In 1949 Frances Woodsford started writing letters to a wealthy American widower called Commodore Paul Bigelow. There was no romance between the two, and they never met, but in the twelve years that followed they delighted in receiving each other's letters. When the Commodore died, Frances thought the correspondence had been lost forever, but by a remarkable coincidence the letters have survived: they preserve an intimate record of post-war life, and reveal her inimitable sense of humour. Frances talks to Jane about her correspondence, and how she feels about becoming an published author for the first time at the age of 94.
Dear Mr Bigelow: A Transatlantic Friendship by Frances Woodsford is published by Chatto and Windus, ISBN 9780701184803
Dr. Mr Bigelow will be Book of the Week on BBC Radio 4, starting on Monday 26 October.
