Record Number: 30522

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Meeting held at Grove House. 16th October 1944
    J. Knox Taylor in the chair.

[...]

2. The minutes of the last meeting were read & signed.

[...]

5. The subject of the evening was Charles Dickens and we were once again indebted to Howard Smith for a biography. In a skilfully condensed account of the chief events of his life, we heard of the hardships Dickens underwent in childhood, of his sudden & quite early achievement of success & financial ease. His marriage, his many children & the unhappy atmosphere of his home life in later years. His visits to America and his sudden death at the age of 58.

6. Muriel Stevens read from David Copperfield the account of his arrival at the house of his Aunt Betsey Trotwood. Humphrey Hare gave us the benefit of his local knowledge and described Peggotty’s Cottage at Great Yarmouth as seen by his Father, and also Blundestone Rookery as it is today.

7. F. E. Pollard told us something of Chestertons book on Dickens and read a number of extracts showing his appreciation of a number some of the lesser characters. Among these were Mrs. Nickleby, Mantalini, Dick Swiveller, Mr. Stiggins, the Rev. Septimus Crisparkle and Toots.

8. We heard with interest that a recent census of boys’ reading at Leighton Park revealed Dickens even now as the third most popular author.

9. Arnold Joselin read from Martin Chuzzlewit the chapter where Mrs. Gamp instals herself as night-nurse.

10. Knox Taylor read from The Pickwick Papers the account of the visit to Eatanswill parliamentary election.

[signed as a true record by] Arnold G. Joselin 21 Nov. 1944'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Until: 16 Oct 1944

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Reading
county: Berkshire

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:

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

G. K. Chesterton

Title:

Charles Dickens

Genre:

Biography, Charles Dickens

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

30522

Source:

Manuscript

Author:

Margaret Dilks

Title:

XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 5 (1944-1952)

Location:

private collection

Call No:

n/a

Page/Folio:

19-22

Additional Information:

Margaret Dilks was secretary to the XII Book Club from 1940 to 1970. It is inferred from this, and from the handwriting, that she was the author of this set of minutes.

Citation:

Margaret Dilks, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 5 (1944-1952), private collection, 19-22, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=30522, accessed: 22 November 2024

---

Additional Comments:

Read in preparing the account of the book which was presented to the XII Book Club on 16 Oct 1943.
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).