CHARLES CARLINO cried tears of joy this week after receiving news that a third historical novel written by his wife Linda, who died four years ago, is being published in Brazil.

Her previous two books are selling so well there that the next one is also expected to be a major success.

“I’ve been so overcome with pride and happiness that I’ve run out of tissues,” said Mr Carlino at his home in Barnard Castle.

All three books, based on the tangled lives and loves of Spanish royalty, did well in Britain before being translated into Portugese and achieving big sales in Europe.

Now their popularity in South America, where they have been adapted into Brazilian Portugese – which differs from the original – has opened up a vast potential readership.

Mrs Carlino started writing only after retiring from a long teaching career in which she was head of schools in East Harlsey, Mickleton, West Auckland and Darlington.

During a holiday in Spain with Charles she became fascinated by the colourful history of its royal family.

She learned Spanish so that she could read books and ancient documents before starting to write. Her third book, Wives and Other Women, is about Philip II, best known for the Armada and his marriage to Mary Tudor.

It tells of his frantic quest for a healthy male heir and his pursuit of various ladies. She was working on a fourth novel when she died at the age of 70, but her research notes enabled it to be completed.

After the new Brazilian success her husband said: “Linda would have been overjoyed and very proud that her effort and achievement are receiving the recognition she hoped and prayed for. But of course my regret is that she did not live to see and enjoy the wonderful results.”

Royalties from the sales are being given to his daughter-in-law Suzanne to pass on to Breast Cancer UK, for whom she has completed a power walk marathon in London.

Just after the latest good news arrived Mr Carlino, also a retired teacher, found his favourite photograph of Linda. It had been missing for years after slipping between other documents in his study.

It shows her at the age of 40 when she went to play golf in Spain with three fellow members of Barnard Castle Golf Club: Vera Hatfield, Mary Caygill and Gill Hugill. “They were four adventurous ladies, the first from the club to do what was quite a daring thing at the time,” he said. “I’m thrilled to have found the picture at last.”

AS soon as Robert Cameron McColl arrived in the dales from his home in Glasgow he seemed destined to become a leader in the teaching profession.

The Northern Echo:
The monument to Robert McColl, with Winston Parish Church in the background

At the age of 20 he was appointed senior English master at Gainford Academy. He had studied well in the Scottish city and impressed everyone, colleagues and scholars alike, when he took up the post in 1858.

As well as being adept at passing on knowledge he was cheerful and friendly, so he got the best out of his classes.

After a few years he was appointed headmaster of the Caledonian Schools in Liverpool. As well as gaining excellent results in the post he studied at Queen’s College in that city in his spare time and soon passed the first exams on his way to a BA degree from London University.

But after a couple of years at Liverpool he yearned for the dales, so he returned to Gainford as principal assistant master.

The proprietor, the Rev William Bowman, was delighted to have him back, and he was once more admired throughout the academy as well as in the area.

But he was afflicted by a sudden and severe illness which made it impossible to carry on working. He spent his final weeks at Winston and died there in January 1865 at the age of 27.

The esteem in which he was held was reflected in the size of a monument paid for by his pupils, colleagues and friends.

The 12 foot tall obelisk was erected over his grave in Winston churchyard.

It is still the tallest memorial stone there, and the words on it can still be clearly read though those on many other stones from the same era have been eroded. It gives his age and date of death, and says it was erected by his pupils and friends.

CHRISTINE RUSKIN, whose book on the disappearing farms of Weardale has been a eagerly received, has followed up by producing a 50-minute film on the same subject.

It will be screened at six venues in the dale in the coming month, with proceeds going to village halls.

Among those featured in it are Mary Bell (Cowshill), Stan Bell (St John’s Chapel), Jean Bowes (Stanhope), Freda Bullman (Daddry), Dennis Craig (Eastgate), Dick Dalton (Wellhope), Walter Dalton (Eastgate), Joe Heads (Windyside), Ian Humble (Cowshill), Albert Jopling (Stanhope), Mary Raine (Barnard Castle) and Nancy Robinson (Ireshopeburn).

It stemmed from the recent BBC Countryfile episode featuring her book. Ms Ruskin suggested the TV team should do a full length show about Weardale. Their reply was: “Why don’t you do one?” So she did.

The result is excellent though she had to reshoot some scenes. She missed out the heads of Mary Bell and Dennis Craig at the first attempt.

A motorbike roared past as she was talking to Ian Humble. A clock struck six during Joe Head’s interview, and Mabel Dalton’s oven timer went off at the wrong moment.

But she commented: “It should be alright on the night.” Dates on which it can be seen are: June 6, 1.30pm Pathways Resource Centre, private showing. June 9, 7pm Barrington Hall, St John’s Chapel, £1.50 inc tea and biscuits. June 13, 7pm Eastgate VH, £3 inc refreshments and book signing. June16, 2pm Cowshill VH, £2 inc tea and biscuits.

June20, 7pm Westgate VH, free, tea and biscuits. June 27, 10.30am The Hub, Stanhope, donations, coffee.

LIFE was grimly hard in the dales in the cold early months of 1867 and a lot of poor folk qualified for relief.

But the sums handed out would be just about enough to save them from starvation, without any treats.

During one week in February cash was awarded to 364 claimants in Barnard Castle. The total came to just over £34.

The Northern Echo:
Christine Ruskin, author and now film producer

In Staindrop there were 215 residents who received aid. Their total was £17. Middleton had 271 paupers, whose combined handout came to £26. So the benefit in each place for the week averaged under two shillings apiece, equal to 10p today. It would buy much more than our 10p, but even so the hard up families must have taken a lot of care over how each farthing was spent.