World War Two Sidcup survivor publishes fifth book on 90th birthday

Graham Matthews, a former Eltham College student, started writing and publishing books 15 years ago initially starting out as a hobby.

The 90-year-old told the News Shopper how he survived World War Two despite his house being bombed four times, which encouraged him to later write a book based on his own experiences.

Graham during his book launch

He explained how his first book called You’re the Doctor: You decide was about his journey growing up during the Blitz and World War Two.

After publishing his first book in 2004, Graham then decided to write a book about the life of his cousin Barbara explaining her “strange but wonderful” 70-year journey.

Barbara died on July 4, 2019 and Graham wanted to write a story in her honour about the impact she had on his life.

Graham during book launch

Graham said: “I’m fortunate to reach 90 years of age, I’ve been through so much in life.

“I survived the World War, and now the coronavirus pandemic.

“I use writing to express myself and my family's journey.

"This book will be something we can remember Barbara by as she was an important part of my life."

He wants Barbara to be remembered as a "funny" and a "joyful" woman.

Barbara (Graham's cousin)

He said Barbara had a “strange” life where she travelled the world with Graham’s uncle, David Farrar, who was a famous actor.

Graham explained: “She was an amusing lady. We all miss her so much.

"So, this book will show how much we miss her and something to remember her by.

"She always told me about the story of her three husbands, and how one of them was a wartime hero who fought in Germany.

"She had so many fascinating and funny stories in her life."

The book also highlights how Barbara met famous people like Vladmir Tretchioff, a well-known artist in the 1950s.

Barbara presenting bouquet to Queen of Denmark

Graham encourages other people to start writing about their life experiences however small or big their story might be.

He said: “You’ve got to be brave in your writing and completely honest with yourself if you want to start to write.

“I wrote a book on Barbra, so other people must have interesting stories about their families.

“Don’t be scared, write. I’m 90 and I can write, so can other people.”

Graham's book is available to read now by reaching out to him on grahammatthewsr@gmail.com.

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