'Meeting held at 39, Eastern Avenue 18th Sept, 1944
A. Bruce Dilks in the chair.
[...]
2. The minutes of the last meeting were read and signed.
[...]
5. Alice Joselin introduced the subject of the evening by telling us something of the life of William Blake. Born in 1757 he was living through the
beginning of the industrial revolution. He had no schooling but showed early artistic ability and was apprenticed for 7 years to an engraver. During
this time he wrote some of his early poetry. Becoming himself a professional engraver he experimented with a new method of printing “shown
to him in a vision”. As she traced the pattern of his life during the remaining 27 years, Alice Joselin gave us a portrait of an embittered man,
never well loved even by his friends and incomprehensible to his contemporaries. She concluded with an extract from a Short Survey of William
Blake by Quiller Couch.
6. F. E. Pollard said that he had been reluctant to undertake the task of talking to the Club on the literature of Wm. Blake since he was acquainted
with only three of his poems. But as this was 50% more than anyone else knew, he need not have worried. He emphasised Blakes great lyrical
gifts and his share in the poetic revolution of the C18th, even suggesting that Blake led the way. Frances Pollard illustrated his remarks by reading
from: [“]To the evening star”, “How sweet I roam” and “Memory hither come”. He also read a short extract from Jerusalem throwing out the
suggestion that the subject matter showed some influence of Thomas Payne, Quaker.
7. After some refreshment we welcomed to our meeting Mr. George Goyder who is a very keen student and collector of William Blake. It was a
great privilege to have among us one whose profound knowledge of and enthusiasm for his subject was absolutely convincing. After listening to Mr.
Goyder and looking at his many beautiful examples of Blake’s work, we were willing to allow that he is probably our greatest English artist and
equalled as an engraver only by Dürer.
The Chairman expressed our very warmest thanks to Mr. Goyder.
[signed as a true record by] J. Knox Taylor 16/X/44.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Alice Joselin Manuscript: Unknown
'Meeting held at 22 Cintra Avenue, Northcourt Avenue, 25th April 1945
F. E. Pollard in the chair.
[...]
2. The minutes of the last meeting were read & signed.
5. Alice Joselin introduced the subject of the evening with a biographical study of
the Brontë family. Contrary to her expressed idea that she could do little more
than recite a list of dates, Alice Joselin drew for us a vivid picture of the life at
Haworth Rectory and the way in which the three sisters took the literary world by
storm.
6. After adjourning for refreshment we turned our attentions to a study of the
works of Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë. First Margaret Dilks read from
“Vil[l]ette” the description of Mme. Rachel, the famous actress. Since this passage
is the only contribution Charlotte Brontë is allowed to make to the Oxford Book of
English Prose, it is presumably considered great by someone who should be
qualified to judge. But when the reader had finished, the only audible comment
from this learned gathering was “Can someone tell me what all that means?”
7. F. E. Pollard then gave us the benefit of his discerning criticism of the works of
these writers. Describing himself as of a naturally romantic & sentimental turn of
mind (cheers and prolonged applause) he championed Jane Eyre and Shirley.
There followed a lively discussion in which nearly all members took part. The
excessive wordiness of which both Emily & Charlotte are sometimes guilty, was
attributed to the bad influence of the continent on the Englishman’s [sic!] natural
restraint. Several members of the fair sex expressed a distaste for the horrors of
Wuthering Heights, one even going so far as to suggest that the author was
probably mad. Cyril Langford, reading from a newspaper article, put forward an
interesting theory that the book was the natural psychological reaction of one
whose life was mainly occupied in household duties; and Thomas Hopkins crowned
all by telling us that he had once been presented with Wuthering Heights as a
Sunday School prize. Cyril Langford also drew our attention to Jane Eyre’s
description of her own paintings, which were clearly the forerunners of surrealism.
Other readings given were:-
Howard Smith from Wuthering Heights[,]
Rosamund Wallis from Shirley[,]
& Howard Smith from The Gondal Poems[.]'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Alice Joselin Manuscript: Unknown
'Meeting held at “Oakdene”, Northcourt Avenue. 2.3.43
S. A. Reynolds in the chair.
1. Minutes of the last meeting were read & approved.
[...]
5. Bruce Dilks reported on behalf of the committee, that in order to provide a
controversial evening seven people had been asked to come prepared to speak or
read about seven widely differing subjects. [...] The subjects would be open for
debate and it was not proposed to cut short an interesting discussion in order
necessarily to include 7 all subjects [...].
6. Rosamund Wallis read an extract from “The Screwtape Letters” by C. S. Lewis.
She was a lesson in the act of tempting, especially the kind of temptations into
which people are most likely to be led during war time. A discussion followed on
whether or not war produced a ‘moral torpor’ and whether it is necessary to live
dangerously, in order to develop physical and moral courage. C. S. Lewis says that
“Despair is a greater sin, than any of the sins that provoke it.”
7. Alice Joselin’s subject was Experiment in Education and she read first from E. S.
Grant-Watson’s book “The Old School” which described the founding of Bedales in
1893 and its gradual change from its cranky, ultra-idealistic outlook then into a
good modern progressive school. Her other reading was from A. S. Neil’s book
“That Dreadful School” the author being founder and headmaster of “Summerhill”.
[...] It was clear from the remarks that followed that this system of education had
no support from members of the club. Dorothea Taylor. as an old Bedalean
confirmed Grant-Watson’s A/C of the school (except that she had no recollection of
the use of the switch) and told us of the great loyalty of old scholars. [...] This led
on to the question of co-education and the very strong Sidcot contingent present at
the meeting began to throw its weight about until Howard Smith recalled that in
his Unit of the F.A.U. during the last war, the Old Sidcotians were labelled “Gods
little Gentlemen”[.] Knox Taylor exhibited himself as the exception to this rule &
the subject was considered dead. [Note: the F.A.U. is the Friends’ Ambulance Unit;
Sidcot is a co-educational school associated with the Quakers.]'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Alice Joselin Manuscript: Unknown
'Meeting held at Oakdene, Northcourt Avenue 7.iv.41
S. A. Reynolds in the chair.
1. The minutes of the last meeting were read and signed.
[...]
5. Alice Joselin made some comments on “Peter Pan” which were followed by a
reading by Mary Stansfield from “The Little White Bird”., an early book which
contains the episode of Peter Pan. In view of the very evident enjoyment with
which we devoted the whole of our last meeting to childrens literature, it was
strange that so many condemned Peter Pan as too grown up for children and too
mawkish for adults. In fact, as she finished the reading, Mary Stansfield
pronounced it “Utter Twaddle”.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Alice Joselin Manuscript: Unknown
'Meeting held at Frensham, Northcourt Avenue, 13.xii.40
Howard R. Smith in the chair.
1. An apology for absence was read from Mr. & Mrs. Joselyn.
2. Minutes of last meeting were read & signed.
[...]
4. Mrs. Pollard read a letter from Elizabeth Alexander telling of a very unfortunate
accident which had befallen our late secretary. Mrs. Pollard was asked, when
writing, to convey to the Alexanders our sympathy and hopes for a very speedy
recovery.
[...]
6. Typed lists of books suggested for this year’s reading were handed round an F.
E. Pollard made a few brief explanatory remarks about each book. Some doubt
was expressed regarding the number of books to be purchased this year in view of
our depleted numbers, but a brief journey into the realms of the higher
mathematics soon satisfied everyone that if we counted our single members
separately instead of in pairs, 12 books would provide one per house per month.
[...]
[...]
[Signed by] A. B. Dilks
10.2.41'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Margaret Dilks Manuscript: Letter
