Reading, freedom and democracy 

Reading, freedom and democracy 

Every year, Mary Stella Edwards listed all the books she had read in the last 12 months in her journal. For example, in 1918 alone Mary Stella Edwards read at least 84 books. I write ‘at least’ because Edwards only included the books that she read from...
The Dancing Star

The Dancing Star

Mary Stella Edwards’ poetry changed in the mid to late 1920s – just at the time her first book of poetry was published by The Hogarth Press. The other-worldly connection to the natural world remained (see previous blogpost) but her focus was different. On the face of...
Mary Stella Edwards and “The Immortal Hour”

Mary Stella Edwards and “The Immortal Hour”

To me, Mary Stella Edwards’ first book of poetry is haunted by fairies and nature spirits. They aren’t obvious – so perhaps other readers might disagree. She never actually uses the word “fairy” – but they are implied in a kind of world-building that feels closely...
Getting to know Judith Ackland – Part 2

Getting to know Judith Ackland – Part 2

In the previous blogpost – I described Judith’s sudden departure from Bideford to the Pyrenees. She travelled alone (and abroad for the first time) to attend to Mildred, a childhood friend believed to be on the verge of death. Here we learn how Judith’s...
Getting to know Judith Ackland – Part 1

Getting to know Judith Ackland – Part 1

Up till now Judith Ackland has been a rather shadowy figure in my research. I had only read her thoughts in her own words in a letter to Rupert Graves (see Finding Judith). Although heartfelt, that was a very formal letter. Otherwise, all the information has come from...