I’m back from Suffolk. 
Four days of relentless work and the draft is finished. OK, it wasn’t entirely relentless. I did a talk for the Woodbridge Oxfam bookshop (whence goes most of my royalties) which allowed me to sing the praises of the wonderful writer and poacher D Brian Plummer. 
I discovered Plummer by mistake about four years ago, in the rare book section, judged the book by its cover (a beautiful drawing of a lurcher) but quailed when I saw the £22 price tag.
Husband came to the rescue (as usual), and the book appeared, beautifully wrapped, as a birthday present a month later.
The trouble with old-fashioned books of country lore is that they’re so often unreadable. So I wasn’t expecting much. Silly me. Plummer turned out to be one of the great raconteurs of the English countryside — erudite, opinionated, wildly iconoclastic, and astonishingly knowledgeable about everything to do with poaching. Six months after reading Merle, I bit the bullet, returned to the bookshop, and made an offer for the rest of the collection. Which, lovely people, they accepted.
D Brian Plummer died in 2003 and it breaks my heart that I never had a chance to meet him. But I have read most of what he’s written — including such unpromisingly titled works as Diary of a Hunter, Tales of a Rat Hunting Man, and Rogues and Running Dogs. They’re not cheap, but worth every penny.
I like to think he might have enjoyed his portrayal as Dogman in The Bride’s Farewell.
This is interesting Meg. From your description of him, I think this may the same Brian Plummer I knew for a couple of years in the early 80′s when we both worked at the same community school in Walsall. He worked with the most diffiicult – and often violent – pupils, and his off-the-wall methods had a very positive effect. He kept ferrets for hunting then. I’m sorry to hear he died, but glad he’s living on in your work.
How amazing to hear from you — it’s definitely the same man. I had the feeling that his teaching methods were not always appreciated (he obviously loved to shock), but it’s hard to imagine him as anything but a superb teacher. Have you read any of his books? He’s a truly wonderful writer. I’d love to know more about him….he seems to have a large cult following, and two documentary films were made. I must make an effort to get hold of them. Thanks so much for being in touch, David.
‘Beautifully wrapped’? Oh, Dog.
Now you’re making them sound so good I might even want to read them…
will look out for these. They look perfect for the man who owns the golden lurcher I paint so much. He hunts, shoots and fishes and rides. You would like him.
If my husband ever runs off with a 19 year old, I’m moving in with you, Jackie. It’s always good to have a plan, I think.
Oh, Dog.
it’s gonna catch on.
Candy – there is no dog. (I’ll not let you down again Meg)
MEG!!!! He lives and I’m not disappointed. Although he’s put on a bit of weight since he just lived in my head…i wonder if these books are available elsewhere….
They’re available on e-bay and abebooks.co.uk, but I’ve never seen them cheap. And yes, he’s podgy but he’s a very sexy read. (I honed him down quite a bit in my head but I fancied him like mad talking about things like rat hunting, so he must have had something….)
Going to have to track them down – i had two GIANT rats cavorting in my garden this afternoon ! They looked like a pair of otters – am not kidding. God I missed my old lurcher – he’d have had them – let Diesal out and just bimbled about before playing on the trampoline….
I just came across your blog after searchingfor info on D Brian Plummer. I’m currently engrossed in his book Merle, which I bought from Hospice charity bookshop inExeter. Fantastic! I have a Lurcher and am interested in all things dog and Lurcher since I took him ona year ago! I agree with you, I was disapointed to find Plummer had died.. Jenny
Lucky you to find it in a charity shop! They’re very expensive now. Be careful, he’s addictive — and such a wonderful voice, does make you miss the man. Try The Bride’s Farewell when you’re finished with him — I’ve resurrected him and his lurchers (with a bit of poetic licence…!)
hi i have been reading and re-reading plummer books since i was 11years old,he had some great info to pass on and alot of great stories to.
Lovely to hear from another fan. He’s brilliant, isn’t he?
Three programmes were made. Two on hunting and the other called “way out of wallsal” about him training young boxers. Have the two hunting dvd’s but not the boxing one.