Andy Miller

The riddle of Chapel Sands

To understand why an infant was snatched from a Lincolnshire beach 90 years ago, Laura Cumming must face some unhappy home truths

issue 29 June 2019

At first glance, Laura Cumming’s memoir On Chapel Sands begins with what appears to be a happy ending. On an autumn evening in 1929, a small child is snatched from a Lincolnshire beach. Her name is Betty Elston and she is three years old. The girl’s mother, Veda, is happy to let Betty play on Chapel Sands, not far from the family’s cottage, keeping an eye on her from a distance.

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