'TOM
WAKEFIELD
WRITER EDUCATOR
MOTHER
1935 – 1996'
Oddly, I can find very little online about Tom Wakefield, who is perhaps best known for his openly gay novel Mates (1983). Nevertheless, I give two links below, one from the West Midlands Literary Heritage web site, another from a blogger who personally knew him.
On the headstone is a cartoon portrait of Wakefield by David Shelton, who I can only imagine must be the same person who published and illustrated the (very well received) children's novel A Boy and a Bear in a Boat last year.
CORRIGENDUM: A comment below from Dave Shelton clarifies that he didn't do the portrait, and he suggests that it was Dave Shenton: yes, I'd mis-read the signature.
ADDENDUM 1: In a comment below, Sheila asks why is Tom Wakefield called a mother on his gravestone. That's a question I too would like the answer to. Any takers?
ADDENDUM 2: Be sure to read the very interesting comment by Hugh Barney Miller, JP: he actually knew Tom Wakefield, and makes a comment on the 'Mother' note on his headstone.
ADDENDUM 3: Brian Wigginton informs me that Tom Wakefield's cat was a lesbian, which for some reason reminds me of the short story (the name of which I've forgotten) by Rys Davies which mentions two inseparable ganders that the narrator takes sides with.
West Midlands Literary Heritage: Tom Wakefield
Get Mummy's Purse: Tom Wakefield
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