Adam Gotch

About

Adam Gotch worked as a film researcher for BBC Newsnight. In retirement he began researching the life of his parents in the British Council 1939-1975, captured on 16mm film, photographs and recordings. While researching his parents’ careers at the British Library, he discovered his mother Elizabeth (Billy) Gotch also worked part-time for the RLF, assessing authors who had asked for grants and had visited Margaret Thatcher at 10 Downing Street as part of the RLF team, where only tea was served as Mrs Thatcher had cancelled biscuits at meetings.

Laurence Gotch, Adam’s grandfather, was a Topographical officer in Cairo 1917-1919 . Returning to Kettering in 1919 and having seen the Lowell Thomas shows in London, he decided to imitate The Uncrowned King of Arabia (TE Lawrence) touring Northampton. Permission was granted by Lawrence to use extracts of Seven Pillars of Wisdom for lectures. He joined The Lecture League agency, and toured the UK giving lectures with glass slides and maps.

Legacy

His gift of Royalties to the RLF from his literary estate helps support future generations of writers.