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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 29787


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

‘A fairly idle day. I did pay parade etc. and read Leigh Hunt.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

5 Aug 1917

Country:

Belgium

Time

daytime

Place:

city: Ypres
county: West Flanders
specific address: School Camp

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown


Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Edmund Blunden

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1 Nov 1896

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Army Officer and Poet

Religion:

Christian (Anglican)

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

Belgium

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Leigh Hunt

Title:

Sir Ralph Esher OR Poems

Genre:

Fiction, Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned


Source Information:

Record ID:

29787

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Information:

Digitised pocket diary from The First World War Poetry Digital Archive, University of Oxford (www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit); © The Harry Ransom Center/The Edmund Blunden Literary Estate http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/document/9417/9327

Additional Information:

Diary entry 5 August 1917. This pocket diary belonging to Edmund Blunden relates the experiences of the northern section of the battle of Passchendaele, near the Yser Canal. The attack began on 31 July 1917, and this diary, while incomplete, has sections describing the period between 8 July and 5 August 1917.

Citation:

Digitised pocket diary from The First World War Poetry Digital Archive, University of Oxford (www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit); © The Harry Ransom Center/The Edmund Blunden Literary Estate http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/document/9417/9327 , http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=29787, accessed: 28 March 2024


Additional Comments:

In his diary entry for 29 July 1917 Blunden mentions having received books by Leigh Hunt ‘A mail unexpectedly came up but only brought me a business letter from Gadney’s. It was only yesterday [28 July] that Leigh Hunt’s “Poems” and “Sir Ralph Esher” came from him.’ http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/document/9417/9323

   
   
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