Angharad Rees and Poldark

Jack got to the Guardian before I did this morning – as usual – and when he reached the obituary page he said, Angharad Rees has died. I was/am really sad about that, I thought she was a great actress who never seemed to get the fame which she should have. It’s as the red-haired, fiery Demelza in Poldark which most of us will remember her. You can read her obituary here.

The BBC aired the Poldark series in 1975-77 and it was wildly popular. Set in Cornwall (I’d watch anything set there I think) just after the American War of Independence. Poldark was based on the books by Winston Graham, who had been a history teacher before taking to writing, he was a rattling good storyteller and as a bonus, his books are factually accurate too.

I first read the novels years ago and re-read them all not all that long ago, they were still real page-turners so if you haven’t read them you might want to try them out. I know that Evee loved the books too as she has mentioned in the past how she raced through them while she was going through a terrible time in hospital. Did you watch the TV programme too Evee? Half the female population seemed to fancy Robin Ellis (Ross) while the other half were all for George Warleggan (Ralph Bates).

Poor Angharad, she was 63 but she’ll always be Demelza to me. What’s going on up there? Yesterday it was the actor Simon Ward who popped off. Who’s the third one going to be?

6 thoughts on “Angharad Rees and Poldark

  1. Just discovered Doc Martin in my library (DVDs). Up to Series 3-have to watch them in order. Can’t get over the beautiful scenery in Cornwall.

    • Lorraine,
      It took me years to get to Cornwall, I’d wanted to go since I read Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca when I was about 13. It certainly wasn’t a disappointment to me. Lovely scenery but they do get a lot of rain. The south-west of England is so much better than the south-east. I’ve been enjoying Doc Martin recently too.

  2. I saw that Angharad Rees had died, but I missed the announcement about Simon Ward! Both great actors.

    I loved the Poldark books, which I read after watching the TV series. I thought the books and the series were excellent and I wish I still had the books!

    • Margaret,
      It took me so long to gather all 12 books and I loved them so much, I’m trying to weed out books but I won’t be getting rid of those ones! I think I’ll be reading them again at some point in the future. I’ve got the DVDs too.

  3. Yes, indeed, I do love the Poldark books, and yes, i watched the TV series! I was one of the Robin Ellis fans! I didn’t like George Warleggan so poor Ralph Bates didn’t appeal either! Strange when he turned up in Corrie! What a memory you have, Katrina! Fancy remembering that I read the books in hospital! Wow, that was in 1977! I should read them again.

    • Evee,
      Poor Ralph Bates indeed, he died years ago, I did see him once when he came to visit his mother, she worked in an office downstairs from mine at Essex, she was dame someone or other! The Poldark books are definitely worth reading again.

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