Record Number: 31800

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Meeting held at 70 Northcourt Avenue: 17.1.39 Charles E. Stansfield in the Chair.
1. Minutes of last read & approved.
[...]
3. A letter from R. H. Robson was then read. It stated that the excellence of Book Club suppers has increased, is increasing, & ought to be diminished. This caused a certain embarrassment. Several members who liked to think of themselves as frugal folk, reflected uneasily that the interval for light refreshment had often proved itself more palatable than some of the drier fare before and after.[...]
[...]
6. Francis E Pollard then gave an appreciation of H. G. Wells in the form of a biographical sketch. He dealt too with the amazing variety and extent of Wells’s output, and the development of his character and beliefs.
7. Victor W. Alexander read an extract from “God the Invisible King.”
8. Further passages were read as follows:-
Margaret J Dilks from “Mankind in the making”.
H. R. Smith from “The Sea Lady”.
Mary S. W. Pollard from “Joan & Peter”.
Muriel Stevens from “The Valley of Spiders”.
9. Finally the Chairman referred again to the Supper question. R. H. Robson’s concern was one of those which demanded from us a statesmanlike Quaker compromise, perhaps an acceptance in principle and a rejection in practice wold best meet the case. It was felt we should thank R. H. Robson for his letter, and watch him closely during heat.
[signed] R. D. L. Moore
Feb. 20 1939.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

17 Jan 1939

Country:

England

Time

evening

Place:

city: Reading
county: Berkshire
specific address: 70, Northcourt 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:

Francis E. Pollard

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1872

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Formerly schoolmaster, now occasional lecturer and supply teacher, and supported also by wife's unearned income

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:

Francis E. Pollard

Title:

[A sketch of H. G. Wells’s life, character, beliefs and writings]

Genre:

Fiction, Essays / Criticism, Biography

Form of Text:

Manuscript: Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned

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Source Information:

Record ID:

31800

Source:

Manuscript

Author:

Victor Alexander

Title:

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

Location:

private collection

Call No:

n/a

Page/Folio:

33–6

Additional Information:

Victor Alexander’s authorship is inferred from the fact that he was secretary to the XII Book Club at this time, and from the handwriting.

Citation:

Victor Alexander, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 4 (1938-1943), private collection, 33–6, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=31800, accessed: 03 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

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).