeth-Francis triangle of the two men loving (or thinking they love) one women, was impacted significantly when Elizabeth appeared to close herself off to Ross through her marriage to Francis. The suggestion that Demelza's arrival into the story altered the shape of it suggests that without this the marriage to Francis was not a complete bar to Elizabeth and Ross having a love story or some romance even if ilicit. This is supported by Elizabeth's visit to Ross at Nampara three years later where she seemed to be seeking some sort of romantic reconciliation with Ross. This was only to be stopped in her tracks when she realised there was something between him and Demelza already. Then once again Demelza proved a definite bar when after 9th May 1794 when Ross slept with Elizabeth, he chose Demelza over her and declared his discovery that by then he knew for sure that his true and real love was with her and not Elizabeth.

"Towards the end of Ross Poldark it became clear that I had far more to say and to tell than could be contained within a single book. There has to be another, and perhaps even one after that."

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg83

" 'Demelza' was finished lovingly in May and June, and was published in December 1946, with acclaim and sales similar to its predecessor."

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg97

"...it is most important ...-to deal as much as possible in historical fact....As a selection:...Ross's attempt to start a copper smelting company in Cornwall to compete against the companies of South Wales which used to send the coal and take copper away by sea; and the failure of the attempt. Not precise as to detail, but accurate in general terms about such an attempt which was made at the time."

Winston Graham - Poldark's Cornwall 1983

"The first four books were not, as is generally supposed, sequels of one another but one very long novel which broke off at convenient points. The end of the fourth book … was the end of the tale."

Woman (Magazine) December 10 1977 - Interview Article called 'Poldark-How it all Happened'

"It is impossible to say at this late date where the original inspiration of the story came from....... Obviously a soldier coming home from the wars and finding his girl about to marry another man, and picking up a waif at a fair, discovering she's a girl when he thinks her a boy, taking her home and seeing her grow into a pretty woman who eventually becomes the heroine. "

A Speech by Winston Graham - 'The Craft Of The Historical Novelist' - published in the 'Journal Of The Royal Institution Of Cornwall 1977'

"When I was in my later teens I read a short story-hardly more than an anecdote -by the German writer, Herman Sudermann, about a beautiful woman who made a wrong decision in her youth, which ruined the lives of the two men who loved her. This remained in my mind and would not be banished; years later that seed came to life in the story of Ross Poldark, Francis Poldark, his cousin, and Elizabeth Chynoweth, whom they both wished to marry."

Woman (Magazine) December 10 1977 - Interview Article called 'Poldark-How it all Happened'

💡Comment

Since Winston Graham professed that he did write a happy ending and presumably this was for Ross and Demelza, retrospectively it would be fair to conclude that in the end Demelza's altering effect meant that Ross's life did not experience ruination, whilst Francis and Elizabeth's arguably did.

'I remember once asking my father how he had come up with something as complex as the Poldark story and his reply was "I could have written it on a postcard!" He meant that, in essence, it is the story of three men (Ross, Francis and George) all loving, or thinking they love, the same woman, Elizabeth.'

Andrew Graham on Winston Graham - The Sunday Times, 28 August 2016

John Dunn To Winston Graham: "It was Elizabeth that in fact united the two families by marriage. I mean, they were actually sort of enemies, but it was Elizabeth ... She was a Poldark, wasn't she?"

"No, Elizabeth was ... No, she divided the families. Elizabeth was a Chynoweth who was going to marry Ross -"

Dialogue from The John Dunn Show, BBC Radio 2, 27 June 1991 - where Winston corrects Dunn's incorrect observation on Elizabeth's role in his saga.

💡Comment
As mentioned at the top of this post, this is an example of a media figure reading yet misunderstanding a key concept and theme of Winston Graham's story as he intended it to be understood and in fact thinking the opposite. Although this is a reason Winston Graham expressed that this was a reason he did not like to give interviews to the press, perhaps it is a reason he should have given more on specific points and themes. However there was indeed no convincing story line in the saga of Elizabeth having a unifying role. This is especially where Elizabeth married Ross's cousin which set off a cooling between them for a while. In fact Winston Graham continues the theme of Elizabeth dividing families in the next set of books as she sought to keep Geoffrey Charles away from Nampara and Morwenna away from Drake.

"When Elizabeth, widowed in a mining accident, agrees to marry George, Ross, goaded beyond endurance, calls upon her one night and takes her by force."

Winston Graham discussing his leading characters for Radio Times - 11th September 1977 (issue 2809)

💡Comment
The incident between Ross and Elizabeth on that 9th May 1794 night is topical because in the writing Winston Graham was neither explicit that this was not a case of rape or that it was. His definitive position on it may seem obscure. This comment above, along with narration in the last book 'Bella Poldark', that Ross was taken to the very bedroom 'where he had taken Elizabeth against her will' leans to a negative direction. However readers can be conflicted by the equally conflicting reflections of Ross and Elizabeth where she seemed to see herself as a victim and Ross as a bully, while Ross reflected that he had taken her against her will but that he did not think it was so much against her will 'in the end'.

"This (Ross taking Elizabeth by force) does not, however, prevent the marriage, nor does it stop George, unaware of what happened, from establishing himself in the old Poldark home, only four miles from where Ross and Demelza live."

Winston Graham discussing his leading characters for Radio Times - 11th September 1977 (issue 2809)

"It is the story of a man who is deprived of the woman he loves, then discovers once he has her, that he is really in love with his wife."

Opelousas- Daily World 25/06/1978 Article : 'Winston Graham Goes A Second Round'

"I wrote the (first) four books back in the ice age. They complete a cycle: the relationship between Ross and Elizabeth."
Opelousas- Daily World 25/06/1978 Article : 'Winston Graham Goes A Second Round'

"Before Elizabeth marries George Ross has his way with her ....Ross finds that his desire for Elizabeth is a sham."
Winston Graham's handwritten story plan notes - Poldark note book 2 (Early) page166 (The Courtney Library at The Cornwall Museum)

💡Comment
This is another revealing insight from Winston Graham as it compliments the two comments from Winston Graham above that precedes it. This, along with Ross's declaration to Demelza at the end of 'Warleggan' points towards Winston Graham's unveiling the essence of the happy ending he spoke so much about. This is Ross's eventual conscious understanding that he had idealised Elizabeth and that following his night with her he no longer desired her and further more realised that his desire had not been based on reality (hence it was a sham desire). He desired only his wife, and knowing and truly valuing her and her qualities made his love for her true and real. Winston Graham's comment about a completed cycle in the relationship between Ross and Elizabeth seems to alludes to the narrative of finished business and that thereafter Ross and Elizabeth no longer desired each other and other than the issue of Valentine's paternity things had 'worked itself out' (see Winston Graham's comment below) so that they could be happy in their marriages and dedicated only to their respective spouse. It it notable that there was little thought of Elizabeth by Ross in the following books or a stark change in the nature of this which came without longing. However, Winston Graham was able to ensure that the consequences of the night of 9th May 1794 meant that from that perspective there was not quite the clean break than there would have been if not for the paternity issue and Ross facing the extent of the upset he had caused Elizabeth when he had an impromptu meeting with her in 'The Four Swans'.

"The end of the fourth book, Warleggan, was the end of the tale. The results of Elizabeth's mistaken choice had by now worked itself out, not only in the lives of Ross and Francis but in her own. The fact that in the writing the Ross-Demelza relationship had become far more important than any other, did not affect the original theme."

Winston Graham -Woman (Magazine) December 10 1977 - Interview Article called 'Poldark-How it all Happened'

💡Comment

This seems a particularly revealing comment from Winston Graham. By stating that Ross and Demelza's relationship did not affect his original theme Winston implies that writing these first four books over an eight year period from 1945-53, that there was never an intention in his story plan that Ross and Elizabeth would be together, but instead that Ross and Demelza were destined to be. Winston Graham reinforces that whilst the Elizabeth and Ross relationship provides the tensions (conflict) in the story, that it is was a device for the more 'important' relationship (being the Ross and Demelza one) which was the saga's primary and successful love story. Secondly, though following the collapse of her marriage, Elizabeth gave Ross the impression that she discovered she loved him and that she had made a mistake in marrying Francis instead, Winston again undermines the idea that they were meant to be or that they were like star crossed love by stating that by the end of those four books things had 'worked itself out'. Further more he saw this as a 'happy ending' which it would not quite be if in fact Ross and Elizabeth were right for each other and should have been together.

".....when I'd finished the fourth, which is called Warleggan, I felt that this was the end of what I had to say and to start again would have meant all the dangers of what a sequel can offer, which is staleness and repetitiveness, so it was eighteen years before I came back to them and then there seemed to me to be a new theme starting up and this has filled three more novels."

Winston Graham interviewed Desert Island Discs, 26 November 1977 BBC Radio 4 by Roy Plomley

"I wanted to do a love story with a happy ending and that was it. But when I got to the end I realised there was so much more I had to say and it occurred to me I might write a second and a third."

Brighton's Evening Argus, Weekend magazine, 20/21 January 2001 Article; 'Master of Poldark' by Angela Wintle

"After a lapse of so many years, I began a fifth Poldark book with a sense of adventure but in some trepidation; but after a few chapters the thing caught fire; and, whatever the ultimate reception from the press or the public, the book gave me such pleasure to write that I count the last few months of last year as among the happiest of my life."

Winston Graham to his Doubleday editor Kevin McCormick

"So The Black Moon was begun, and after initial difficulties, gradually began to flow, just as the others had. And as I wrote it a new theme appeared, growing entirely out of the circumstances of the old. And this theme-which involves the parentage of Elizabeth's son, Valentine Warleggan-has taken three novels to develop and complete."

Winston Graham -Woman (Magazine) December 10 1977 - Interview Article called 'Poldark-How it all Happened'

"It took five years to write the second series - 'The Black Moon,' 'The Four Swan' and 'the Angry Tide'. All are united by the theme of the parentage of Elizabeth's child."

'Opelousas- Daily World' newspaper dated 25th June 1978 'Winston Graham Goes A Second Round'.

💡Comment

It is hard not to notice that after storylines that were lacking in much joy for Elizabeth across the first four books, that Winston Graham dealt her such a big cross to bear in navigating the issue of Valentine's parentage over the duration of three books rather than just one or two. That then covered a six year period of some turmoil. Through Elizabeth's attempts to deceive her new husband George Warleggan about this, this was a plot which not only brought her a almost constantly tumultuous marriage but also lead to and was perhaps a vehicle for her final demise by way of death.

"........... the BBC, having done two television series, wanted me to do a third, and I said there was no way in which I could do a third because Elizabeth was the point of conflict and, once she died, there was nothing more, ....."

The John Dunn Show, BBC Radio 2, 27 June 1991

“The story-my story ends with the death of Elizabeth. There was nothing to add……The death of Elizabeth brought the whole conception full circle. There was nothing to add.”

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg 210

"One thing I felt sure of was that The Angry Tide was the end; the true dynamic of these novels removed by Elizabeth's death. However, four years later, stirrings are occurring and it looks as if I shall have to set some more words on the page."

Andrew Graham recited a copy of a letter that Winston Graham wrote to a fan in Hawaii in 1980 - The Daily Telegraph, 27 August 2019 Article 'Poldark: What happened next?' By Lucy Davies

💡Comment
Along with Winston Graham's comment about dividing the families, these last three comments show that he attributed to Elizabeth the typical status and features of an antagonist from the outset and for the duration of her tenure in the saga. This relates to the challenge to the main storyline of the 'important' Ross-Demelza relationship and her role is emphasised by Winston Graham's reference to the 'dynamic' Elizabeth brought to the story. There is no doubt that like Hugh Armitage the conflict and division Elizabeth brought provided a key source (amongst others) of tension to the hero and heroine's love story, which nevertheless was unsuccessful in its threat and then overcome. Typically Winston Graham's happy ending embodied the standard story protocol of the defeat and/or death of the prime antagonist. This is so that peace and harmony would be restored without this source of conflict. However, with the need for conflict and a person to bring this dynamic against a love story, it is understandable that Winston Graham therefore did not think he could continue the saga beyond 'The Angry Tide' when Elizabeth died. However that would be if he considered that a continuance would still have the Ross-Demelza relationship as the main storyline provider and therefore drama from this!

"The first four were a group ... and the next three were a group and these four are a group. There had to be a fourth of these following The Loving Cup, which is The Twisted Sword, even though it's four years later or five years later.."

The John Dunn Show, BBC Radio 2, 27 June 1991

💡Comment
It is revealed from Winston Graham's comments that the first four books focus on Ross's journey to realising his true and real love of his wife Demelza in place of his first love, the second set of three, on the issue of Valentine's true parentage after Elizabeth marriage with George Warleggan alongside Ross-Demelza-Hugh drama, the third set of books were a family drama where by the tension is primarily derived from the love stories of the young Poldarks and Ross's adventures through politics.

On why Winston Graham decided to extend his saga to cover the next generation of Poldarks

“What did influence me, in the end, apart from the enormous continuing popularity of the Poldark’s, was my own enduring preoccupation with this scene and these people. To go back to them and open yet another chapter in their lives was something I found myself gradually impelled to do, even though I had thought the story finished with the seventh book. Of course I was aware it would pleasure many other people, but mainly I was pleasing myself as I had done ten years before when turning my back on successful modern novels.

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg 212

".. it was only about four or five years later with their words whispering in my ears and a lot of letters flooding in and my own addiction to Poldark, as it had become by then, I thought, "Well, there's no harm in going on one generation more."

The John Dunn Show, BBC Radio 2, 27 June 1991

💡Comment
Although Winston Graham had said that he initially thought that his saga ended with Elizabeth's death, still fascinated by the Poldarks he did resume it once again 4 years later. This next set of four books started with 'The Stranger From the Sea' where Ross, Demelza and their adult children lead the story as a family collective. While the children's love stories were prominent storylines across many of the books Ross and Demelza's storylines arose through their involvement with this and tensions in the adventures through Ross's government work too. However, perhaps in place of Elizabeth, a further source of tension (but without significant damage) to Ross and Demelza's marriage, came via Valentine Warleggan. If not also by seeking or wishing for his ascendancy in Ross's mind, to some extent Valentine followed in his mother's footstep by at least engaging and challenging Ross for his attention and involvement to rescue him from the outcomes of his nefarious activities. Otherwise, Winston Graham had given up testing the then rock solid Poldark marriage with romantic provocateurs.

"I've caught myself out once or twice. I hate to confess it on radio, but I think that the date of Elizabeth's death in The Stranger From The Sea is slightly different by several days from the date of her death......The Stranger From The Sea was number eight and The Angry Tide was number seven. Those were the two where there was a slight difference."

The John Dunn Show, BBC Radio 2, 27 June 1991

💡Comment
In 'The Angry Tide' Elizabeth died on 14th December 1799 but in 'The Stranger From the Sea' reference was made to Elizabeth's grave with her date of death written as 9th December 1799. Winston Graham did admit that he did not re-read his previous books. Therefore without double checking it appears that he mixed up Elizabeth's death with her daughter's (Ursula Warleggan).

John Dunn To Winston Graham: "What's happened to the Warleggans?"

"Oh, they're very much in this book and they are in the four books. In the first and second of them, of course, George, having been bereaved of his Elizabeth, ehm, marries again; marries Lady Harriet Carter and there's a great deal in the books of the struggle he has keeping up with this aristocratic and arrogant lady who treats him with a degree of amused contempt and yet at the same time looks after him in a way and there's a sort of conflict there between his meanness and his love of having a titled lady and the sister of a duke as his wife."

The John Dunn Show, BBC Radio 2, 27 June 1991

💡Comment
At this time 'The Twisted Sword' had been released. In the set of four books from 'The Stranger From the Sea' Winston Graham seemed to introduce Harriet Warleggan, a second wife for George who in many ways was comparable to Elizabeth in terms of class, impoverished circumstance but whose approach with George seemed corrective rather than compliant of his dastardly behaviour and scheming.

Where Winston Graham's previous comments highlight the importance of Elizabeth's role in creating the conflict for Ross and Demelza in the first seven books, it is notable that George and Ross had far less conflict after her death and so supports George's status as Ross's contagonist in so far that his antagonism was not central to the primary love story line and conflict, and in Elizabeth's absence George had no drive to actively put obstacles in Ross's way to frustrate his business and career goals. In many ways Harriet Warleggan (who Ross much admired too), did what Elizabeth did not do and in contrast was able to bring Ross and George more together at a point.

"After The Twisted Sword I had no intention of ever writing another Poldark novel. The story was told....and in the mean time I burned a lot of the notes I had made for Poldark."

Winston Graham- Western Morning News of 14 May 2002. Article: 'Author's tribute to land he loves' By Simon Parker

"I'm particularly pleased that you so much enjoyed "The Twisted Sword." There have, as you say, been long gaps in the writing of these eleven novels, yet somehow the characters have remained alive in me and it has not been difficult to summon them back to the page. (With the possible exception of beginning "The Black Moon" after a lapse of twenty years. And it was not then a difficulty with the characters but with the reversion to an earlier style.) However, sadly enough, although they are all still very much alive, the story is told."

Winston Graham's letter in response to letter from a fan (Mrs Hughes) dated 12 Dec 1990

"After I finished the last of the modern novels, The Ugly Sister, I thought it was about time to stop writing altogether. Then one day I started thinking about the Poldarks again. I had an idea and wrote a few lines, not intending to take it further, and then I wrote another few lines, and gradually got more and more involved, although unlike the previous books, I didn't quite know where it was going."

Winston Graham- Western Morning News of 14 May 2002. Article: 'Author's tribute to land he loves' By Simon Parker

💡Comment

The last Poldark novel in the series 'Bella Poldark' was released after another huge gap of 12 years following the penultimate novel 'The Twisted Sword' which like 'Warleggan' was published as the last in the series.

"All other books have fitted into section -the first four, the middle three, and what I believed would be the final four. So this Bella Poldark, is a book on its own and for me it meant a lot of wondering and wandering."

Winston Graham- Western Morning News of 14 May 2002. Article: 'Author's tribute to land he loves' By Simon Parker

"I woke at about four o' clock one and realised it was no longer a book about Valentine. I had become fascinated by her (Bella's) story."

Winston Graham- Western Morning News of 14 May 2002. Article: 'Author's tribute to land he loves' By Simon Parker

💡Comment

In many ways this might be considered an unsurprising turn off course since Winston Graham admitted he was captivated by the Poldarks. Though he also admitted that Bella was a book with which he did not have a clear plan for, he ended up creating an illuminating story for Bella and a tragic one for Valentine after which Ross offered an apology to Demelza that his involvement with Valentine may have led to him neglecting his "true family".

"Her (Demelza's) marriage to Ross Poldark had been glorious, tempestuous, passionate, funny, enduring. Indeed that endured through Ross's trial for his life, a year teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, a brief spasm of unfaithfulness, the death of a daughter and survival of three healthy children to gladden their hearts."

Winston Graham's Handwritten story plan notes -Note book 'Bella 6' - Archived At The Courtney Library in The Cornwall Museum

💡Comment

As Andrew Graham (Winston Graham's son) reported that his father once said that he could have written his complex plot of his story on a postcard, this is another example of how he was able to describe Demelza's love story with Ross in a similar concise matter. Written in his archived Bella Story plan note book this is a long look back over the years of Demelza's life and while it reinforces that despite the trials and tribulations along the way, that he was always committed to gifting her with happy (if not hopeful) endings where she retained Ross's love always, it is curious that he did not mention the death of her son (Jeremy) too.

"As for Bella Poldark, I don't think I would have ventured to tell her extraordinary life story, were it not for the history of Charlotte Cushman, who was born in Boston in 1816."

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg 259

💡Comment

Charlotte Cushman was an American born actress who trained as an opera singer but found her time as a vocalist cut short due to damage to her voice and so became a stage actress who performed many plays and was most known for her performance of the Shakespearean play 'Lady Macbeth'. Playing male roles in many plays and becoming a star and household name known for her stage presence, it clear to see how she thoroughly inspired the narrative arc for Bella's life story in respect of her career. More information on Charlotte Cushman can be found here.

"Dear David..........Well I have written another called Christmas at Nampara 1820. This virtually (handwriting word not legible) Bella Poldark for another long chapter... and will be much wanted by those who have read Bella."

Winston Graham's Handwritten letter to David -Note book 'Bella 12' - Archived The Cornwall Museum

💡Comment

Christmas at Nampara 1820 is a short story of about 24 A4 pages written by Winston Graham shortly before he died. Fortunately this is typed. As the story centres around a big family gathering at Nampara for Christmas 1820 it features Ross, Demelza, Dwight, Caroline, Sophie and Meliora Enys, Clowance, Lord Edward Fitzmaurice, Bella, Christopher Havergal, Henry Poldark, Cuby Poldark, Noelle Poldark, Clemency Trevanion, Philip Prideaux, and reads as if it were an additional chapter or epilogue to the last book 'Bella Poldark'. Perhaps that might be what some of the missing words in Winston Graham's handwritten note might convey. While Winston Graham spoke at times of how it is natural that not all loose ends to his story would be tied at the end of a set of books, this short story does serve to close many key loopholes. Perhaps this was because (as Winston Graham) said himself, he knew he would not live much longer. Accordingly, though 'Christmas at Nampara 1820' has never been published, Winston Graham seemed keen for fans of Poldark to read it and believed that they would want to too. 'Christmas at Nampara 1820' is currently held at The Courtney Library in the Cornwall Museum.

"Highlight was when Ross Poldark was scoring all round the wicket and George Warleggan had exhausted all his regular bowlers. He called Mrs Warleggan up from the boundary and asked her to bowl. Whereupon she (Jill Townsend) bowled Ross Poldark first ball. There was something curiously significant about this, as if it were symbolic of a major theme of the story. Nevertheless., Poldarks won by a narrow margin. which is no doubt how it should be."

Winston Graham -Woman (Magazine) December 10 1977 - Interview Article called 'Poldark-How it all Happened'

💡Comment
Here Winston Graham recalled a cricket event that took place with the actors of the 70s adaptation of Poldark where the team names reflected the rivalry of the characters in the story. With the match being between the Poldarks Vs Warleggans Winston Graham hints at the other theme of his story being this ongoing rivalry in the books. Further his comment that the Poldark team winning by a slim margin being as it should be indicates his bias and that ultimately the Warleggans in the book would never quite be successful in the harm they wished to cause Ross and his family.

Winston Graham On his Characters

On his favourite characters:

"I think I have had a longstanding love affair with quite a lot of characters in these books, particularly, of course, Ross and Demelza, but Dwight and Caroline and some of the working class characters. I have a sort of empathy, I suppose, for them and they have existed in my mind in the twelve years since I wrote ... since I finished The Twisted Sword in which they continue to some extent to have a separate existence."

On 9 June 2002, WG to radio host Charlie Lee-Potter

💡Comment
It seems no coincidence that Winston Graham had his favourite characters share a close bond throughout the book and that overall despite the trails of life ensured that they prospered in circumstance, in spirit and enjoyed happy marriages.

"I got Ross's appearance sitting on a train opposite an aircraft pilot with a scar on his cheek. He had the melancholy air which Poldark exudes."

Opelousas- Daily World 25/06/1978 Article : 'Winston Graham Goes A Second Round'

"I did meet an airman who had recently crashed and who had something of the same high strung quiet of Ross. He may have contributed something to the character."

Winston Graham for Radio Times - 4-10th October 1975 'The Poldark Saga- Figures in a Cornish Landscape'

"He had a substantial, barely healed scar from temple to lower cheek.....A very tall bony good-looking young man with a high-strung disquiet about him that made a great impression on me. And a depth and darkness that lay behind the frivolity of his air force language. He was not at all nervous, but one guesses that strong nerves contributed to his latent urgent vitality....At that time a hazy picture of the character who was to become Ross Poldark had already formed, and I was writing about him while his appearance and character still grew."

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg182-183

"A young flying officer . . . tall, lean, bony, scarred, withdrawn but pleasant, heavy lids over eyes of that pale blue that doesn't flinch at much, convalescing after a crash: broken leg, couple of ribs, scratch on his face; lucky really. Just waiting to pass his fitness test; any day now. A quiet man but tense, purposeful. A vein in his neck; a sort of high strung disquiet. I took in everything I could about him, knowing, knowing this was to be the man."

Winston Graham in Winston Graham's Cornwall

"When I began to write the first of the Cornish novels, T thought to write about a man called Ross Polgreen- which itself is a rare name in the country: but after a few chapters the name Polgreen seemed a little too floral, a little too gentle. I wanted something a bit more formidable, darker. darker, that was it. And so the name came into being. There never was a Poldark before."

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg183

💡Comment

It is clear with the use of words setting out that Ross Poldark exuded a 'melancholy air', 'high strung disquiet' 'depth and darkness' was 'withdrawn (but pleasant)' and had 'heavy lids', that he was therefore well matched with Demelza whom Winston Graham referred to as 'the engaging and vital character' that would become his wife. While Ross was crafted as the dark romantic hero, Demelza was crafted as the heart and soul who Ross therefore claimed he derived his happiness from. Making a formidable couple because of their blend of qualities Winston Graham had Ross address the contrast when in 'The Twisted Sword' he told Demelza "It is not in your nature, my dear, to be unhappy. You are in fine counterbalance with my natural mopishness." (Internal Book 4 Chp4 Pt3)

"His reputation for being an eccentric and a non-conformer is confirmed when he picks up and marries an urchin wench, Demelza Carne. On the horizon looms George Warleggan, son of a new-rich family, whose business conduct reflects a standard of ethics that the Poldarks openly reject."

Winston Graham discussing his leading characters for Radio Times - 11th September 1977

"...my father wasn’t at all a swashbuckling man, but I think he would quite like to have been. I think Ross is the alter-ego of my father’s imagination, at least in part.”

Andrew Graham (Winston Graham's son) spoke of his father in his eulogy as mentioned in interview The Times - 28 February 2015

'Does this mean my father is Ross? Absolutely not. Temperamentally, they were quite different. Moreover, my father was not a physically energetic man, still less a swashbuckling one, nor even an outspoken one – his cutting remarks were the ones he wrote. But in his imagination? He was a private man, but I know he would have loved to be faster with the trenchant reply. And, as men, would we not all like to have the strength – and the nerve – to grasp a scoundrel by the collar and slam him down across the table? Ross, in my view, may well be one version of my father's alter ego.'

Andrew Graham (Winston Graham's son) The Sunday Times, 28 August 2016 Article: 'Bony, scarred, with unflinching blue eyes – meet the real Poldark'

💡Comment

Andrew Graham was responding to his own comment about the similarities between Ross and Demelza and his parents including his last comment that like Ross with Demelza, his father also met his mother when she was 13 years old. That comment is posted below.

"One time when my father probably did behave like Ross was in 1975 when he received the first four scripts of the original TV series by the BBC and London Films. He was not pleased. They had changed the story, scrambled the Cornish dialogue and, above all, so distorted the character of Demelza that he demanded the "whole thing cancelled, wiped out, forgotten".

Andrew Graham (Winston Graham's son) The Sunday Times, 28 August 2016 Article: 'Bony, scarred, with unflinching blue eyes – meet the real Poldark'

"..he (Ross) has moved from being a rebellious character to being a semi-conformist, but then he accepts his knighthood with a very disgruntled manner and he does it only because Liverpool convinces him that it's necessary for him to have a title to move in Paris."

The John Dunn Show, BBC Radio 2, 27 June 1991

"People in Parliament were trying very hard. There were people like Ross. Some of Ross's battle for penal reform was taken directly from Howard's book of 'Penal Reform.'"

Opelousas- Daily World 25/06/1978 Article : 'Winston Graham Goes A Second Round'

"Ross reflected the ideas of the author looking back on the day."

Opelousas- Daily World 25/06/1978 Article : 'Winston Graham Goes A Second Round'

Is Ross Poldark in any sense a self portrait?
"Not really, but every character a writer creates must contain a tiny part of himself."
Winston Graham - Sussex Express 28 Oct 1977 by Carole Buchan Article: 'Creating a Sensation on Paper and Television'

💡Comment

Whilst Winston Graham insisted that the character of Ross Poldark was not based on him, his son's claim that he was in part his father's alter ego was given some validation in the last two comments from Winston Graham above. Perhaps Ross had aspects of his character that Winston Graham found admirable but was not bold enough to unearth from within himself day to day except when he was infuriated by something that meant a lot to him, as his Poldark scripts did. The penultimate comment about Ross reflecting his ideas as an author on matters of social justice in that time, was seen and stated by the writer of that article as an admission by Winston Graham. Supposedly that would be an admission that Winston Graham did channel some of his character (or beliefs) through Ross. But perhaps Ross's anti religion attitude was a reflection of views that Winston Graham may have held and which to the exclusion of Sam Carne seemed to be echoed in the portrayal of religious figures such as the ineptly depicted Reverend Mr Odgers and the slimy and vain portrayal of Reverend Whitworth. Winston Graham did refer to himself as 'technically' Christian but not necessarily deeply religious. But perhaps the biggest indication was that Ross was a man who fell into a true and real love with a women in the likeness of the real life woman that Winston Graham fell for too.

On the inspiration behind Demelza's character

'Andrew thought his father wrote Ross the lead as his alter ego and his mother Jean was the basis for the female lead, Demelza. Both disguised but not totally so.'

Reporting from Andrew Graham's interview with My Jericho Article - 'Andrew Graham-Growing up with Poldark'

What characteristic in a woman makes the best wife?

"Sympathy, charity and understanding."

Winston Graham as part of a panel Q & A session 8 February 1951 Truro Contemporary Theatre Club

"Obviously there have been borrowings, chiefly from my wife. I took her sturdy common sense and judgement, her courage, her earthy ability to go at once to the root of a problem and point to the answer; her intense interest and pleasure in small things; and particularly I have used her gamine sense of humour."

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg183

"She (Winston Graham's wife) was energetic; she was an optimist; she could hardly go to Perranporth village without coming back with a funny story; she had an exceptional eye for detail and she was, at least in part, the model for Demelza, Ross's wife."

Andrew Graham (Winston Graham's son) The Sunday Times, 28 August 2016 Article: 'Bony, scarred, with unflinching blue eyes – meet the real Poldark'

"I have a dry sense of humour, but so did Jean. She could reply in a flash – and yes – Certain things about Jean went into Demelza's character, particularly her gamine sense of humour and ability to find happiness in small things. We both swore that if one lived longer than the other, as one obviously would, that the one left would live life to the utmost and I've been doing so."

Winston Graham interview -Daily Express, 18 November 1995 by Victoria Hinton

"It is true that in his short story Meeting Demelza (2003) my father denies this, (that Demelza is based on his wife) saying, "Not at all. Not at all." However, he continues: "Some characteristics, yes . . . her vitality, her resilience, her warmth that made so many people care for her, her ability always, always to find pleasure in small things, perhaps most particularly her gamin wit." To this must be added that my mother first met my father when she was thirteen – exactly Demelza's age when she first meets Ross."

Andrew Graham (Winston Graham's son) The Sunday Times, 28 August 2016 Article: 'Bony, scarred, with unflinching blue eyes – meet the real Poldark'

💡 Comment

Meeting Demelza was a short story written by Winston Graham dedicated to the character (Demelza) and the last published work of his before he died some months later. The story in full can be found here.

"Again it should be unusual and Cornish, but I did not want a conventionally romantic Cornish name such as Morwenna or Loveday. Then, driving across the Goss Moors one day, I saw a signpost marked Demelza and it seemed at once not merely to be right, but to give an added vitality and personality to the character already in being."

My Poldark Characters by Winston Graham From Redruth County Grammar School Souvenir Magazine 1907 – 1976; 1974 – 1975, pages 26 and 27

"I got the name (Demelza) from the Goss Moors. I was driving along and I saw this signpost with 'Demelza' on it. I believe it means 'Thy sweetness' and it's a little hamlet. Since then hundreds of people have named their daughters after it."

Winston Graham for Radio Times - 4-10th October 1975 'The Poldark Saga- Figures in a Cornish Landscape'

"It (the signpost) read Demelza. For many months I had had the female character somewhat vaguely in my mind, a dark haired waif whom Ross picked up at Redruth Fair, but I could find no name and no proper identity for her. The signpost changed all that. Not only did it provide the name; by that curious alchemy which sometimes which sometimes happens to writers, the character became vivid at the same time. to me, at least, it has never faded."

Winston Graham - Poldark's Cornwall 1983

What does the name mean? (Demelza) According to Dr William Pryce, author of Mineralogia Cornubiensis, that definitive book on eighteenth-century mining, writing in his other book, an Essay to Preserve the Ancient Cornish Language, publish in 1790, De means the or thy, and Melza means honey or sweetness (links here, presumably, with the French miel.) It's a nice thought; and I hope it is not too far out to consider the name means 'The sweetness' .

Winston Graham - Poldark's Cornwall 1983

"As for the rest (of Demelza's characteristics), most of it seemed to come from within, A romantic man's perception of an ideal woman? That was maybe how it began, but I have had no more than parental control over how she has developed."

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg184

💡Comment

Whether Demelza's character was inspired by or more based on Winston Graham's wife than he would care to admit, there seems no doubt that he had a lot of love for this engaging and vital character who exuded much of the qualities that his beloved wife bore. Further he admitted her character became vivid to him and his claim that this never faded is reflected in his 'Meeting Demelza' story published not long before his death which is an account of him meeting her. The suggestion that the name 'Demelza' meant 'thy sweetness' is notably made a fact by Winstonn Graham for the purpose of the story when he narrated that Demelza explained this meaning to Captain Malcom NcNeil in 'Warleggan'. His reply "Very apt" may likely have echoed Winston Graham's thought of her character but this last comment from him raising the question of Demelza possibly being a romantic man's perception of an ideal woman supports a suspicion regardless of his parental control that Winston Graham may have viewed her that way. It is a natural assumption given how much of Demelza was inspired by Winston Graham's wife. Apart from this likeness to his wife, the premise of his story was Ross's desire of Elizabeth essentially being exposed as a sham and his discovery that his engaging and vital character of a wife was his "someone better". Thus this meant that Ross saw Demelza as more appealing than the woman he initially thought was the ideal woman.

On Elizabeth Warleggan

"She's not really a very nice character so, although there was a model for her. I'd prefer not to say who."

Winston Graham Interview - Radio Times - 4-10 October 1975

For many this may be a surprising comment of Winston Graham to make of Elizabeth's character and single her out with. This is especially as for many, any niceness that she was lacking in character will have been covered well by her demure, reserved and cautious manner, while on the other hand an outward show of niceness as she sought admiration from other. Also it may be all the more surprising for viewers who have watched only the latest adaptation from 2015 where there is a significant difference between how the character was portrayed from the books, as in this series she was presented to be more caring and thoughtful of others. Heida Reed who is the actress who played Elizabeth Warleggan said to her fellow actress Ruby Bentall (Verity) in an Instagram live chat on 31st March 2020 that she was told by the script writer (Debbie Horsefield) not to read the books for research on Elizabeth's character as she would be written differently for that adaption. So this alteration of the character was intentional. However in the written saga Elizabeth is implicated as the cause of two characters feeling suicidal ideation (Francis and Morwenna) and the depression at a time of those two along with Ross and Drake. Of course, this was primarily as she often acted against the interest of others, rarely concerned herself with consideration to others and when she did, did not particularly engage in 'active kindness' to bring change, happiness or ,help to those in her circle unless it served an end for her.

Unfortunately there are no other easily traceable comments from Winston Graham about Elizabeth but he only really spoke in details about his lead characters Ross and Demelza. In any case he seemed guarded about expanding further on Elizabeth's character and perhaps that really was because as suggested in a comment below, the person she was based on was known to him, rather than a stranger.

On The Warleggan name and nature

"Similarly, in looking for a name for the banking family who came to represent the powerful new mercantile class and the natural opposition to the Poldarks, a place-name provided the answer. Warleggan was not only the right length but, I believe, gives the right impression – of power and industrial strength."

My Poldark Characters by Winston Graham From Redruth County Grammar School Souvenir Magazine 1907 – 1976; 1974 – 1975, pages 26 and 27

"I think my father was particularly imaginative in his use of names in books........, George Warleggan is based on a smelter who made his money in smelting and banking in Cornwall whose actual name was William Lemon, but Lemon is soft and watery, where George Warleggan is really vicious."

Andrew Graham (Winston Graham's son) in interview for Open Book on BBC Radio 4, Sunday 14 September 2008 with Mariella Frostrup

💡Comment
Winston Graham's reason for the choice of the 'Warleggan' name makes it clear that he saw the name as part of the branding of that family and that this should be reflected in the name. Information on Sir William Lemon can be found here and on the Rise of the Lemon family here.

"I think I was slightly affected by the people who played the parts. George Warleggan, for instance, who was played by Ralph Bates, who wasn't my idea of Warleggan at all – he's far too gentlemanly a character – but as I watched him and as I wrote about him, the two characters came slightly more together and I think in the later books, George Warleggan's become rather more of a gentlemanly character than he would have done without Ralph Bates's influence."

Winston Graham -Bookshelf, 26 February 1987 By Susan Hill

"Elizabeth and George are based on people I knew. Most are composite characters...... There are exact parallels to Elizabeth and George, but no one is exactly parallel to Ross Poldark."

Winston Graham- Joan Geoghegan, Nashau Telegraph, 24 June 1978

On his attachment to Bella Poldark

"Bella is crafted with real love because I really fell for her."

From the Living Cornwall section of the Western Morning News of 14 May 2002. Interviewer Simon Parker

💡Comment
Since Winston Graham loved Demelza and Bella is described in the books as the child most like her, it is no surprised that he also fell for her as he fell for Demelza. Knowing that he would not live to write another book, he made sure to inform the reader at the end of 'Bella Poldark' that beyond her happy ending of success in the book, that she would go on to reach the heights of it and become an even bigger star. It is probably not a coincidence that where in the book Winston Graham narrated that Demelza's name meant 'thy sweetness', that as a reflection of his similar adoration of Bella this shortened name of hers means 'beautiful'.

On Valentine Warleggan

"He is driven on by dark urges within him that he makes too little attempt to control. These are probably existing because of his childhood and because of his disturbed childhood and because of the legacy of his grandfather's blood."

Winston Graham's story Planning note book 'Bella 12' - Archived The Cornwall Museum

💡Comment
When it comes to consideration of whether Valentine was the way he was because of nature or nurture this comment from Winston Graham covers all bases. From this comment it seems that both factors applied for Valentine. However as his creator Winston Graham's comment that Valentine made too little effort to control his dark urges supports that suggestion that regardless of the causes people do have the capacity to overcome and be better people. For instance, a character such as Demelza who had a bad upbringing did not fall into copying her father's behavior and Sam turned from being wild to prayerful and responsible. Valentine clearly did not have the desire or the drive to conquer over any dysfunctional behaviour as a result of the legacy of his blood. That is unless he did for a particular agenda. For instance the period where he cleaned up his act and stopped using his home as a place of debauchery when he was plotting to get full care and control of his son Georgie. It is interesting that like Elizabeth was an antagonist to the Ross and Demelza love story, Valentine was too, and also to the Poldark harmony of their family life. But accordingly like Elizabeth Winston Graham gave him an unhappy ending by way of a tragic and reckless premature death.

Winston Graham On The Poldark Adaption (1970s version)

"There have been one or two attempts...Associated -British Pictures envisaged turning the books into a sort of Cornish Gone With The Wind. We had an excellent script, but the film would have run to about five hours. They considered cutting it to about three and half hours. But to compress the first four books into that sort of time-scale would have meant butchering the stories...So until television came along there really wasn't the ideal medium for the books."

Winston Graham on attempts to make the first four books into a film- 'Women's Weekly (Australian magazine) 30th July 1983

"You were asking me about taking part in the Poldarks. I didn't see anything of the first series much because, to put it as little as we can, there was a certain coolness grew up between myself and the producer of the first series so I didn't see anything until about halfway through..."

Winston Graham in television interview on the Terry Wogan Show (England, Uk)

John Dunn to Winston Graham: "What did you think of the television versions [of Poldark]?"

"Well, I wasn't pleased with the earlier stages, but I made a lot of noise, which didn't make me very popular. But the second series I was granted a sort of special status, as it were, and obviously no author has the right to dictate but at least he has a right to be consulted, and I was consulted and I worked with them all through and my own feeling is that the second series was considerably better than the first."

Winston Graham - Dialogue from an interview On The John Dunn Show of Thursday 27 June 1991, BBC Radio 2

"The first series, there were parts of it I didn't like at all because there were considerable changes from my books, particularly the first four episodes and the last two episodes, but the last series they kept very close to the books at my insistence and, on the whole, I think they've turned out well from my point of view."

Recorded interview with Winston Graham by Ted Harrison on 22nd December 1977 - Broadcast for Radio 4's profile on either 9th or 16th January 1978

"What was my surprise, as bad novelists say, when the first two scripts arrived and I found the story totally distorted, Demelza’s character changed,….Indeed, not a line of my own dialogue was retained. It was as if the scriptwriter had the book through a couple of times and then thrown it away and told the same sort of story in his own words."

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg 202

"It drove me mad to begin with because they insisted on changing the character of Demelza."

Winston Graham interviewed speaking on the first of the 70s series- Daily Telegraph, 28 September 1996 by James Delingpole

"...when the script of the first episode appeared, my father – he had a pretty strong temper, my father, and he absolutely hit the roof because they had changed the character of Demelza and made her look like a cheap woman just trying to take her knickers off at the drop of a hat and my father actually tried to cancel the whole contract...."
Andrew Graham (Winston Graham's son) - Mining Poldark Podcast EP 41 4 November 2019

"Dad blew a gasket when he saw the first episode of the original series. He was so angry about the way they had changed Demelza into a floozy that he wanted to get the production stopped. He was absolutely livid. In the novels she was a tomboy but the producers had some salacious need to make her sexually loose. In one scene she even offered to pull down her knickers for a shilling. That was certainly not in any of the books."

Rosamund Barteau (Winston Graham's daughter) Daily Express, 18 November 1995 By Anna Burkas

💡Comment

While there were many different aspects of the first series that Winston Graham was annoyed about, perhaps because of how much Demelza's character was inspired by his own wife, it seems that he was particularly outraged at the changes made to her character. It would appear that this centred around making her seem like a promiscuous character which clearly Winston Graham did not portray her or think her to be. This is reflected in his writing because although in the sixth book ('The Four Swans') she was unfaithful with Hugh Armitage, like Ross who equally was unfaithful beforehand and in fact had more sexual encounters than her in his past, they were not given the personas of promiscuous people whereby they had, sought or craved sexual encounters with multiple people. Accordingly after that episode with Hugh Armitage Winston Graham wrote that Demelza did not feel that she was becoming a 'light woman' as if on the premise that she had not been beforehand. While her romantic relationship with Ross commenced after her seduction of Ross it was also clear in the writing that as a desperate measure for her she was not experienced or confident with this. Such was the case that Ross noted afterwards that though she had had her way, that 'at the last had seemed to fear it..' Other than with Hugh Armitage, Demelza, like Ross too, could not bring herself to engage in revenge infidelity with Captain McNeil. On such a fundamental and negative change to her character as the heroine, it is understandable that Winston Graham would be outraged, just as he likely would have been if Ross was turned into a callous business man that exploited the poor.

"He tried everything to stop the show from airing but he. didn't have any editorial control. It was not until the second series that he was able to have any input."

Rosamund Barteau (Winston Graham's daughter) Daily Express, 18 November 1995 By Anna Burkas

"I didn't approve of certain changes in the beginning and the ending. They were historically impossible. Burning of Trenwith would never have happened in England, nor did you ever see Cornish people turned out of their lands."

Opelousas- Daily World 25/06/1978 Article : 'Winston Graham Goes A Second Round'

"What stuck in my crop beyond all swallowing were the ridiculous liberties taken with the characters and with the stories…I called to see Leslie Baker, of London films…and told him that I wanted the whole project cancelled.......he looked at my face, which must have been white with anger…I remember walking down St Martin’s Street and into Trafalgar Square, trying to breath out my fury. It wouldn't go. If anyone had offered me a helicopter and a bomb, I should have leapt at the chance and should have known just where to drop it."

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg 203

"I disliked the series so much that when it was about to be shown I seriously considered wintering in Jamaica to avoid it. But then episode 5 came along, with an even better 6 and 7, and I began to be reconcile, even excited."

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg 206

"......the ructions I caused was not in vain, for after episode 4 the script kept much more closely to the books (except for the final episode,, No 16 where the whole thing went haywire again….)"

Memoirs of a Private Man by Winston Graham -pg 204

💡Comment
On these last two quotes, along with the others above, it is clear that Winston Graham cared quite significantly about the misinterpretation of his story to the point that he made his feelings known with those who adapted his books in the 70s for the first series. Clearly he much preferred faithfulness to his story and therefore was much happier with the second series that he had the chance to influence.

"I shouldn't shoot the first series down. It was a tremendous success."

Opelousas- Daily World 25/06/1978 Article : 'Winston Graham Goes A Second Round'

"The BBC made a beautiful job of adapting the books for television, and it was very well cast. Robin Ellis in particular, as Ross Poldark, was as near as one could possibly get to the character-in fact, he was altogether better than one would have dared to hope."

Winston Graham years after the BBC 70's television series - Women's Weekly (Australian magazine) 30th July 1983 'The Poldark Author'

💡Comment
It is of course salutary that despite Winston Graham's outrage at the first series and his tension with the BBC producers, that this conflict resolved itself. He admits that he was initially placated by its slightly improving script as the first series went on and the positive audience reception, then being taken on as a consultant for the second series. Accordingly he was able to look back and even be complimentary about the overall success of the first series as well as the second which happily for him was closer to the story he wrote.