Woodland Scene

About the Book

‘Problems at Brock Manor’ is the second book from Michael, in the Woodland Scene series of light-hearted and humerous stories about the country lives of humanoid animals. Book I: ‘The Badgers of Brock Manor’ was centered on the lives of the Badgers who live in Brock Manor and their servants. Bastien Badger, who inherited the Manor from his father in preference to his elder brother Basil (Boots) Badger, managed to stop the Weasel family from taking over his Manor with help, but in this sequel to Book 1, Bastien, has problems holding on to his Manor. The problems are from within his own family, particularly his Aunt Blanche, younger sister to his deceased father, Sir Regnault Badger, who thinks, Basil, her favourite nephew, should have inherited the Manor as she wants to live there. Bastien Badger has a great deal of help from his loyal gardener Bobby Bunny and the Bunnies, who eventually, through their ingenious activities, manage to help Bastien regain possession of his inheritance which, hopefully, will lead to an agreement on the future peaceful residency of the Manor, but who knows?

About the Author

Michael David Cockett, a retired engineer and latterly a gardener, was born during WWII at Battle, Sussex, U.K., 1 mile from Battle Abbey, the site of the Battle of Hastings 1066. Because of this, Michael became interested in history and his aunt was convinced that her Cockett family had originated from France, possibly even being at the battle. She had found out from a friend that there were coats-of-arms, manor houses, castles and an outlaw. Michael, soon after his marriage to his late wife Linda, investigated her claims over the next 35 years, tracing his family history back to the year 1276 to Alan de Kacote, near Sundridge, Kent. The family hadn’t moved far in 700 years. His ancestors were farmers, yeoman and husbandmen. However, Michael’s family name had been changed from Kacote, the name derived from a building on the Pilgrim’s Way called a ‘Kald (cold) Cottage’, and changed to Cackott then Cackett and when his ancestor arrived in Battle, in 1773, the name had changed to Cockett. Michael found what his aunt had been told was true, but it did not apply to Michael’s ancestry, but it did influence his book.