THE LARKIN FAMILY

THE LARKIN FAMILY

Here's a new mnemonic means of recalling the christian name of Pop Larkin, the chief character in the H.E.Bates' novel "The Darling Buds Of May":

" If there's any poetic justice it would be Philip instead of Sidney! "

In other words, NOT Philip
- Philip Larkin (1922-85) was a famous English poet.
but Sidney
- and Sir Philip Sidney (1554-86) was another English poet!

Based on H.E. Bates' novels and short stories about the Larkin family, The Darling Buds Of May became a popular UK television comedy drama series in 1991-93, with:

David Jason - Sidney (Pop) Larkin
Pam Ferris - Flo Parker (Ma Larkin)
Catherine Zeta Jones - Mariette Larkin, m.Charlton
Philip Franks - Cedric (Charley) Charlton
Julie Davies - Primrose Larkin
Christina Giles - Petunia Larkin
Katherine Giles - Zinnia Larkin
Stephanie Ralph - Victoria Larkin
Ian Tucker - Montgomery Larkin

In the novels, Sidney 'Pop' Larkin lives with the mother of his many children, Flo Parker (known locally as "Ma Larkin") and has avoided paying tax or national insurance throughout his working life. Taxman 'Charley' Charlesworth sets out to track Pop down, but ends up leaving his job and marrying Mariette, their daughter.

The title of the novel was taken from the 18th Sonnet of yet another famous English poet, William Shakespeare (1564-1616):

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May
And summer's lease hath all too short a date...."