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Reginald Robson
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Reginald Robson : [paper on Holmes's 'the Professor at the Breakfast Table']
'The Life & Works of Oliver W. Holmes were then dealt with. John J. Cooper read an interesting biographical paper, concluding with a reading "Latter Day Warnings" for The Autocrat. Mrs Robson a reading from "The Poet at the Bt table" Mrs Evans [ditto marks] from "Elsie Venner" R.H. Robson read a paper dealing with the characters of "The Professor at the Bt table". The paper was illustrated by well selected readings from the book - making a most interesting communication. C.I. Evans read "The Chambered Nautilus" & "The Wonderful One-hoss Shay".'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald Robson Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald Robson : [paper on Rupert Brooke]
'The evening was then given up to the consideration of three modern poets. Alfred Noyes. A paper by Mrs Unwin with readings from his works. Henry Newbolt. A paper by C.E. Stansfield with readings Clifton Chapel C.I. Evans Vitai Lampada H.M. Wallis A Ballad of John Nicholson A. Rawlings The Vigil Mrs Robson & two songs. Drake's Drum & the Old Superb Mr Unwin. (3) Rupert Brooke a paper by R.H. Robson with readings by Mrs Rawlings Mrs Evans Mrs Robson & R.H. Robson'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald Robson Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald Robson : [paper on Dostoevsky]
'Dostoieffsky [sic] occupied our attention for the remained [sic] of the evening. We were much indebted to R.H. Robson for an interesting & valuable introduction dealing with his life as the background of his works. All his writings are in the main autobiographical & the story of his life is necessary for a study of his work. One of the main lessons of his writings is a new & deeper meaning in the term 'brotherhood'. It may be that the Russians will reveal the true democracy to the world. Readings from his novels were given by C. E Stansfield, Mrs Evans, E.E. Unwin'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald Robson Print: BookManuscript: Unknown
Reginald Robson : [paper on Conrad]
'The subject before the meeting was Joseph Conrad. R.H. Robson introduced the subject with an interesting essay & a number of readings were given to illustrate his descriptive power & his style. C.I. Evans helped by H.M. Wallis read from Lord Jim Mrs Reynolds - Almayer's Folly Mrs Rawlings - Typhoon Joseph Conrad seemed to have been known to but few of the club before the meeting, but certainly as a result members will turn to his writings with considerable [interest] and find possibly that a new star has sailed into their literary sky. If so one object of the club, to be a literary telescope, will have been achieved.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald Robson Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald Robson : [paper on political situation]
'Essays were then read. The Secretary does not feel able to do more than indicate the general nature of these essays. 1. Read by R.H. Robson. An essay written by H.M.W. about the remains of an altar stone found near Carthage. Vivid & interesting, bloodstained though the stone was, with human sacrifice. 2. Mrs Smith read a very interesting paper dealing with the mind & its training. 'My mind to me a kingdom is'. Considerable discussion followed. 3. Mr Stansfield read a fantasia (written surely by a historian. R.H.R.) relating the musings of Mendax II giving expression to a cynical prophecy of European politics if events evolved or devolved along present lines. We hope that the assassination of Ld. George by a Quaker pacifist & the suppression of L.P.S. will not be fulfilled. 4. E.E. Unwin read a paper entitled 'The Humours of Man' which consisted of a number of humorous stories lightly linked together'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Stansfield Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald Robson : [essay on Keats' life]
'The subject of the evening's programme was John Keats. R.H. Robson read an essay dealing with his life. The main influences & friendships of his short life were well brought out. H.M. Wallis folowed with an appreciation written in the delightful style of which our Friend is so great a master & a reading of the Grecian Urn ode by Miss Marriage completed the first part of the programme. On our return from physical refreshment Charles I. Evans described the Poems of 1820 and some readings were given by Mrs Evans, Mrs Robson & C.E. Stansfield.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald Robson Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald Robson : 'Bad Morality & Bad art'
'The following miscellaneous programme was then gone through. This change in the subject was caused by the imposibility of getting cheap copies of The Dynasts. 1. Pianoforte solo. Selection from Debusy [sic] Miss Bowman Smith 2. Reading. Modern Froissart Chronicles Mrs W.H. Smith 3. Reading. Migrations. Anon. Contrib. from Punch by Alfred Rawlings 4. Recitation. In a Gondola (Browning) Miss Cole 5. Song. 2 French Bergerettes. Mrs Unwin 6. Essay. 'The Pious Atrocity' R.B. Graham 7. Reading. Wedding Presents (Punch) Mrs Reynolds 8. Song. My dear Soul. Mrs Robson 9. Reading 'How the Camel got his Hump' W.H. Smith 10. Song. The Camel's hump. E.E. Unwin 11. Reading. The Man of the Evening (A.A. Milne Punch) Miss R. Wallis 12. Song. Hebrides Galley Song. Miss Bowman Smith 13. Reading. Arms of Wipplecrack S.A. Reynolds 14. Reading. Joints in the Armour. E.V. Lucas. H.M. Wallis 15. Song-Chant Folk Song [ditto] 16. Essay. 'Bad morality & bad art' R.H. Robson 17. Song. Winter. Miss Bowman Smith 18. Essay 'Etaples & the air raids' H.R. Smith 19. Recitation. These new fangled ways. E.E. Unwin 20. Song. Goodnight. Mrs Robson.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald Robson Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald Robson : [paper on Housman's 'New Child's Guide to Knowledge']
'The rest of the evening was devoted to the works of Laurence Housman. Most of the members had seen & heard Mr Housman recently so there is no need to give any personal details & H.M. Wallis's encyclopaedic summary of Housman's artistic gifts & works put us in touch with the versatility of the man. "A charming man" says H.M.W. & so say all of us tho' I'm not sure whether someone did not say "a little effeminate". It was news perhaps to some to know that "An Englishwoman's Love Letters" published some years ago anonymously were by Housman. The bill of fare was varied & we were introduced to a novel, a St Francis play, a Victorian play & the Child's Guide to Knowledge. The choice whether conscious or otherwise gave us a rather curious result for in the main it dealt with the struggles & characters of women. Mrr & Mrs Evans dealt with The Sheepfold which relates the spirited history of a woman, 'Jane Sterling'. R.B. Graham chose out of all the St Francis cycle the coming of Sister Clair into the monkish community. Miss Marriage. E.E. Unwin & Alfred Rawlings gave a part-reading of "The Queen God Bless Her" which brought into prominence the foibles of Victoria and showed her in relation to two intimates, John Brown her favourite man-servant & Beaconsfield - her favourite minister. There was but little time left for R.H. Robson to display the fun of "A Child's Guide to Knowledge".'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald Robson Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald Robson : Intimations of Immortality
'Various anonymous essays by members of the Club were then read with the following titles and at the conclusion of the meeting whilst the authorship of some was quickly acclaimed others proved very difficult to locate. Some thoughts on Racing attributed to R. Wallis One Generation & the next or Jobson on False Freedom C.E. Stansfield Intimations of Immortality R.H. Robson The Lady of the Marsh Mrs R.B. Graham If Christianity had Won R.B. Graham The Revolt of the Innocents Geo Burrow Thoughts on the Construction of Cathedrals H.M. Wallis Revenge or Justice C Evans Five minutes Thoughts upon present Condition H.M. Wallis A Scandalous Affair [illegible symbol]'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: members of XII Book Club Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald H. Robson : The Abolition of the House of Commons
'A Meeting held at 9 Denmark Rd 13/11/1928 F. E. Pollard in the chair
1. Minutes of last read and approved
[...]
8[.] Essays were read (1) Alfred Rawlings on Beauty (2) R H Robson on The Abolition of the House of Commons'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald H. Robson Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald H. Robson : [essay on a family holiday]
'A Meeting held at 70 Northcourt Avenue 25th September 1929 C. E Stansfield in the chair
Min 1. Minutes of last time read and approved
2 Mrs T C Elliott was wellcomed to the club in a felicitous speech by the chairman
3 The Secretary read a letter of resignation of Membership from Muriel Bowman Smith he was directed unanimously to ask her to reconsider the matter.
[...]
7 Holiday Essays were read R H Robson a family holiday at Mort[?] Geo Burrow The Jamboree & thoughts thereon C. E. Stansfield on a Swiss Holiday whilst H M Wallis chatted on some aspects of Bordighera.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald H. Robson Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald H. Robson : [a paper on the life of Goethe]
Meeting held at Reckitt House, Leighton Park: 22.6.32
Reginald H. Robson in the Chair.
1. Minutes of the last read. It was felt that Minute 6 needed some amplification, & Charles Stansfield was asked to do this. His more than kind amplification is appended.
[...]
8. After adjournment for supper, the Goethe evening was begun by Mary E Robson. She sang the song "Knowst thou the land". The music is by Beethoven. In this and her other songs Mary Robson was kindly accompanied by Caroline Pollard.
9. A Reading from Goethe was next given by Mary S. W. Pollard.
10. Reginald H. Robson read a paper on the life of Goethe. If there were any who had thought of Goethe exclusively as a poet, they must have been amazed at his vesitality. Philosopher, poet, statesman, scientist, he seems to have been "everything by turns and nothing long", except indeed a lover [...].
11. We had been much intrigued with Mrs Robson's description of the Sorrows of Werther, especially when our friend warned us that those who came under the spell of this book usually commited suicide after reading it. We felt accordingly grateful to Mrs. Robson who had read it on our behalf, and flirted with death for our sakes, and not a little apprehensive when Janet Rawlings read us an extract from it. All passed off well, however. [...]
12. George Burrow read a song from Goethe's Gefunden.
13. Mary Robson sang "My peace is o'er" from Faust.
14. A Reading from the same play was given by Elisabeth & Victor Alexander
15. Another song "Little wild rose, wild rose red." was sung by Mary Robson.
16. Finally Charles E. Stansfield gave us his paper on Goethe. He referred to the lack of the political sense in the German people of those days, & showed Goethe as quite content to acquiesce in the paternal government of his small state. He described the influence of Herde[,] Klopstock, Lessing, Shakespeare, &, quaintly enough, of Goldsmith on Goethe. In speaking of the poet's scientific interests he told us of his discovery of the intermaxillary bone & of Goethe's ceaseless efforts to acquire truth.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald H. Robson Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald H. Robson : [The life and writings of John Galsworthy]
Meeting held at Fairlight, Denmark Rd.: 21.iii.33
Francis E. Pollard in the Chair.
1. Minutes of last read & approved.
5. Eight anonymous essays were then read. In some of these the subject treated or the style of the author made recognition comparatively easy, but others were provocative of much ingenious speculation. A paper on English Justice proved to be the most discussed during the interval. Rival tipsters gave in confidence the names of Mrs. Stansfield & Robert Pollard as the author, one of them purporting to recognize - or coming perilously close to so doing - Mrs. Stansfield’s opinion of her fellow magistrates, while the other detected just that ingenious combination of Fascism and Bolshevism that Robert Pollard would enjoy putting up for the Club’s mystification. Further conflicting theories attributed the authorship to Henry Marriage Wallis or Howard Smith, & this last proved correct[....]
Another essay which stirred debate told of a medium, a photograph, a Twentieth Century Officer & a suit of medieval armour. It was told with that precision of detail that marks either the experienced writer of fiction or the worshipper of truth. And as if to darken counsel there was an open allusion to Bordighera. Suspicious though we were, & in spite of every appearance of our being right, we adhered to the view that the author must be H. M. Wallis.
Time & space do not allow adequate record of all the papers, but it must be mentioned that three of the eight came from the Rawlings family: a thoughtful essay by Alfred Rawlings needed a second reading if it were to be seriously discussed, some interesting reminiscences by Helen Rawlings made very good hearing, & Moroccan memories by Janet helped to make a most varied programme.
Other essays were "Safety First" by Charles E. Stansfield, and "The English - are they modest? " by Edgar Castle, both of which added some humorous touches to the evening.
A list of essayists, & their readers, follows.
Mrs Castle read a paper by Alfred Rawlings
Janet Rawlings read a paper by Helen Rawlings
Charles Stansfield read a paper by Henry M. Wallis
Reginald Robson read a paper by Howard Smith
George Burrow read a paper by Reginald Robson
Alfred Rawlings read a paper by Edgar Castle
Howard Smith read a paper by Janet Rawlings
Mrs Pollard read a paper by Charles E. Stansfield.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: George Burrow Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald H. Robson : [On the artistic and socialist aspects of William Morris’s work]
Meeting held at 9 Denmark Road, 20 IV. 1934
F. E. Pollard in the chair
1. Minutes of last read & approved with one correction, in the absence of the secretary.
[...]
4. Howard R. Smith told us of Morris’s life. The meeting gasped with unanimity and amazement to learn that he (Morris i.e.) had read all the Waverley novels by the age of seven; we gathered that the background of his life had been a blend of Epping Forest & shares in a coppermine, and that his appearance accounted for his lifelong nickname of Topsy. Of his friendships, his labours to restore beauty to Victorian homes, to prevent vandals from restoring cathedrals & other ancient monuments, his Kelmscott Press, his poems & prose romances, his turning to Socialism as the only way to a society in which men would find happiness in sound and beautiful work – of all these things and many more which made up his extraordinarily full and fruitful life, it is impossible to make a summary.
5. Mary S. W. Pollard read a short extract from Percy Corder’s life of Robert Spence Watson telling of a visit of Wm Morris to Bensham Grove. Members afterwards inspected his signature in the Visitors’ book.
6. Ethel C. Stevens read an interesting account of Kelmscott Manor, revealing other sides of this vigorous and many sided personality.
7. R. H. Robson gathered together the artistic & socialist aspects of Morris’s work, emphasised the greatness of the man, & read extracts from MacKail’s Biography. It was clear that Morris would wish to cancel out the last four hundred years & start again on different lines. Time was wanting to reveal all the varieties of opinion that this might have elicited, & we parted in united awe at the mans capacity for work, & his important contributions to our life & ideals.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald H. Robson Manuscript: Unknown
Reginald H. Robson : The Excursion – Saturday July 13th. 1935: Byways of the Chiltern Hills
Meeting held at School House, L. P. : 13.9.35
Francis E. Pollard in the Chair.
1. Minutes of last read and approved.
2. Account of the Excursion, contributed by R. H. Robson, read and approved.
