Author of ‘Ugly’ – a story of unimaginable courage against the odds
15th November 2006, 7:30pm
Highfields Library, 98 Melbourne Rd, Leicester
To reserve a place phone 0116 2995494
FREE EVENT
Leicester Libraries presents as part of Black History Season the incredible Constance Briscoe.
Constance Briscoe is a practising barrister and one of the first black women to sit as a judge in the UK. Her career path has never faltered – from the age of 12 when she told barrister Michael Mansfield during a school trip that she would one day be his pupil – though it is nothing short of a miracle that she achieved her objective. Constance, or Clare as she always thought her name to be, was monstrously abused throughout her childhood by her mother. ‘Ugly’ is the story of that abuse, the story of ten appalling years and how she not only survived them, but triumphed. By the time Constance was taking her A levels, she was holding down three jobs, bringing up herself and paying rent to her mother. Stubbornly courageous, Constance Briscoe is a survivor.
She now lives in Clapham with her two children, Martin and Francesca and her partner, Tony Arlidge QC.
I HATE HER MOTHER I CRIED NEARLY ALL THE TIME WHEN HER MOTHER MISTREATED HER AND I HOPE SHE GETS WHAT SHE DISEVRE!!!!!!!!!!! THE SYCO!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cheered for Constance through the entire book. A True inspiratrion for all of us to show just how much the human spirit can endure before triumph.
I read the book in 4 hours…I just could not put it down!
you inspire so many people i want to be like you to fufille my dreams and make it and lead an example for balck people . God bless you
How could any mother have called her ugly..she’s so beautiful! I tried to buy ‘Beyond Ugly’ today to see if she listened to the Harley Street doctor or not, as HE had said that she didn’t need surgery.
I hope her mother showed remorse after all. It is never too late but oh! how dispicably the mother behaved and what a strong spirit Constance was born with to overcome and conquer such evil. Amazing strength of character and will and so wise a child.
Constance you are beautiful.I have just read your book UGLY.You are always in my heart.I hope i get to read your other books.Your mother sure did behave badly.You are amazing.You have kept your chin up all the way.You go girl.
at the start of the book i thought the abuse would subside. how could a mother be so evil. i think of you often and am so pleased to see how you have embraced your life.
I have just finished your book, and like many others wept for hours. For me personally, this book opened up a lot of my childhood memories, as I was a child of the 1950’s, and although I didn’t endure such torture as you, I did experience abuse when I was placed into care. I applaud you for your courage and determination, and wish you every happiness in the future, and can’t wait for the sequel.
Well….totally honoured to get to know you even through a book….You are a truely inspiring lady….I should like nothing more then buy tou a beautiful blue dress and hug you….I hope and pray you spend the rest of your days without anymore heartache….You deserve the very finest things in life….I feel such hatred towards that thing that calls herself a mother…my God i have two sons and i’d rather die than treat them any where nearly as bad as your mother….God Bless you a true friend Jenette-x-
Dearest Constance
Met and had breakfast with you and Tony at Whittlleby Hall in November 2007 (Policeman’s Ball).
Need desperateley to make contact with you. Tried using your home page but it is closed.
Please advise best way forward.
Regards
Bev
ps: when is Part two of Ugly due out?
Dear Constance,
i just finshed reading your book and it was the saddest book ever, i want to know what happens next so please right a part two ad i also heard that your mums sueing you..she has no right, she is a selfish manupulative bitch and if i was you i would have slapped her long time, sorry for my words im just angry and upset about how people could do to such a thing and appauled..soo cruel. I thought by now se would have been in jail and rott,
Please write back i hope to get in touch with you
thanks xxx
wish you the best in life
dear lovely constance
i am so pleased we got women in our society who are brave as you are,you are a warrior and keep up the good works.ihave read your book and was astonished with what your your mother did to you and how bitchy she was.,but all the same the good old constance Beverly Brscioe made.our very onw Barister.YOU go girl
Dear Constance
First of all I thank you for being so brave to share your story with all of us and for inspiring us to overcome and move on! Also I want to thank you because you opened up my eyes to start appreciating my parents a whole lot more! They are terrific parents and we should all appreciate the parents that actually care about us! You are gorgeous! THANK YOU!
What a triumph! My Mum lives in England and brought a copies of your book to me and my 26 yr old daughter – where we live in the US. I could not put the book down. I am quite proud of my Jamaican parents. However, spanking was never a form of discipline in our house. You give me hope and the many other women and children of color. An awesome read. I would have finished the book in a few days instead of – one week, but I had to work
You are truly beautiful, inside and out. I could not put your book down and when I did it was to wipe the tears I shed reading your book. I can only imagine what you went through but not know what you must have felt. May God always look after you as you deserve everything you have in life and much more as you were stripped of your childhood at a much too young age. I only hope that others in a similar situation to yours can see that there is light at the end of the tunnel so long as you make it happen. You are truly an inspriation to all peoples alike.
My daughter purchased the book “Ugly” in Hong Kong last year, I visited her in New York and found the book on her bookshelf. It’s so amazing to know that this book reminds me of my childhood. In Jamaica I went through a similar experience not by my mother, although she sent me away. I was abused in every kind of way. I actually relived some of the abuse while I read your book. You are a very special human being, you deserve nothing but the very best in life. Your wisdom and intelligence as a child could only be a miracle. I truely wish you a long healthy life as for your abusers they definately will get what they deserve. I would like to get a sequel to the book.
Hi Constance, I read your book twice, Its awesome, I cried with you all the way, You are the greatest; it could not have been easy but you have triumph against all odds. I am so proud of you. I just had to find out more about you; so I googled you. You are not only beautiful but brilliant and so are your children.
Your story touched a cord in me and I hope that some day you mother will wake up and acknowledge that what she did to you was wrong. As a Jamaican Lawyer, I feel very close you,continue to inspire. Blessings
Pauline.
after having read your amazing book, now i know some children out there are not living right, their own mothers or fathers hate them and are unbelievably cruel to them. now i realize how lucky i am but then i also realize how weak i am. i must say i’ve never known anybody like you people alongside dave pelzer and waris dirie. you people are so amazingly strong and successful through it all. i thankyou for being such an inspiration to all of us who so much need your stories to open up our eyes and be greatful to what we have and to work it out against all odds. i pray you be well at all times and God be with us all! more power! we love you..
Dear Constance
Your story “Ugly” so touched me, and its hard to believe that one’s own mother hates her small child so much, she did not have one ounce of love for you. You have a beautiful face so full of inspiration and rings of “sunshine”. What you have done to overcome what you have been through and at the same time follow your dreams is amazing strength and will power. I so admire and respect you. Your determination to continue with your ambition inspite of what your mother put you through. You did not let go of your goals and here you are today an inspiration to others.
I so, would love to meet you in the near future.
May God be with children who suffer at the hands of a cruel parent, and help to see the error of their ways.
My regards
By Paulette 26 June 2007
I just finished reading your book the whole way through it i was on the edge of my seet i had used a box of tissues. I admire your courage i was hoping that you where going to dob your mother into authorities i was hoping that you would of harmed her when you went back to tell her that you where going to university, You are an inspiration to any person in the world they to can make something of themselves there is no excuse even coming from a bad family
iam only 11 yrs old i have read your book i did not know it had strong langue (oh well i somtimes at school)but it really broden my mind somtimes when i read it i can cry and cry and your mother how did u do it some times you can stand up to her and how can you cpe with her do still talk and are in touch with afraid sisters
You are truly beautiful. It’s as simple as that.
Thank you for being such an inspiration to me, you have helped me through so much. You’re the reason I strive through every day. If someone who starts out with so little, can grow to be such a courageous, wonderful, successful beauty. Then I sure as hell can achieve my ambitions. You are a pure soul, and it is my personal belief that jealousy is the only reason that ‘Ugly’ ever stuck in your mind. You are not ugly, in any way. You never were, and you never will be. I wish I could meet you, and shake the hand of a true hero.
All my love,
Rebecca.
Dear Constance,
I was dying to see your photo. I wanted to know if you mother was at least right in calling you the way she did when you where a child? She could not have been further from the truth. You are BEAUTIFUL. You have got lovely big eyes and teeth.
What has happened to your mother? Where is she now? Who is she torturing now?
I strongly believe that she was the FIRST to realise your potentials, beauty, intelligence and perseverance, and envied you for that. She hated the fact that she could have never been like you, even if she had tried very hard.
What I do not understand is why you could not report her to social services, or to the police. Why couldn’t you talk to your teachers? Why to pay her rent while she was collecting your benefits? Why?
I hope if there is a child going trough the same now. He or she has the strength to go to the authorities. There is help out there, if you look for it.
I’ve read both Ugly and Beyond Ugly and was so upset to learn what you had gone through.Your mother if you can call her that was cruel and horrible and did’nt deserve to have any children specially you.The pain and the sadness i felt reading your books was so strong that i felt it for you.But saying that what a Brave Girl and Woman you became an Inspiration to us all.You’ve got a life now where some people would like to be,GOOD FOR YOU!Also you have that HAPPY ENDING.PS YOUR BEAUTIFUL IN AND OUT!
Hi I remember when I got your first book as a christmas present a couple of years back, I couldn’t put it down! I finished it in no time and then had the agonizing wait for the sequel. I remember first seeing your face on the ‘the wright stuff’ on channel five….UGLY WHAT PART! I can not believe what that woman put you through, that anyone could be so malicious and evil. It’s her loss anyway, and I’m glad you freed yourself of that prison. You have truly touched me and from what I can see a lot of other people. I am proud of you and wish you and your loved ones all the best in life. Keep shining xxx
Love Shemika
You are a beautiful woman and an inspiration to women.I have just read ugly and wonder why a mother could call her child ugly.I really admire your courage and determination to become a successul Lawyer.But I still wonder why you never reported your mother to the autorities.
Well Constance I really don’t know what to say, I have read both your books and can’t get the whole thing out of my head. I think you are such a strong and very inspiring woman to have come out of all this with your head held high you’r'e so beautiful and believe me you have also helped me with some issued I’ve have dealt with in the past, no child should have suffered they way you have no matter what they have done. i’m so proud of you as a lot of people say that the abused become the abusers but I can tell that is not true in your case and neither it is in mine I love my children so much that I feel guilty telling them off but theres a big difference between teaching right from wrong and abuse. You and your children look so contented and they also should be proud of you for coming so far in life. Well! Well done gorgeous always remember that x x
I am very curious and will like to know why your dad didn’t take you away to live with him knowing fully well that you were being maltreated in your mothers house and why didn’t you report the case to the authorities. was it love or what?
I can very much say that your mother doesn’t deserve to be called one. i want to believe the reason she kept having more kids wasn’t out of love but for the benefits (monetary) she got for each of you.
The Bible says to bring up a child in the way of the LORD not abuse them. i pray your mum forgives herself and finds peace because i know that peace is far removed from her life.
Pray and forgive her and your other siblings as CHRIST forgave us and pray they forgive themselves for the way they all hurt you.
take heart sis, you are going places.
Hi Constance, I have just read your book “ugly” and can’t believe the hell you went through just to live, alls you wanted was to be happy, and that woman (because she never mothered you) loved to see you upset and excluded from your family. She didnt even feed or clothe you, she never talked to you or took you out. I hope your sisters are ashamed of themselves too, they didnt help you one bit and they are wrong on so many levels for not helping or alerting anyone of what was happening to you. You were being racially attacked too, by your own race. You amaze me, looking at what you have made of yourself after all that utter carnage.
I truly admire you, and will for eternity, to me you have made history. You are soo strong. I am so happy your alive, despite the fact you must carry emotional and physical scarring of your childhood. You don’t show you look wonderful. I hope to catch you on a talk show one day, you are so intelligent and were never worth the family that brought you into this world because they were more than happy to of brought you out of it. xxx
All my love
dear contanse
u constantly remind me of an ugly person
thanks for the meal yesterday it was great
u are very ugly in real life but very good in bed
thanks 4 the sex
love john
Dear Constance,
You are truly a inspiration.
I am going to university and have faced troubles i my life, however yor book has taught me to rise up as a young black women and through it all I can achieve the impossible.
I read both Ugly and Beyond Ugly in two days and I felt as if i needed surgery for my nose.
Nevertheless I have seen that you didn’t need it and neither do I.
I have overcome many of my insecures and love myself for who I am. I am proud that there is a new role model for young black women and all women.
Thanks for your book. Who knows one day you may see my name on the shelves and I won’t forget to mention you.
I just wanted to know if you still see your mother or have heard from any of your family since you wrote this book. What was their reaction if so?
I also would like to read another book from you, maybe one with a wider vocabulary aimed for academics. – Just a thought.
xxx
I read this book in 2 days- I simply could not put it down. I was transfixed by your book. Although I did not suffer the level of abuse you did, I certainly could identify with your feelings as a young child and woman. Oh how a child cries silently, why oh why did they not rise up and save you. After I read the book I dreamt of you. Ms. Briscoe you are truly beautiful and a role model for the ages. Thank you for this book. I look forward to reading the next…
I think you are a great fighter and a winner I read your book and I believe most of it, here is an extract i read from another book. you certainly made something of your suffering
The value of suffering does not lie in the pain of it, which is morally neutral but in what the sufferer makes of it. two people can go through the same painful experience, one be destroy by it, the other achieve an extra demension. the real tragedy of suffering is the wasted opportunity.
i would like to meet you
Barry
just finished reading The Secret as well as Ugly. It is clear ( no pun intended) that Constance has discovered The Secret. Her courage, strength and determination makes her a inspiration to us all. In fact, while reading I visualized her as the beauty and mother as “Ugly”. I is hard to imagine a mother with the degree of ulginess to ones “flesh and blood.
Well done Constance!!
absolutly amazing!!!!!
I am just over half way through reading ugly and my heart bleeds for Constance. I have been in tears many times. I know that it all works out well, but that woman so calledyour Mother should be jailed. i admire your spirit and the way you pulled through all you went through. I have beyond ugly and can’t wait to read it. You are a beautiful person, both inside and out.
good for you in bringing it all out in the open !!
Constance.
I have never known any girl named Constance who is ugly, You would have been the first in my fifty years of existence. I read your book because I saw a little pretty black las on the caption. Ironically I started by reading beyond ugly then ugly as my own way of appreciating a story even more. I do not think that any amount of worden puts down here will surfice to express my sincere emotions and feelings about your maltreatment. I have made you my icon after reading beyond ugly, if i can book audience to meet you live then i think my life span will be increased.please do book me any time to visit you personally or in one of your court sessions or chamber or talker show, may the good lord continue to bless you.
Dear constence
i realy felt something about you, this book was very emotional and i sit every day reading it, it’s so good when it comes to eating my lunch i wont go and eat because i’m so addicted to your book. I just want to say WOW if that happened to me i could never have the guts to right it out so once again well done and a very good luke in your future, coz i;m sure you’ve got a hugde future ahead
I HOPE HER MOTHER ROTES IN HELL AND TO SEE WHAT SHE’S ACTUALLY DONE TO HER DAUGHTER, I MEAN YOU’LL BEAT YOUR DAUGHTER UP BECASUE SHE’S UGLY HOW DISCUSTING IS THAT
i’m constence sister, i’ve actually read all the comment’s people have said about my mother for eg”she should rote in hell” i strongly agree with you, i was actually uglier than my sisters, but i just didn’t see why she picked on the youngest constence, i hope my sister constence can move on even though now i’m picking up everything my evil mother done to constence and i now it not far. And constence if your listening i love you and i’m sorry for no helping you
Love Patsy
hello
ive read your book ugly and its inspired me to never give up and to always try my best . I cried after reading your story it hit my heart so much.
Thank you so much for sharing your story!!
You’ve taught me i can do anything if i put my mind to it thank you so much!!!
constance, i am 12 years old and i have read your book. i wanted to tell u that your book is the best book i have ever read and in school i am telling them about your book for a book report.
i admire you and look up to you,
lucy