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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 34364


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'I gave her the telegram. She, poor lady, like a good many people in those days could not read or write, she opened the envelope, looked at the message, then with fear in her eyes she said 'Read it to me' then before i could speak she said 'Is he - Is he' and i was speechless, i nodded my head...I left them together to mourn the loss of a son, a Sussex Soldier who had given his life for King and Country'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1904 and 1905

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Bexhill
county: Sussex

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:

Walter Elliott

Age:

Child (0-17)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1890

Socio-Economic Group:

n/a

Occupation:

Telegram Deliverer

Religion:

Unknown

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Title:

[telegram]

Genre:

Telegram message

Form of Text:

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

34364

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Information:

Elliott, Walter J.E. ‘Untitled’, Burnett Archive of Working Class Autobiographies, University of Brunel Library, Special Collection, 1:227, available at: http//bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/9520 Walter J.E Elliott in John Burnett, David Vincent and David Mayall (eds) The Autobiography of the Working Class: An Annotated, Critical Bibliography 1790-1945, 3 vols. (Brighton: Harvester, 1984, 1987, 1989): 1:227

Additional Information:

Quotes found on page 17 of Walter John Eugene Elliott's 'Untitled' memoirs.

Citation:

Elliott, Walter J.E. ‘Untitled’, Burnett Archive of Working Class Autobiographies, University of Brunel Library, Special Collection, 1:227, available at: http//bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/9520 Walter J.E Elliott in John Burnett, David Vincent and David Mayall (eds) The Autobiography of the Working Class: An Annotated, Critical Bibliography 1790-1945, 3 vols. (Brighton: Harvester, 1984, 1987, 1989): 1:227, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=34364, accessed: 29 March 2024


Additional Comments:

Elliott's memoir provides evidence for reading and writing abilities around 1904/05. Walter Elliott recalls how many people could not read or write and therefore when he delivered telegram messages to people he sometimes had to read them to the recipient - even such messages like the death of a relative in war.

   
   
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