Meeting held at Hillsborough :- 14. 9. 37.
Reginald H. Robson in the Chair.
1. Minutes of last read & approved
2. Charles Stansfield then introduced the momentous question of the evening. Was the Book
Club to end its existence? He had felt for some time that it was moribund. [...]
He referred to E. B. Castle who shared his concern and to a letter which he believed had been
written to the Secretary by E. B. Castle.
3. The Secretary then read this; it supported the opinions expressed by C. E. Stansfield.
4. The subject was then discussed informally.
[...]
9. We then turned to the work of Barrie. Howard Smith gave us a chat – he would not call it a
paper – on the plays he had seen.
[...]
A considerable part of “What every woman knows” was then read in which a number of people
took part.
Charles Stansfield appropriately gave a reading from My Lady Nicotine.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Members of the XII Book Club Print: Book
Meeting held at Hillsborough :- 14. 9. 37.
Reginald H. Robson in the Chair.
1. Minutes of last read & approved
2. Charles Stansfield then introduced the momentous question of the evening. Was the Book
Club to end its existence? He had felt for some time that it was moribund. [...]
He referred to E. B. Castle who shared his concern and to a letter which he believed had been
written to the Secretary by E. B. Castle.
3. The Secretary then read this; it supported the opinions expressed by C. E. Stansfield.
4. The subject was then discussed informally.
[...]
9. We then turned to the work of Barrie. Howard Smith gave us a chat – he would not call it a
paper – on the plays he had seen.
[...]
A considerable part of “What every woman knows” was then read in which a number of people
took part.
Charles Stansfield appropriately gave a reading from My Lady Nicotine.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles E. Stansfield Print: Book
1. Apologies for absence were received from Margaret and A. Bruce Dilks, Alice
and Arnold Joselin, Sylvanus A. Reynolds, Kenneth F. Nicholson, Francis H. Knight.
[...]
3. The subject chosen was letters, and during the evening we heard a most
interesting variety of letters, the matter varying from good & energetic advice to a
brother-in-law by Abraham Lincoln, to the butcher of our dreams; from Zola’s
account of the Dreyfus case to the amazing all-round ability to destroy of Leonardo
da Vinci. Charming letters to children were read, and various letters to the public;
and yet through all this variety, links were found connecting one set of letters with
the next.
In the first section of the meeting the following were read:- Letters by
Leonardo da Vinci read by K. Waschauer, by Abraham Lincoln read by F. E.
Pollard, and a humorous selection read by Edith B. and Howard R. Smith.
4. We adjourned for refreshments.
5. The minutes of the last meeting were then read and signed.
[...]
7. The business being completed, we had a further selection of letters
Zola’s letters on the Dreyus case [read by] Howard R. Smith[.]
Letters written to children [read by] Muriel Stevens[.]
Captain Scott’s last letters [read by] Elsie D. Harrod[.]
J. M. Barrie’s letter to Mrs. Scott [read by] Rosamund Wallis[.]
Letters of Gertrude Bell [read by] Mary Stansfield[.]
8. The meeting ended with general thankfulness that we had not to spend the
coming night as Gertrude Bell had done on the mountains.'
Century: Reader/Listener/Group: Rosamund Wallis Print: Book
'Meeting held at 67 Eastern Avenue, 28th. Nov. 1945.
A. Austin Miller in the chair.
1. The minutes of the last meeting were read & signed.
[...]
3. While we were discussing possible books for the coming year, the Treasurer
was dispatched to fetch from his home the Club account books in order that we
might be able to review our finances. He was later able to assure us that we have
a balance in hand of about £7.
[...]
7. X = 0 by John Drinkwater was read with the following cast: —
Pronax — F. E. Pollard
Salvius — A B Dilks
Ilus — T. Hopkins
Capys — Austin Miller
Stage directions, passing sentinels & noises off — Hilda Hopkins
We then had three readings each of a national character. For the first of these
representing England Dora Langford read from “Nicholas Married” a sequel to
Nicholas Nickleby of doubtful authorship. Both the age of the book and its
illustrations were extremely interesting. Scotland was represented by an extract
from ‘A Window in Thrums’ by J. M. Barrie read by Muriel Stevens. And Wales by
readings by Stella Hopkins from “An Englishman looks at Wales by R. W.
Thompson”
[signed as a true record by] C.J. Langford [on 10 January 1946, at the club meeting
held at 44 Hamilton Rd.: see Minute Book, p. 48.]'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Muriel Stevens Print: Book
'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.
[...]
4. It was a very great pleasure to us that Janet Rawlings’ short stay in Reading
should coincide with a book-club meeting, & her reading from “My Lady Nicotine”
was much enjoyed. It should be mentioned that the passage was not selected by
the reader, but by Mr. Pollard. For in an entertaining forward Janet explained that
being in doubt as to what to read she took her troubles to F. E. Pollard, as she so
often does – with what happy result in this case at least we were able to judge for
ourselves.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Janet Rawlings Print: Book
'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: Mary S. Stansfield Print: Book
'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.
[...]
6. After an interval for refreshment we came to “The Admirable Crichton” probably
Barries best play. Knox Taylor briefly outlined the story and then the last Act was
read with the following cast:
Agatha – Isabel Taylor
Ernest – F. E. Pollard
Catherine – Mary Reynolds
Lord Loam – S. A. Reynolds
Crichton – A. B. Dilks
Lady Mary – Margaret Dilks
Lord Brocklehurst – Arnold Joselin
Lady Brocklehurst – Muriel Stevens
Treherne – H. R. Smith
Tweeny – Violet Clough
Howard Smith recalled that this was the third time the Book Club had selected to
read from this play and on each occasion he had been cast as the cricketing
parson. F. E. Pollard hoped that it would not be his lot to play the Hon. Ernest
Wooley again, but it was generally felt that he had been excellently cast in view of
the stage direction “he is a match for any old lady”.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Isabel Taylor Print: Book
'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.
[...]
6. After an interval for refreshment we came to “The Admirable Crichton” probably
Barries best play. Knox Taylor briefly outlined the story and then the last Act was
read with the following cast:
Agatha – Isabel Taylor
Ernest – F. E. Pollard
Catherine – Mary Reynolds
Lord Loam – S. A. Reynolds
Crichton – A. B. Dilks
Lady Mary – Margaret Dilks
Lord Brocklehurst – Arnold Joselin
Lady Brocklehurst – Muriel Stevens
Treherne – H. R. Smith
Tweeny – Violet Clough
Howard Smith recalled that this was the third time the Book Club had selected to
read from this play and on each occasion he had been cast as the cricketing
parson. F. E. Pollard hoped that it would not be his lot to play the Hon. Ernest
Wooley again, but it was generally felt that he had been excellently cast in view of
the stage direction “he is a match for any old lady”.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Francis E. Pollard Print: Book
'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.
[...]
6. After an interval for refreshment we came to “The Admirable Crichton” probably
Barries best play. Knox Taylor briefly outlined the story and then the last Act was
read with the following cast:
Agatha – Isabel Taylor
Ernest – F. E. Pollard
Catherine – Mary Reynolds
Lord Loam – S. A. Reynolds
Crichton – A. B. Dilks
Lady Mary – Margaret Dilks
Lord Brocklehurst – Arnold Joselin
Lady Brocklehurst – Muriel Stevens
Treherne – H. R. Smith
Tweeny – Violet Clough
Howard Smith recalled that this was the third time the Book Club had selected to
read from this play and on each occasion he had been cast as the cricketing
parson. F. E. Pollard hoped that it would not be his lot to play the Hon. Ernest
Wooley again, but it was generally felt that he had been excellently cast in view of
the stage direction “he is a match for any old lady”.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Florence E. Reynolds Print: Book
'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.
[...]
6. After an interval for refreshment we came to “The Admirable Crichton” probably
Barries best play. Knox Taylor briefly outlined the story and then the last Act was
read with the following cast:
Agatha – Isabel Taylor
Ernest – F. E. Pollard
Catherine – Mary Reynolds
Lord Loam – S. A. Reynolds
Crichton – A. B. Dilks
Lady Mary – Margaret Dilks
Lord Brocklehurst – Arnold Joselin
Lady Brocklehurst – Muriel Stevens
Treherne – H. R. Smith
Tweeny – Violet Clough
Howard Smith recalled that this was the third time the Book Club had selected to
read from this play and on each occasion he had been cast as the cricketing
parson. F. E. Pollard hoped that it would not be his lot to play the Hon. Ernest
Wooley again, but it was generally felt that he had been excellently cast in view of
the stage direction “he is a match for any old lady”.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Sylvanus A. Reynolds Print: Book
'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.
[...]
6. After an interval for refreshment we came to “The Admirable Crichton” probably
Barries best play. Knox Taylor briefly outlined the story and then the last Act was
read with the following cast:
Agatha – Isabel Taylor
Ernest – F. E. Pollard
Catherine – Mary Reynolds
Lord Loam – S. A. Reynolds
Crichton – A. B. Dilks
Lady Mary – Margaret Dilks
Lord Brocklehurst – Arnold Joselin
Lady Brocklehurst – Muriel Stevens
Treherne – H. R. Smith
Tweeny – Violet Clough
Howard Smith recalled that this was the third time the Book Club had selected to
read from this play and on each occasion he had been cast as the cricketing
parson. F. E. Pollard hoped that it would not be his lot to play the Hon. Ernest
Wooley again, but it was generally felt that he had been excellently cast in view of
the stage direction “he is a match for any old lady”.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Bruce Dilks Print: Book
'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.
[...]
6. After an interval for refreshment we came to “The Admirable Crichton” probably
Barries best play. Knox Taylor briefly outlined the story and then the last Act was
read with the following cast:
Agatha – Isabel Taylor
Ernest – F. E. Pollard
Catherine – Mary Reynolds
Lord Loam – S. A. Reynolds
Crichton – A. B. Dilks
Lady Mary – Margaret Dilks
Lord Brocklehurst – Arnold Joselin
Lady Brocklehurst – Muriel Stevens
Treherne – H. R. Smith
Tweeny – Violet Clough
Howard Smith recalled that this was the third time the Book Club had selected to
read from this play and on each occasion he had been cast as the cricketing
parson. F. E. Pollard hoped that it would not be his lot to play the Hon. Ernest
Wooley again, but it was generally felt that he had been excellently cast in view of
the stage direction “he is a match for any old lady”.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Margaret Dilks Print: Book
'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.
[...]
6. After an interval for refreshment we came to “The Admirable Crichton” probably
Barries best play. Knox Taylor briefly outlined the story and then the last Act was
read with the following cast:
Agatha – Isabel Taylor
Ernest – F. E. Pollard
Catherine – Mary Reynolds
Lord Loam – S. A. Reynolds
Crichton – A. B. Dilks
Lady Mary – Margaret Dilks
Lord Brocklehurst – Arnold Joselin
Lady Brocklehurst – Muriel Stevens
Treherne – H. R. Smith
Tweeny – Violet Clough
Howard Smith recalled that this was the third time the Book Club had selected to
read from this play and on each occasion he had been cast as the cricketing
parson. F. E. Pollard hoped that it would not be his lot to play the Hon. Ernest
Wooley again, but it was generally felt that he had been excellently cast in view of
the stage direction “he is a match for any old lady”.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Arnold Joselin Print: Book
'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.
[...]
6. After an interval for refreshment we came to “The Admirable Crichton” probably
Barries best play. Knox Taylor briefly outlined the story and then the last Act was
read with the following cast:
Agatha – Isabel Taylor
Ernest – F. E. Pollard
Catherine – Mary Reynolds
Lord Loam – S. A. Reynolds
Crichton – A. B. Dilks
Lady Mary – Margaret Dilks
Lord Brocklehurst – Arnold Joselin
Lady Brocklehurst – Muriel Stevens
Treherne – H. R. Smith
Tweeny – Violet Clough
Howard Smith recalled that this was the third time the Book Club had selected to
read from this play and on each occasion he had been cast as the cricketing
parson. F. E. Pollard hoped that it would not be his lot to play the Hon. Ernest
Wooley again, but it was generally felt that he had been excellently cast in view of
the stage direction “he is a match for any old lady”.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Muriel Stevens Print: Book
'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.
[...]
6. After an interval for refreshment we came to “The Admirable Crichton” probably
Barries best play. Knox Taylor briefly outlined the story and then the last Act was
read with the following cast:
Agatha – Isabel Taylor
Ernest – F. E. Pollard
Catherine – Mary Reynolds
Lord Loam – S. A. Reynolds
Crichton – A. B. Dilks
Lady Mary – Margaret Dilks
Lord Brocklehurst – Arnold Joselin
Lady Brocklehurst – Muriel Stevens
Treherne – H. R. Smith
Tweeny – Violet Clough
Howard Smith recalled that this was the third time the Book Club had selected to
read from this play and on each occasion he had been cast as the cricketing
parson. F. E. Pollard hoped that it would not be his lot to play the Hon. Ernest
Wooley again, but it was generally felt that he had been excellently cast in view of
the stage direction “he is a match for any old lady”.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Howard Smith Print: Book
'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.
[...]
6. After an interval for refreshment we came to “The Admirable Crichton” probably
Barries best play. Knox Taylor briefly outlined the story and then the last Act was
read with the following cast:
Agatha – Isabel Taylor
Ernest – F. E. Pollard
Catherine – Mary Reynolds
Lord Loam – S. A. Reynolds
Crichton – A. B. Dilks
Lady Mary – Margaret Dilks
Lord Brocklehurst – Arnold Joselin
Lady Brocklehurst – Muriel Stevens
Treherne – H. R. Smith
Tweeny – Violet Clough
Howard Smith recalled that this was the third time the Book Club had selected to
read from this play and on each occasion he had been cast as the cricketing
parson. F. E. Pollard hoped that it would not be his lot to play the Hon. Ernest
Wooley again, but it was generally felt that he had been excellently cast in view of
the stage direction “he is a match for any old lady”.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Violet Clough Print: Book
'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.
[...]
7. Dr. [Dorothea] Taylor read from “Sentimental Tommy” – a pathetic story, but
salted with humour, the pathos becomes palatable.
8. Knox Taylor read from Barrie’s famous rectorial address delivered at St.
Andrews University in May 1922 on the subject of “Courage”.
9. Muriel Stevens read from “The Little Minister” Barrie’s first long novel which
was published in 1891. This book introduced, not without unmixed success,
extraneous elements into the familiar life of Thrums, including the winsome
heroine Babbie, but proved the author’s considerable gift of romance.
10. The first Act of “A Kiss for Cinderella” was read by: Arnold Joselin as the
Policeman
Bruce Dilks as Mr. Bodie
Alice Joselin as Cindarella
with Margaret Dilks reading the introduction & stage directions. In this play we
realize how near is the authors genius to that of Hans Anderson on the one hand,
and of Dickens on the other. Like Hans Anderson he mixes the everyday world
with Fairyland, & like Dickens he entices us to that borderland of laughter where
we suddenly find ourselves in tears. But Barrie is at once jester and tender-
hearted moralist and there is a special kind of broken-hearted fun which is quite
his own.
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Dorothea Taylor Print: Book
'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.
[...]
7. Dr. [Dorothea] Taylor read from “Sentimental Tommy” – a pathetic story, but
salted with humour, the pathos becomes palatable.
8. Knox Taylor read from Barrie’s famous rectorial address delivered at St.
Andrews University in May 1922 on the subject of “Courage”.
9. Muriel Stevens read from “The Little Minister” Barrie’s first long novel which
was published in 1891. This book introduced, not without unmixed success,
extraneous elements into the familiar life of Thrums, including the winsome
heroine Babbie, but proved the author’s considerable gift of romance.
10. The first Act of “A Kiss for Cinderella” was read by: Arnold Joselin as the
Policeman
Bruce Dilks as Mr. Bodie
Alice Joselin as Cindarella
with Margaret Dilks reading the introduction & stage directions. In this play we
realize how near is the authors genius to that of Hans Anderson on the one hand,
and of Dickens on the other. Like Hans Anderson he mixes the everyday world
with Fairyland, & like Dickens he entices us to that borderland of laughter where
we suddenly find ourselves in tears. But Barrie is at once jester and tender-
hearted moralist and there is a special kind of broken-hearted fun which is quite
his own.
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Knox Taylor Print: Book
'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.
[...]
7. Dr. [Dorothea] Taylor read from “Sentimental Tommy” – a pathetic story, but
salted with humour, the pathos becomes palatable.
8. Knox Taylor read from Barrie’s famous rectorial address delivered at St.
Andrews University in May 1922 on the subject of “Courage”.
9. Muriel Stevens read from “The Little Minister” Barrie’s first long novel which
was published in 1891. This book introduced, not without unmixed success,
extraneous elements into the familiar life of Thrums, including the winsome
heroine Babbie, but proved the author’s considerable gift of romance.
10. The first Act of “A Kiss for Cinderella” was read by: Arnold Joselin as the
Policeman
Bruce Dilks as Mr. Bodie
Alice Joselin as Cindarella
with Margaret Dilks reading the introduction & stage directions. In this play we
realize how near is the authors genius to that of Hans Anderson on the one hand,
and of Dickens on the other. Like Hans Anderson he mixes the everyday world
with Fairyland, & like Dickens he entices us to that borderland of laughter where
we suddenly find ourselves in tears. But Barrie is at once jester and tender-
hearted moralist and there is a special kind of broken-hearted fun which is quite
his own.
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Muriel Stevens Print: Book
'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.
[...]
7. Dr. [Dorothea] Taylor read from “Sentimental Tommy” – a pathetic story, but
salted with humour, the pathos becomes palatable.
8. Knox Taylor read from Barrie’s famous rectorial address delivered at St.
Andrews University in May 1922 on the subject of “Courage”.
9. Muriel Stevens read from “The Little Minister” Barrie’s first long novel which
was published in 1891. This book introduced, not without unmixed success,
extraneous elements into the familiar life of Thrums, including the winsome
heroine Babbie, but proved the author’s considerable gift of romance.
10. The first Act of “A Kiss for Cinderella” was read by: Arnold Joselin as the
Policeman
Bruce Dilks as Mr. Bodie
Alice Joselin as Cindarella
with Margaret Dilks reading the introduction & stage directions. In this play we
realize how near is the authors genius to that of Hans Anderson on the one hand,
and of Dickens on the other. Like Hans Anderson he mixes the everyday world
with Fairyland, & like Dickens he entices us to that borderland of laughter where
we suddenly find ourselves in tears. But Barrie is at once jester and tender-
hearted moralist and there is a special kind of broken-hearted fun which is quite
his own.
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Arnold Joselin Print: Book
'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.
[...]
7. Dr. [Dorothea] Taylor read from “Sentimental Tommy” – a pathetic story, but
salted with humour, the pathos becomes palatable.
8. Knox Taylor read from Barrie’s famous rectorial address delivered at St.
Andrews University in May 1922 on the subject of “Courage”.
9. Muriel Stevens read from “The Little Minister” Barrie’s first long novel which
was published in 1891. This book introduced, not without unmixed success,
extraneous elements into the familiar life of Thrums, including the winsome
heroine Babbie, but proved the author’s considerable gift of romance.
10. The first Act of “A Kiss for Cinderella” was read by: Arnold Joselin as the
Policeman
Bruce Dilks as Mr. Bodie
Alice Joselin as Cindarella
with Margaret Dilks reading the introduction & stage directions. In this play we
realize how near is the authors genius to that of Hans Anderson on the one hand,
and of Dickens on the other. Like Hans Anderson he mixes the everyday world
with Fairyland, & like Dickens he entices us to that borderland of laughter where
we suddenly find ourselves in tears. But Barrie is at once jester and tender-
hearted moralist and there is a special kind of broken-hearted fun which is quite
his own.
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Bruce Dilks Print: Book
'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.
[...]
7. Dr. [Dorothea] Taylor read from “Sentimental Tommy” – a pathetic story, but
salted with humour, the pathos becomes palatable.
8. Knox Taylor read from Barrie’s famous rectorial address delivered at St.
Andrews University in May 1922 on the subject of “Courage”.
9. Muriel Stevens read from “The Little Minister” Barrie’s first long novel which
was published in 1891. This book introduced, not without unmixed success,
extraneous elements into the familiar life of Thrums, including the winsome
heroine Babbie, but proved the author’s considerable gift of romance.
10. The first Act of “A Kiss for Cinderella” was read by: Arnold Joselin as the
Policeman
Bruce Dilks as Mr. Bodie
Alice Joselin as Cindarella
with Margaret Dilks reading the introduction & stage directions. In this play we
realize how near is the authors genius to that of Hans Anderson on the one hand,
and of Dickens on the other. Like Hans Anderson he mixes the everyday world
with Fairyland, & like Dickens he entices us to that borderland of laughter where
we suddenly find ourselves in tears. But Barrie is at once jester and tender-
hearted moralist and there is a special kind of broken-hearted fun which is quite
his own.
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Alice Joselin Print: Book
'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.
[...]
7. Dr. [Dorothea] Taylor read from “Sentimental Tommy” – a pathetic story, but
salted with humour, the pathos becomes palatable.
8. Knox Taylor read from Barrie’s famous rectorial address delivered at St.
Andrews University in May 1922 on the subject of “Courage”.
9. Muriel Stevens read from “The Little Minister” Barrie’s first long novel which
was published in 1891. This book introduced, not without unmixed success,
extraneous elements into the familiar life of Thrums, including the winsome
heroine Babbie, but proved the author’s considerable gift of romance.
10. The first Act of “A Kiss for Cinderella” was read by: Arnold Joselin as the
Policeman
Bruce Dilks as Mr. Bodie
Alice Joselin as Cindarella
with Margaret Dilks reading the introduction & stage directions. In this play we
realize how near is the authors genius to that of Hans Anderson on the one hand,
and of Dickens on the other. Like Hans Anderson he mixes the everyday world
with Fairyland, & like Dickens he entices us to that borderland of laughter where
we suddenly find ourselves in tears. But Barrie is at once jester and tender-
hearted moralist and there is a special kind of broken-hearted fun which is quite
his own.
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Margaret Dilks Print: Book
'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.
[...]
4. It was a very great pleasure to us that Janet Rawlings’ short stay in Reading
should coincide with a book-club meeting, & her reading from “My Lady Nicotine”
was much enjoyed. It should be mentioned that the passage was not selected by
the reader, but by Mr. Pollard. For in an entertaining forward Janet explained that
being in doubt as to what to read she took her troubles to F. E. Pollard, as she so
often does – with what happy result in this case at least we were able to judge for
ourselves.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Francis E. Pollard Print: Book
'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.
[...]
[Signed as a true record by] A. G. Joselin
5 May 1941'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Francis E. Pollard Print: Book
'Meeting held at 22 Cintra Avenue: 17. IV 40.
F. E. Pollard in the chair
1. Minutes of last read & approved.
[...]
5. As an introduction to our subject of Modern English Humourists, R. H. Robson
read a passage analysing the nature of Humour. Discussion followed on the
distinction, if any, between wit & humour, & various alleged examples were
forthcoming.
6. A. B. Dilks read from Grossmith’s Diary of a Nobody; many entries appealed to
members as characteristic of themselves or their friends.
7. In the regretted absence of C. E. Stansfield, F. E. Pollard read T. Thompson’s
Blitzkrieg, from the Manchester Guardian, in what purported to be the Lancashire
dialect.
8 Howard R. Smith read from A. A. Milne: the reader shared fully in the mirth of
the hearers.
9. M. Dilks gave us a passage from Macdonnell’s ‘England, their England’, which
must have been salutary for any suffering from insular complacency.
10. Rosamund Wallis’ contribution was from P. G. Wodehouse’s ‘Carry on, Jeeves’;
certain methods of being off with the old love & on with the new were
characteristically indicated by the writer, effectively rendered by the reader, &
clearly appreciated by the company.
11. R. H. Robson’s Saki story supplied further satire on English standards – in this
case of music, & the services likely to secure a title.
12. The chapter from Barrie’s ‘Window in Thrums’, read by F. E. Pollard, told how
Gavin Birse did his best to be off with the old love, but failed.
13. The idea of a Barrie evening was mooted.
[signed as a true record:] M. Stevens
18-7-40'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Francis E. Pollard Print: Book
