Friday 25 April 2014

Leisure by William H. Davies, The Vineyard May 1911

I found this poem whilst looking for a suitable accompaniment to a photograph of our 'Blount apple tree'.  This the 100 year plus Bramley apple tree in our garden in what was once Foundry Meadow.  I don't think that this tree has changed much since it's last appearance in 2011 in this post.

All of the gardens in what was once Kings Road's Foundry Meadow either still have apple trees which may have been planted at the same period of time as this, or did have.  Our neighbour lost their apple tree two Summers ago when covered with apples it was slightly windy.  There were apple trees in the garden at The Dye House but I have been told that they were chopped down, this was probably sometime between 1948 and the 1960s.  So I presume that Foundry Meadow was an orchard of sorts at some point in time.

When I began reading 'Leisure' I quickly realised that despite my limited knowledge of poetry, this was a poem I was familiar with.  A quick Wikipedia search informed me of some interesting overlaps with the Peasant arts movement.  I wonder at what part in his life, William H. Davies' path crossed with The Vineyard?  Wikipedia describes William H. Davies as "living a rough life, particularly in London shelters and doss-houses, including the Salvation Army hostel in Southwark known as "The Ark"  which he grew to despise", that he moved to rural life in Kent in 1905, that George Bernard Shaw (who has appeared in a few previous posts here) wrote the preface to his 1907 autobiography The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp and also "in 1911, Davies was awarded a Civil List Pension of £50" (ibid).


Bramley apple tree,
old Foundry Meadow, Kings Road
In The Vineyard (May 1911 p.541), beneath Maude Egerton King's plea:

"The first of May
Is garland day:
Please remember the garland."

William H. Davies' poem 'Leisure' is printed:

"What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare;

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep or cows;

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass;

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night;

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance;

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and care."


Wednesday 23 April 2014

Godfrey Blount's attire and Artistic Dress

Some time ago I was contacted by Robyne Erica who was writing a PhD on artistic dress.  She was interested in the Healthy and Artistic Dress Union and Dress Review journals that I had looked at at the Women's Library back in 2011, and posted on here for example where I had identified Godfrey and Ethel Blount as serving on the General Committee of the Healthy and Artistic Dress Union from c.1904-1906.

Erica teaches at Glasgow School of Art, and has recently posted a video on her Artistic Dress blog examining mens artistic dress called "Artistic Dress and the Styling of Masculine Identity" which covers the period from the mid-1800s to early 1900s.  I found her overview of the men's artistic dress movement very enlightening, and I believe that many of her insights are relevant to Godfrey Blount in particular, who in her words may be described as "floppy but manly"(!).  It is well worth a look.

I wonder what colours there are in Godfrey Blount's cravat in this, my favourite photograph?  And also what colour his shirt is?    I expect that he was standing out from the crowd and expressing his artistic sensibilities.

Godfrey Blount,
reproduced from a photograph courtesy of
The Dartford Warbler

Friday 18 April 2014

The (Illustrated) Song of the Sower by Godfrey Blount

Back in April 2011 I posted The Song of the Sower poem by Godfrey Blount.  It was taken from a large song sheet type format paper, with the Peasant Arts Society noted at the bottom and their Bayswater address, 51 Pembridge Road.  

I have since found that The Vineyard April 1914 (p.408) published The Song of the Sower told through some beautiful Godfrey Blount illustrations.


The Song of the Sower,
Godfrey Blount, The Vineyard, April 1914

The Song of the Sower,
Godfrey Blount, The Vineyard, April 1914


The Song of the Sower,
Godfrey Blount, The Vineyard, April 1914
The Song of the Sower,
Godfrey Blount, The Vineyard, April 1914


The Song of the Sower,
Godfrey Blount, The Vineyard, April 1914

The Song of the Sower,
Godfrey Blount, The Vineyard, April 1914


The Song of the Sower,
Godfrey Blount, The Vineyard, April 1914


The Song of the Sower,
Godfrey Blount, The Vineyard, April 1914

The Song of the Sower,
Godfrey Blount, The Vineyard, April 1914

Good Friday by Katharine Tynan

In the first April edition of The Vineyard (April 1911), there was a significant focus in the articles on Easter.  A relevant poem for today, is this from Katharine Tynan (p.480).

Good Friday, from a picture by Arthur Hughes
The Vineyard, April 1911


Good Friday is a heavenly day,
So bright, so fair, so still,
They slay the King of all the world
On a high hill.

The birds sing sweet and low,
With a most quiet mirth,
They scoop a hollow grave for Him,
The holiest head on earth.

Good Friday is a heavenly day,
New lights on earth and sky,
The day the Saviour of us all
Went forth to die.

Sweetly it rose and fell,
So calm, so light, so grave.
Christ Jesus, sacrificed for men,
Died - and forgave.

The Vineyard, April 1911



Saturday 5 April 2014

Joseph King on film, 1920 election

Until recently my visual impression of Joseph King came from a handful of photographs.  Then I came across British Pathe's short film with Joseph King standing for election at Ilford in 1920, when King would have been 60 years old.  I believe this Pathe archive has recently gone online.
Still from Election at Ilford,
British Pathe Archive
Whilst King is only on the film for a few seconds you can gather a few more indications of him.  Here is what I see: well-positioned in the centre of the photo opportunity; maintaining a good composure; talking jovially to his fellow candidate, who incidentally won; well-turned out in a three piece suit; seemingly the only candidate with a hat; a sunken chin; seeming to talk slightly from the side of his mouth; he seems quite confident and relaxed in the spotlight.
Still from Electon at Ilford,
British Pathe Archive



Wikipedia have collated all of King's election contests.  The 1920 election was the penultimate election that King contested.  By this time King was a Labour candidate.  He came second with 22.9% of the vote, marginally ahead of the Liberal candidate.  The winner, Fredric Wise, a Coalition Conservative achieved 54.4% of the vote.

Still from Electon at Ilford,
British Pathe Archive

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