Record Number: 31511

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Meeting held at 22, Cintra Avenue. 17th Sept. 1942 F. E. Pollard in the chair.
1. A card of greetings was read from Janet Rawlings, Beth and Victor Alexander.
2. The minutes of the last meeting were read & signed.
[...]
5. Howard Smith introduced the subject of Coleridge by telling us something of his life and character. It was a sad story of real genius & ability frustrated & unfulfilled by an entire lack of the powers of application and concentration, of a brilliant conversationalist, a nature generous & affectionate, and a man extremely fortunate in his friends. F. E Pollard spoke briefly of Coleridge’s poetical importance & of some of the sources of his ideas and images – sources not always acknowledge[d]. And readings from his poetry were then given as follows:-
Parts of The Ancient Mariner read by AB. Dilks
Part I of Christabel [read by] J. K. Taylor
Kubla Khan [read by] Margaret Dilks
The Devils Thoughts [read by] Isabel Taylor
Hymn before Sunrise in the Vale of Chamouny [read by] S. A. Reynolds

[signed at the meeting held 17 September 1942 by] L Dorothea Taylor

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

17 Sep 1942

Country:

England

Time

evening

Place:

city: Reading
county: Berkshire
specific address: 22, Cintra Avenue

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary reactive unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Margaret Dilks

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

1912

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

Quaker or associated with the Friends

Country of Origin:

n/a

Country of Experience:

England

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

Members of the XII Book Club

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Janet Rawlings (and Elizabeth and Victor Alexander)

Title:

[a greetings card]

Genre:

Ephemera, Greetings card

Form of Text:

Manuscript: postcard

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

reading group

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Source Information:

Record ID:

31511

Source:

Manuscript

Author:

Margaret Dilks

Title:

XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 4 (1938-1943)

Location:

private collection

Call No:

n/a

Page/Folio:

130–2

Additional Information:

Margaret Dilks was secretary to the XII Book Club from 1940 to 1970. It is inferred from this, and from the handwriting, that she was the author of this set of minutes.

Citation:

Margaret Dilks, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 4 (1938-1943), private collection, 130–2, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=31511, accessed: 04 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

It is assumed that it was Margaret Dilks, as secretary of the club, who read the greetings card to the meeting.
Material by kind permission of the XII Book Club. For further information and permission to quote this source, contact the Reading Experience Database (http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/contacts.php).