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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 31580


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'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

Date:

7 Apr 1941

Country:

England

Time

evening

Place:

city: Reading
county: Berkshire
specific address: Oakdene, 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


Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Mary S. Stansfield

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

n/a

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

n/a

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



Text Being Read:

Author:

J. M. Barrie

Title:

The Little White Bird

Genre:

Fiction, Novel

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

31580

Source:

Manuscript

Author:

Margaret Dilks

Title:

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

Location:

private collection

Call No:

n/a

Page/Folio:

92–6

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. 4 (1938-1943), private collection, 92–6, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=31580, accessed: 22 November 2024


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).

   
   
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