Late councillor’s family compile a book of her poems in aid of Hartlepool hospital

Stranton councillor Jean Kennedy passed away at the age of 80 in 2019, leaving behind four poems published nationally and one in America.

But when daughter Michelle Plant, 60, and grandson Robert Blackthorne, 29, started clearing out her home, they discovered dozens more – sometimes written on the backs of envelopes.

Much to their surprise, they also found a poem, called Treasures, which Jean had written about grandson Robert.

Over the Covid lockdown, Michelle and Robert decided to put together Jean’s poetry in a book, with proceeds going towards the University Hospital of Hartlepool.

Jean, who represented the Stranton ward on Hartlepool Borough Council between May 2004 and May 2007, was a prominent campaigner for the Hartlepool Save Our Hospital campaign.

Before retiring, she was a manageress for a bookmakers in Stockton and later worked in a supermarket in Hartlepool town centre.

Daughter Michelle has said that Jean “supported our hospital through and through” and was loving and giving.

She also received The International Poet of Merit Award from the International Society of Poets in 1997.

"Although there’s some serious poems and sad ones, there’s some very happy and funny poems. She had a good sense humour and she was very thoughtful about politics,” said Michelle.

“I hope it gives people’s spirits uplifting and just to share a bit of her among people. These are her life poems and I hope it can make some money for the hospital.”

In Loving Memory of Jean Kennedy (nee Rorks) has been printed locally and contains 78 poems about love, family, change, ageing, war and religion.

Michelle has said Jean would have been “over the moon” with the book getting published.

"I do know that she did write poems, but I just didn’t know how many she had written,” said Michelle, from the Clavering area of town.

"It took blood, sweat and tears.

"We found all these bits of paper and cardboard and I thought ‘Isn’t it a shame?’

"All these poems and she’s won awards and nobody knows anything about her, except she’s been a councillor.”

Copies cost £5 and can be purchased from the Community Hub Central, in York Road.