Rotten Borough (novel)

{{short description|1937 novel by Oliver Anderson}}{{Infobox book | image = Rotten Borrough, cover.png | author = Julian Pine | pub_date = 1937 }} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{italic title}} '''''Rotten Borough''''' ({{ISBN|0947795839}}) was a book published in 1937 by the [[British writer]] [[Oliver Anderson (writer)|Oliver Anderson]], using the pseudonym Julian Pine. Withdrawn soon after release, it was republished in 1989.

The book is a satirical novel based on the author's observations of life in the town of [[Grantham]], where he was educated. On release, it caused a national controversy and threats of [[libel]] actions in Britain because of the perception that its characters were based on real people, including [[Peregrine Cust, 6th Baron Brownlow|Lord Brownlow]], a friend of [[King Edward VIII]] who had also served as mayor of Grantham. The book was withdrawn after three weeks.<ref name="Bond">Andrew Bond, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-oliver-anderson-1351872.html "Obituary: Oliver Anderson"], ''[[The Independent]]'', 11 November 1996 , archived [https://web.archive.org/web/20090408161724/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-oliver-anderson-1351872.html here]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090408161724/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-oliver-anderson-1351872.html |date=April 8, 2009 }}</ref>

The book received renewed public attention in the 1980s, because another character in the book, Councillor Nurture, was thought to be based on [[Alfred Roberts]], the father of [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Margaret Thatcher]], although Anderson denied this.<ref name="Bond"/> The book was republished in 1989.<ref>[[Martin Pugh (author)|Martin Pugh]], [http://www.lrb.co.uk/v11/n05/martin-pugh/grantham-factor "Grantham Factor"], ''[[London Review of Books]]'', 2 March 1989.</ref>

[[John Campbell (biographer)|John Campbell]], in his biography of Margaret Thatcher, described the novel as a dated and juvenile lampoon of small-town life, and believed that Councillor Nurture was actually based on Councillor Foster, another prominent Grantham councillor at the time.<ref>{{cite book | last = Campbell | first = John | title = Margaret Thatcher, Volume One: The Grocer's Daughter | year = 2000 | publisher = Jonathan Cape Ltd | isbn = 978-0224040976}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:1937 British novels]] [[Category:Books republished after being withdrawn]] [[Category:British satirical novels]] [[Category:Grantham]] [[Category:Novels set in Lincolnshire]]