A best-selling author with a talent for bringing history to life and a former leader in education and local government have been made Honorary Fellows of Lancaster University.

Sir Bill Taylor, former leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and retired chairman of Blackburn College, and Dr Jo Baker, author of a series of seven novels including ‘Longbourn’ a re-imagining of Pride and Prejudice from the servants’ point of view, were both be made Honorary Fellows on May 23.

Lancaster University has been awarding Honorary Fellowships since 2006 to recognise those who have made an outstanding contribution to the University or local region.

Lancaster University Pro-Chancellor Lord Roger Liddle presented the awards at a fellowship dinner this week.

Sir Bill said: “From a great state education in Birmingham aged 5-18 I went on to gain both a BA (Hons) & an MA from Lancaster University. I learned a lot from my time there both within and beyond the curriculum. I tried to repay this by working amongst and for young people in my professional and public life. Throughout my career, I have tried to guide young people to make the best of their lives.

“In my professional leadership roles in local government and education I tried to drive improvement and we gained recognised excellence. Education flourishes best where the learner, family and professionals work together. We were able to reflect on our successes and share what we had learned across the region and far beyond. It’s really pleasing to get this recognition of our work.”

Dr Jo Baker has strong ties to the city and is a former lecturer in Creative Writing in the Department of English and Creative Writing.

She was born in Lancashire and educated at Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale, Oxford University and Queen’s University Belfast. She is the author of Longbourn, an international best seller along with previous novels The Picture Book, The Telling, The Mermaid’s Child and Offcomer. Her work has been translated into 21 different languages and shortlisted for a number of awards; her recent novel, A Country Road, A Tree was named a book of the year in The Guardian and The New Statesman. She lives in Lancaster.

Dr Baker said: “Some of my earliest memories are of being around campus with my Dad, who taught in the Politics Department when I was a child. I’ve lived elsewhere, and set books in other cities and countries, but this place is bedded deep in my imagination; it seeps into my work. Even in Longbourn, a book that is essentially about another book, I found myself writing about St George’s Quay, the city, the sands of Morecambe bay.”