JENNIE FARLEY
Poet, Teacher and Journalist
My writing career began when as a young journalist I talked my way onto an eight-man expedition to the Jordanian desert as the only woman, camping with the Bedouin while making a film about the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
I was thrilled to be nominated one of the 100 Women of the Year 1964. My adventures continued when I lived for a time with the hippies on the Greek island of Hydra, hitch-hiked in Crete (before package holidays), sailed around the Med with a couple of friends in their yacht …which led to magazine features.
I also continued with journalism publishing interviews with celebrities of the time including Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Kate Bush
After my divorce I moved to Cheltenham where I now live in a picturesque old cottage, once coachhouse to a large Victorian Gothic manse where Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s grandfather once lived, and Lewis Carroll himself visited.
The original Looking Glass still resides on the upstairs landing. I am now concentrating on poetry, which I have always been interested in, leading poetry workshops for Adult Education Colleges and at the Wilson, Cheltenham’s Art Gallery & Museum, where I teach ekphrastic poetry inspired by the exhibitions.
I have performed my poetry at Festivals, and published two full collections My Grandmother Skating (Indigo Dreams Press 2016) and Hex (IDP 2018), Jocasta’s Song (Griffin Press) and a rather raunchy pamphlet The Gymslip Girls (Yew Tree Press 2022) inspired by my years at boarding school.
At present I am enjoying hosting NewBohemians@CharltonKings, a project I founded in 2015 as a Social Club for the local Community Arts Centre, a spacious gallery run by artist and teacher Su Billington.
We provide a programme of music and poetry throughout the year, booking well-known musicians and poets, and over time have become very popular with large enthusiastic audiences.
Anyone wishing to become a New Bohemian is more than welcome!
Entry introduced by Dee Russell-Thomas Director GGAF