Gloucestershire Writers by Sheila Johnson
Gloucestershire, I have discovered in the years I have lived here, is a place rich with writers and poets. I am currently studying some of these writers and poets and their influence on the local landscape and over the next few blogs I want to discuss one or two of these. I will begin with Laurie Lee. Below is a picture of his cottage in the Slad valley, a very beautiful part of Gloucestershire.
Laurie Lee died in May 1997, just three months before my family arrived in Gloucestershire but we have visited the Slad valley where his cottage is as well as his grave and his favourite pub, the Woolpack. The countryside around there is stunning so it isn't surprising that it inspired Lee to write Cider with Rosie about his childhood in the valley.
But Laurie Lee also wrote, As I walked out one Midsummer morning, about his life as a young man and his trip to Spain, and A moment of War, about his involvement in the Spanish Civil war. He also wrote countless poems and three plays - Peasants' Priest about the Peasants' Revolt, Black Saturday, Red Sunday - again about the Spanish Civil war and I Call me Adam - about the mutiny on the ship, the Bounty.
His other books, poems and plays are much less well known, in fact, Lee himself felt they were not given nearly as much attention.
I would like to finish on an interesting little story from a less well known book of his, 'Village Christmas and other notes on the English year. It is about a poet called Paul Potts who lived in Chelsea, London in the days before World War II
Lee describes him as, "a tall, stooping figure...(who) caused me no offence. But thinking there were too many poets around, I took a shot at him one day with an airgun. The pellet hit him in the foot, he leapt in the air, turned round and berated some innocent old woman behind him, and left immediately for the Hebrides." (p62)
The lesson here is perhaps we should try not be too unassuming in our writing. Maybe we should try to cause offence?
That's a coincidence! I'm just reading the Village Christmas book. I bought it before Christmas, thinking it was all Christmas-based, then found there's a section about each season, so I saved up the spring section and am reading that now. He really is an astonishing writer. I love the pellet gun story. That's how to see off the competition!
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Fran, it's great isn't it? Though I must admit I do feel rather sorry for the poor, nervous, unassuming poet concerned.
DeleteWhat a lovely blog post. I have driven past Slad but never visited it and in this picture it looks idyllic, the quintessential Cotswold valley. I must read Laurie Lee. I probably read Cider With Rosie many decades ago. His pellet gun story is the ultimate answer to literary jealousy!!
ReplyDeleteHa ha. See my reply above, Sheila
DeleteHaving grown up in Gloucestershire, I love your reference to the landscape and its effects on writers, particularly Laurie Lee. That story about the airgun is hilarious and your point about causing offence has really made me think. Great post, Sheila.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteI love, love, LOVE Laurie Lee and his wicked sense of humour. Great post, Sheila. I am feeling a deep urge to visit Gloucestershire!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, Nikki, you will be able to very soon.
ReplyDeleteMy dad's family come from Stroud, Gloucestershire and a long-ago ancestor was the Bishop of Gloucester. I read Cider with Rosie and As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning many many times when I was a child and teenager and they are in my mind yet. The name Paul Potts rings a bell, but I can't think why. Great blog, Sheila!
ReplyDeletePaul Potts winner of the first Britain's Got Talent - Nessun Dorma???
DeleteAs I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning was our school 'O' level text! Your post has brought back a lot of memories and maybe I should visit his writing again....
ReplyDeletelol - Are you advocating air-guns or some other way to cause offence? :D
ReplyDelete