Listings for Author:
Dorothy Brain
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Dorothy Brain : [essay on Hampton Court Gardens]
'The subject of the evening "Gardens" was then taken. Geo Burrow reminded us that the world began in the garden of Eden. Miss Bowman-Smith played Debussy's "Garden Under the Rain" Miss D. Brain gave us an essay on Hampton Court gardens & their history. F.E. Pollard a song Summer Afternoon Rosamund Wallis read from Sir Wm Temple on Gardens Mrs F. E. Pollard read Michael Drayton's Daffodil Alfred Rawlings charmed us by showing a series of his Water Colour drawings "Gardens I have Known" Mrs Robson sang two songs June Rapture & Unfolding After supper Mrs Stansfield read a paper by Mr Stansfield who was prevented by a severe cold from being present on Gardening in which he showed how Gardening is one of the fine Arts in fact the noblest of the plastic Arts F. E. Pollard sang Andrew Marvell's "Thoughts in a Garden" Mrs Burrow read Walter de la Mare's Sunken Garden Mrs Stansfield read from The Story of my Ruin and in a concluding reading Geo Burrow brought our minds back to the Garden of Eden'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Dorothy Brain Manuscript: Unknown
Dorothy Brain : [on old Berkshire Ballads]
Meeting held at 70 Northcourt Avenue 28/4/1933
C. E. Stansfield in the chair
1 Minutes of last read and approved
2 For the Next Meeting's subject "The Jew in Literature" was chosen with Geo Burrow H. R. & E. B. Smith as committee
[...]
4 The evening's subject of Berkshire in Literature was then opened up by Charles E. Stansfield reading from Tom Browns School days a description of the Vale of the White Horse[.] He carried us into a quietude of time & space where a great lover of the Vale tells of the great open downs & the vale to the north of them.
Dorothy Brain told us something of Old Berkshire Ballads surprising us with their number & variety & read an amusing Ballad about a lad who died of eating custard, & the Lay of the Hunted Pig.
C. E. Stansfield read an introduction to "Summer is a Cumen In"which was then played and sung on the Gramophone.
H. R. Smith read a description of "Reading a Hundred Years Ago" from "Some Worthies of Reading"
F. E. Pollard introduced Mary Russell Mitford to the Club giving a short account of her life and Work quoting with approval a description of her as "A prose Crabbe in the Sun"
M. S. W. Pollard read "The Gypsy" from "Our Village"
Geo Burrows gave us a short Reading from Mathew Arnolds "Scholar Gypsy" and a longer one from "Thyrsis"[.] During this the Stansfield "Mackie" put in a striking piece of synchronization.
E. B. Castle read an interesting account of the Bucklebury Bowl Turner from H. V. Mortons "In Search of England".
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Dorothy Brain Manuscript: Unknown
Dorothy Brain : Hors d’Oeuvres
Meeting held at Oakdene, Northcourt Av, 20.3.34.
Sylvanus A. Reynolds in the Chair.
1. Minutes of last read and approved, in the teeth of one dissident.
[...]
5. We then proceeded to the anonymous essays and members felt on excellent terms with themselves at the prospect of hearing some attractive reading and of eluding or inflicting a good hoax or two.
The first essay opened discreetly without title on the theme of “Newcomers to Reading”, going on to a description of the neighbourhood, its beauties its quaint place names and historical associations. […]
6. Next came a paper on “Uniforms”. The writer was considered by one or two to show the observation of the masculine mind and the style of the feminine. […]
7. Then came a letter to "My dear Twelve" written with the unmistakeable touch of the practised writer. […]
8. We listened, too, with equal interest to a paper called “Canaries”, telling us something of the progress and perambulations of our latest migrant members. Moreover two or three of our number were able to follow their doings with particular appreciation, having mad much the same trip themselves. […]
9. All of us were a good deal non plussed by “Hors d’Oeuvres”, an essay not inappropriately named, for it contained a perplexing mixture of fare, and certainly stimulated our appetite. […]
10. Hardly less difficult was “Glastonbury”. Many of us had visited it, and so were able to follow closely the author’s points. But few of us knew enough of its history and legend to be sure whether or no our one professional historian had set his wits before us. So we gave up reasoning and just guessed. […]
11. Finally we heard “Spoonbill”. It was a noteworthy paper, combining the love of the naturalist for the birds he watches with the craft of the writer in the language he uses. […]
12. Here is the complete list. —
“Newcomers to Reading” by H. R. Smith, read by F. E. Pollard
“Uniforms” by Janet Rawlings, read by Elizabeth Alexander
“My dear Twelve” by H. M. Wallis, read by S. A. Reynolds
“Canaries” by C. E. Stansfield, read by Dorothy Brain
“Hors d’Oeuvres” by Dorothy Brain, read by R. H. Robson
“Glastonbury” by Mrs Goadby, read by H. R. Smith
“The Spoonbill” by W. Russell Brain, read by Mrs. Robson
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Reginald H. Robson Manuscript: Unknown
Dorothy Brain : [Letter of resignation from the XII Book Club]
'Meeting held at Whinfell, Upper Redlands Rd. 23.10.’37
Alfred Rawlings in the Chair
1. The Secretary asked permission to reserve the reading of some of the minutes until after the literary part of the programme had been taken, as these minutes would bear directly upon the discussion which would necessarily follow as to the future of the Club. This permission was given and the other minutes were then read and approved.
2. Victor Alexander then gave a brief account of the career of William Fryer Harvey, followed by an appreciation and review of “We were Seven” which he had previously written for the Bootham Magazine.
3. Helen Rawlings read several of Harvey’s poems from the volume “Laughter and Ghosts[”].
4. Elizabeth T. Alexander read a chapter from “Caprimulgus”.
5. Frank Pollard read “August Heat” from Midnight House.
6. Janet Rawlings read “Patience” from Quaker Byways.
7. Charles E. Stansfield read two more poems from “Laughter and Ghosts”
8. Howard R. Smith read “The Tortoise” from Midnight House.
9. The Secretary then read the minutes referring to last time’s discussion on the Club’s future, and also two letters of resignation. These were from Edgar and Mignon Castle and from Dorothy Brain.
10. Discussion then followed.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Victor Alexander Manuscript: Letter
Dorothy Brain : [Letter of resignation from the XII Book Club]
'Meeting held at Whinfell, Upper Redlands Rd. 23.10.’37
Alfred Rawlings in the Chair
1. The Secretary asked permission to reserve the reading of some of the minutes until after the literary part of the programme had been taken, as these minutes would bear directly upon the discussion which would necessarily follow as to the future of the Club. This permission was given and the other minutes were then read and approved.
2. Victor Alexander then gave a brief account of the career of William Fryer Harvey, followed by an appreciation and review of “We were Seven” which he had previously written for the Bootham Magazine.
3. Helen Rawlings read several of Harvey’s poems from the volume “Laughter and Ghosts[”].
4. Elizabeth T. Alexander read a chapter from “Caprimulgus”.
5. Frank Pollard read “August Heat” from Midnight House.
6. Janet Rawlings read “Patience” from Quaker Byways.
7. Charles E. Stansfield read two more poems from “Laughter and Ghosts”
8. Howard R. Smith read “The Tortoise” from Midnight House.
9. The Secretary then read the minutes referring to last time’s discussion on the Club’s future, and also two letters of resignation. These were from Edgar and Mignon Castle and from Dorothy Brain.
10. Discussion then followed.'
