Margaret Drabble’s Prize-Winning Novel.

December 1966

South Yorkshire Times, December 24, 1966

Margaret Drabble’s Prize-Winning Novel.

Conisbrough’s association with Scots “Ivanhoe” is by no means the townships only link with literature. A few weeks ago Margaret Drabble third generation representative of a well-known Conisbrough family, won an important modern award with her third novel, “The Millstone.”

This was the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for writers under 30. Rhys, by the way, was a short story writer who was posthumously awarded the Hawthornden prize in 1912. He was killed while serving with the RAF. His widow, Jean Oliver, herself a novelist, awards this prize annually.

In this instance it was handed over at a party arranged by the National book league in London. Margaret Drabble (Mrs Clive Swift, to use her married name) and her husband live in North London. Her parents, both old students of Mexborough Grammar School, Judge John Drabble and Mrs Marie Drabble have now made their home in Suffolk. Several years ago, when their daughters, were younger, Mr and Mrs Drabble lived for some time in Sheffield.