Record Number: 31591

---

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.
[...]
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

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:

Violet Clough

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 Admirable Crichton

Genre:

Drama

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

31591

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=31591, 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).