Letters from Stockholm

'10 June 1948: My own darlings, you will want to know everything, so I’ll start from where we left each other at St Pancras …' A biography of a young typist’s experiences at the British Embassy in Stockholm whose letters home reveal her extraordinarily detailed and personal reflections of life in post-war Britain and Sweden alongside her own dramas, ambitions and adventures. Betty Fenton sets sail from London in summer 1948 bound for the British Embassy in Stockholm. She and her friend June are former WRENs determined to put their administrative skills to the test working at His Majesty King George VI’s diplomatic mission in Sweden. During her year abroad, Betty will encounter the highs and lows of embassy life, from thrilling parties and dancing, cinema and fashion, to being on the front line of the emerging Cold War. She’ll encounter loneliness and homesickness amidst the rigours of rationing, risk her heart by falling in love, and forge friendships which will shape the course of her future life. With a combination of extracts from her letters and additional research, this the story of Betty in Stockholm About the authors: Lorna Brookes is an editor and author with a passion for exploring the historical context of works of literature. She writes fiction under her pen name Harriet Hitchen, including 2025 speculative fiction bestseller Swindon Mountain. She is the founder of Crumps Barn Studio and lives in Gloucestershire with her husband. Written in partnership with Tim Taylor, Betty Fenton's son.