Annette Josephine Carson is a British non-fiction author specialising in history, biography and aviation, with a particular interest in King Richard III. Since 2002 she has also been an advocate for UK state pension parity for UK expatriates.
Early life
Born 1 September 1940 in Brighton, England, Carson is the only daughter of Harry Groombridge, musician and bandleader who died in 1960. She was educated at Mary Datchelor Girls’ School in London and the Royal College of Music where she studied violin with Alan Loveday. In 1960, she married US actor Robert Allen Carson, marriage dissolved 1966.
Career
Aviation and aerobatics
In the 1980s Carson was British Delegate to the Aerobatics Commission of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, and was elected Secretary of CIVA and Chairman of its Judging Sub-Committee. She served in organisational roles including Contest Director, British Team Manager and International Jury member. In 1984 she co-wrote Flight Unlimited. In 1986 Carson published Flight Fantastic: The Illustrated History of Aerobatics, earning the FAI’s Paul Tissandier Diploma. In 1998, Carson contributed articles to Encyclopaedia Britannica on Aerobatics and Stunt Flying. In September 2019 Carson published a new aviation biography Camel Pilot Supreme: Captain D V Armstrong DFC, with Pilot magazine critic Philip Whiteman saying: "Deeply researched, hugely informative"
PR and advertising
In 1989 Carson relocated to work in Johannesburg, South Africa as a copywriter at Ogilvy & Mather, Grey Response, D’Arcy Direct and Bates International, winning several local and international awards, including a 1991 SPADA ; a 1992 DMA International Gold Echo; and a 1997 DMA International Silver Echo. Carson subsequently freelanced while producing biographical works: Jeff Beck: Crazy Fingers, published USA 2001, with Q-Magazine critic Michael Leonard saying: "The finest and probably final word".
Books on King Richard III
With a lifelong interest in King Richard III of England Carson published Richard III: The Maligned King, a revisionist analysis of his reign based on non-Tudor sources. Carson concluded that the King’s remains still lay under the Greyfriars Church in Leicester where he was originally buried and that the site ‘would now probably lie beneath the private car park of the Department of Social Services’ editions of 2008, 2009, pp. 269-270. While she was still in South Africa the Looking For Richard Project was initiated in the UK and following her return in 2011 Carson was invited to join the Project as historical consultant. The Project’s aim was to find the lost grave of Richard III and his mortal remains which meant excavating the same Social Services car park that Carson had written about. Of Richard III: The Maligned King, Philippa Langley, who had founded the Looking for Richard Project said that ‘It was the first book I had read to make this claim.’. As well as being historical consultant, Carson contributed to the scripting and copywriting of the International Appeal that saved the dig from a £10,000 shortfall. In 2013 after revising The Maligned King Carson published Richard III: A Small Guide to the Great Debate. In 2014 members of the Looking For Richard Project collaborated to produce a report of their research, edited and published by Carson, entitled Finding Richard III: The Official Account of Research by the Retrieval and Reburial Project. In 2014 Carson was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Richard III Society. In 2015 Carson published her fourth Ricardian book, Richard Duke of Gloucester as Lord Protector and High Constable of England, with Ken Hillier saying in the Ricardian Bulletin: "A compelling narrative". Articles by Carson have been published in magazines including the Richard III Society’s Ricardian Bulletin, and twice in the Society's annual journal The Ricardian, in 2005 and 2012. Her media appearances include BBC Radio 4Great Lives: Richard III , and a news item University of Leicester find human remains in car park in search for Richard III. Carson states: "It's my belief we simply don't know as much as we're led to think we know about Richard III and his period, and an open mind serves us better than one that runs along well-worn paths."
In 2002 Carson brought a legal action against the UK Government seeking Judicial review of its 'frozen pension' policy. The case contended that the failure of the UK Government to pay to pensioners resident in certain overseas countries the annual inflation uprating to their UK State Pension, which was paid to residents in other countries, constituted discrimination in contravention of the Human Rights Act 1998 based on EU Human Rights legislation. The UK State Pension was payable in countries like the UK, the European Economic Area and a number of disparate countries, whilst not being payable in predominantly Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. The civil action was held in the Administration Court of the Queens Bench Division of the High Court. Carson lost her case, with the Honourable Mr. Justice Burnton saying that the decision to uprate the UK State Pension was legislative rather than judicial. Carson was given leave to appeal, and the appeal was heard in 2003. Carson lost this appeal, but was given leave to appeal, this time to the House of Lords. This appeal heard in 2005. Carson also lost this appeal. With each loss in the UK courts adverse costs were awarded against her. In 2008, Carson took her appeal to the ECHR, in Strasbourg, where she was joined by 12 other "frozen" pensioners from Canada and Australia. They lost this case and in 2010 they appealed to the Grand Chamber of the ECHR in 2010. This final appeal was lost by 11 votes to 6.
