Record Number: 31741

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Meeting held at 39, Eastern Avenue. 20. 8. 40
A. B. Dilks in the chair.
[...]
8. After coffee we were faced with the Herculean task of answering a General Knowledge paper consisting of 9 sections, each of about 10 questions. This paper was set by Howard Smith and A. B. Dilks and we are very grateful to them for the time & trouble they took in compiling it. [...] “Time” was called at 10 o’clock and the chairman then read out the answers. The integrity of the Club was not questioned so we each corrected our own papers. [it was a matter for regret that the two sections calling for original composition should have been left out by so many members. [...]

[signed by] Howard R. Smith
13/9/1940'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

20 Aug 1940

Country:

England

Time

evening

Place:

city: Reading
county: Berkshire
specific address: 39, Eastern 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

---

Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reading Group:

Members of the XII Book Club

Age:

Unknown

Gender:

Unknown

Date of Birth:

n/a

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

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

[Members of the XII Book Club]

Title:

[Original compositions written in answer to two sections of of a literary general knowledge test]

Genre:

Essays / Criticism, Ephemera, Quiz papers

Form of Text:

Manuscript: Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

31741

Source:

Manuscript

Author:

Margaret Dilks

Title:

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

Location:

private collection

Call No:

n/a

Page/Folio:

70–3

Additional Information:

Margaret Dilks was appointed secretary to the XII Book Club in July 1940

Citation:

Margaret Dilks, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 4 (1938-1943), private collection, 70–3, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=31741, accessed: 18 May 2024

---

Additional Comments:

It seems clear from the context that at least some of these compositions were read out loud to the group.
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).