HERE'S a new twist on family history: a mother and son who have both written books about times past. Audrey and Chris Corbett's publications are very different in terms of scope and content, but equally interesting to a devotee of social history.

Chris's book is a reassessment of the life of Margaret of Anjou, one of the key figures in the English Civil War.

History has done Henry VI's queen a disservice, Chris believes. "She has been maligned by history in much the same way as Richard III was," he said.

When he joined the Friends of Richard III Society in York, he was prompted to turn his long-held interest in the French noblewoman into a book.

It is a story packed with plotting, political intrigue and bloody warfare. Margaret was the fourth child of the Count of Anjou. She married King Henry in 1445, aged just 15.

When her husband suffered a mental breakdown, she gained control of royal affairs. She took on Richard of York in the battle for the succession to the throne and often dictated Lancastrian war strategy.

When she was eventually defeated by Edward IV, she was kept captive in various English castles until ransomed by Louis XI. She lived out her last years in poverty back in the French province of Anjou.

From Chris's book, it becomes clear that Margaret was a remarkable person. Even as queen, it was difficult to be a woman, particularly a foreign woman, in a male-dominated society. But her position worsened considerably when her husband suffered a mental breakdown.

Margaret chose to stand up and fight.

"She had quite a lot of input into the military side," said Chris, who lives off Lawrence Street, York. "In one particular battle there's a good deal of evidence that she led her troops, not in battle, but to the battle."

But there's another side to the warrior. Chris carried out a great deal of research, including travelling to her French home and unearthing the queen's personal correspondence.

He said: "The other side, which comes out from her letters, has hardly been raised at all, which is her very strong sense of justice."

A key part of Margaret's story is set in York. She and Henry set up court in the city before their bloody defeat at the Battle of Towton. She arrived, as is still royal tradition, via Micklegate Bar, with what Chris writes would have been mixed feelings: "on the one hand the skull of Richard Duke of York still on display was a reminder to her of the northern capital's political allegiance, on the other was the news that Edward Earl of March later Edward IV had entered London and been 'joyously received' by its citizens".

Chris is not sure exactly where in York the royal party stayed. "There's a suggestion she was at King's Manor, but I haven't been able to back that up with any firm evidence."

There are no ambiguities in his mother's book, which recalls more modern times. It is her memoir of running Foston School near Malton between 1967 until her retirement in 1990.

Light A Candle is a heartening story of how education should and can be, when teachers are given the freedom to teach and pupils are without the constant pressures of exams.

Mrs Corbett's approach at Foston was to instil the basics, such as grammar and times tables, while giving her charges the space to be creative.

In this environment the children flourished. They won international and national awards and ensured Foston School was regularly featured in the national media, as well as the Evening Press.

All this came from quite unpromising beginnings when Mrs Corbett arrived at the school of 28 pupils aged from five to 11. "The beginning was decidedly inauspicious," she writes.

"Apart from a need to eventually acquire some new furniture and replace an iron heating-stove which had seen better days, there was a lack of basic teaching materials."

Soon, however, the school spirit was quite revived. Special events like Hallowe'en parties, Christmas carol services and summer field trips were eagerly awaited.

"During that first summer we explored our surroundings, inclusive of neighbouring farms and Mr Dickenson's forge, where he regularly made horseshoes for local stables and racehorses, as well as some very artistic wrought-iron work.

"We also spent an illuminating afternoon trekking down a long cart-track and across fields to a place recommended by the children as 'a smashing place for a picnic'."

Mrs Corbett decided to write the book after going through her archive of school material when illness confined her to her house near Malton.

One reason was to "create a permanent record of almost a quarter of a century of education undertaken at one of Britain's tiniest schools".

She also wanted to place on record her gratitude to school colleagues, local people and the children "who worked so willingly and gave me so much joy for 23 years of my life".

Both books should soon be in local bookshops, or are available by mail from the authors (add £1.50 for p&p).

Marguerite: a biography of Margaret of Anjou by Chris Corbett is published by the author, price £7: 33 Bull Lane, Lawrence Street, York YO10 3EW.

Light A Candle by Audrey Corbett is published by Sessions price £5.50: Blueberry Croft, West Lutton, Malton YO17 8TA

Updated: 12:08 Monday, January 20, 2003