Blogs using the British Newspaper Archive Blog #6 Pulhamite

Blogs using the British Newspaper Archive

Blog #6 (URL links are broken) 

Pulhamite

All images  © The British Library Board

A review was  recently printed in the Alpine Gardener of September 2012 of the book:  Rock Landscapes: The Pulham Legacy by Claude Hitching  and Jenny Lilly.

This prompted reminiscences on the part of myself and my wife (a keen gardener), as we had seen in 1999 the magnificen Pulhamite garden at Waddesdon manor, which had been restored. As the Waddesdon website says: “The garden was designed to surprise and delight the Baron's guests at every turn.  In his day, a garden tour would include the Aviary, the ornamental Dairy, the huge glasshouses, romantic Pulham grottoes and a menagerie of deer, goats and llamas.” http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/gardens/garden-history 

“Located at the Dairy, the Water Garden is designed as a series of small lakes interconnected by Pulham rock arches, waterfalls, cascades, bridges and paths. Today, the structure of the garden remains the same and much of the original planting still survives.”  http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/gardens/explore-the-gardens/water_garden

As the Wiki website says: “Pulhamite was a patented anthropic rock 'material' invented by James Pulham (1820-98) of the firm James Pulham and Son of Broxbourne. Pulhamite, which usually looked like gritty sandstone, was used to join natural rocks together or crafted to simulate natural stone features. The recipe went to the grave with him.”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulhamite

There are many contemporary citations of the activities of the Pulham family in the nineteenth century, and the British Newspaper Archive contains many descriptions.

In the Nottinghamshire Guardian - Friday 21 July 1876 (p.10. col.4), there is a description of recent work by Pulham in Clifton Hall Gardens: “Facing the fountain in the centre of the house [i.e. the recently erected conservatory, which was …feet long  ] there is a recess in the back wall. This is beautifully arranged in a natural-like style of rockwork by Messrs.  Pulham and Son, Broxborne, Herts. In the cavities of this rockery there are many hardy Ferns growing luxuriantly…”

Nottinghamshire Guardian - Friday 21 July 1876

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000176/18760721/053/0010

By the late 1870s, the work of Pulham must have been sufficiently widespread for the word to be used without particular emphasis. In the Nottinghamshire Guardian - Friday 15 August 1879 (p.10 col 3-4), an article reprinted from the Gardener, discussed ‘Making and planting rockwork’ states: “ Between Pulham on the one hand , and the coke rockery on the other, there is room for many varieties of the art and mystery of rock making. When a rockery is to be made, two primary objects should be kept in view. The first is, that the fabric to be constructed shall be pleasing to the eye, and harmonise with its surroundings, - that it should not look toy-like , too artificial or incongruous, but be an agreeable feature in the garden; and the second is, that it be so constructed that it shall be suitable for the growth of the plants to be cultivated on it.”

Nottinghamshire Guardian - Friday 15 August 1879

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000176/18790815/070/0010

 

Smaller properties also had work carried out by Pulham. For the sale of the property of Mapperley Road and Chesnut Grove, Nottingham, the house was connected to “… an extensive range of glass houses, including conservatory, 44 feet by 21 feet 6 inches; winery plant-house and forcing house…; tufa built rockeries by Pulham of Broxborne, 135 feet by in part 16 feet, and in other part 32 feet. “ (Nottinghamshire Guardian - Saturday 26 May 1894 p.1 col. 5.)

Nottinghamshire Guardian - Saturday 26 May 1894

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000176/18940526/002/0001

In a description of Earl Beauchamp’s gardens at Madresfield Court, praise is forthcoming from the writer: “Conifers are very abundant here, especially in the rockery, which is one of Pulham’s best productions. This is well furnished, and the garishness so characteristic of new rockwork has entirely disappeared. The entire construction now looks quite natural.” Worcestershire Chronicle - Saturday 04 February 1899 (p.3. col.6.)

 Worcestershire Chronicle - Saturday 04 February 1899

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000350/18990204/053/0003

In ‘The new river gardens at Belper’, developed as a public recreation, “… a beautiful  garden has been evolved out of chaos, …consisting of broad promenade walks, large shrubberies, planted with the choicest of shrubs, glowing beds of flowers, arches for climbing ~Roses, artificial rockeries built by Pulham’s the renowned rock builders, a Swiss tea house with its shady verandahs, all the walks edged with rockery stones… “Derby Daily Telegraph - Thursday 08 November 1906 (p.4. col. 7.)

 

Derby Daily Telegraph - Thursday 08 November 1906

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000327/19061108/082/0004

The First World War probably diminished amount commissions available to the Pulham business. However, we find reference to the company in 1933. In ‘Horticultural exhibitions in Essex’, held at Silver Leys, the first trade award was made to “Messrs. Pulham and Son for rockery”.  (Chelmsford Chronicle - Friday 11 August 1933 p.2. col. 4. 

Chelmsford Chronicle - Friday 11 August 1933

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000516/19330811/014/0002

The development of gardens and gardening advanced tremendously in the 19^th century. Those who sought  the ‘natural look’ when building or developing their properties at this time frequently turned to the Pulham business to supply rockery, and their works became part of the overall effect that owners wanted.

 

Ed King

January 2013

Further reading

The Pulham Legacy. Rock Gardens, Ferneries, Follies, Grottoes and Fountains. http://pulham.org.uk/tag/pulhamite/

 

Durability Guaranteed - Pulhamite Rockwork – its conservation and repair. English Heritage. 2008. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/durability-guaranteed-pulhamite-rockwork/?utm_source=nav.18750&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=redirect

 

 

Blogs using the British Newspaper Archive Blog #5 ‘For unto us a child is born’ – Handel’s Messiah performed.

 Blogs using the British Newspaper Archive

Blog #5 (URL links are broken)  All images  © The British Library Board

‘For unto us a child is born’ – Handel’s Messiah performed.

Attending, for the fifth time at the Royal Albert Hall, on the 2 December 2012, a performance of Handel’s Messiah, sung from scratch by 3,854 souls under the direction of Brian Kay, I wondered about the endurance of this work, and the love that people have of singing in it. For me, one of the most moving pieces is the passage ‘For unto us a child is born’, anticipating the birth of Christ.   What of other past performances? The British Newspaper Archive has plenty of articles.

The Messiah was sufficiently well  known less than twenty years after its composition in 1744 for the work to be included in the Three Choirs meeting, and formed on the 4^th September 1861, and it is described as a ‘Sacred Oratorio’.

Oxford Journal - Saturday 15 August 1761 page 3

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http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000073/17610815/007/0003

A year later on the 17^th September 1762, the three choirs of Hereford, Gloucester, and of Worcester cathedrals gave a performance in Hereford cathedral. Tickets were not cheap at five shillings each.  It seems so unthinkable to us today; it was the newspapers which communicated with the performers, as: “The Performers are desired to be in the town on Sunday evening, in order to rehearse on Monday the 13^th [September] in the Morning, and to dine with the Stewards on the day following.”

Oxford Journal - Saturday 28 August 1762

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http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000073/17620828/007/0002

 

For the Three Choirs meeting of September 1763, no less than three Handel oratorios were  performed, all in the Booth Hall, Gloucester. On the 7^th September  there was – the oratorio Samson; on the 8^th September, the oratorio Athalia; on the 9^th September – Messiah.

Oxford Journal - Saturday 20 August 1763 page 2

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000073/17630820/009/0002

 

 

The Manchester Mercury in 1766 advertised two performances of the Messiah, to celebrate the opening of the new organ at the parish church in Halifax. These were morning performances.

 

Manchester Mercury - Tuesday 19 August 1766 page 3

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http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000239/17660819/009/0003

 

 

 

 

A week ahead of the concert, the Norfolk Chronicle advertised a performance of the Messiah at St. Peter’s [Mancroft ?] on the 10^th September 1790.   In this, the chorus “for unto us a child is born” is cited.

Norfolk Chronicle - Saturday 04 September 1790 page 1

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000246/17900904/014/0001

 

 

 

The Elgin Courier reprinted a report from the Times giving a detailed account of the Messiah, as performed at the Sydenham Crystal palace during the afternoon of Monday 15^th June 1857. The scale of the performance must have been magnificent, considering the huge size of the Crystal Palace. ‘“For unto us a child is born” was perfect’, ran the report, which ends by stating: “The Queen will be present at the performance today” (19 June). There are many other reports of this concert in the BNA:

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1850-01-01/1859-12-31?basicsearch=handel%20messiah%20crystal%20palace&somesearch=handel%20messiah%20crystal%20palace&exactsearch=false

 

 

Elgin Courier - Friday 19 June 1857

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000457/18570619/007/0002

The reporting of the Messiah became almost routine for many newspapers – the brief anticipatory entry in the Worcestershire Chronicle of April 1891 being typical.

Worcestershire Chronicle - Saturday 18 April 1891 page 2

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000350/18910418/013/0002

 

In its long report of the Handel Festival of 1891, The Dover Express included an illustration, giving us some idea of the great scale of these performances of the Messiah in the second half of the 19^th century, in the Crystal Palace. There was even a press gallery, as we can see.

 

 

Dover Express - Friday 03 July 1891 page 2

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000330/18910703/004/0002

 

 

 

Photographs of a performance of the Messiah in Bath in 1939, conducted by Maurice Miles give us the sense of what it was like to work and sing in a large chorus. It gives us the immediacy of the chorus and the soloist Astra Desmond.

 

 

Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Saturday 25 March 1939 page 23

Image © Northcliffe Media Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000515/19390325/191/0023

 

 

So, the performances today of Messiah from scratch reflect the movement of mass participation in its performance, which in turn generates by word of mouth more admiration and enthusiasm for the work. People come from all over the world to sing in the Albert Hall. These stirring performances today echo the enthusiasm of so many others, both in Dublin in 1742 (the original performances), and then all over the UK from that time onwards. For me, the music that Handel composed “For unto us a child is born” is one of the finest choral movements of all time, anticipating as it does the coming of Christ.

 

Ed King

December 2012 

 

 

Further reading:

 

Scratch Messiah http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scratch_Messiah

 

The Really Big Chorus. http://new.trbc.co.uk/wp/?page_id=3265

 

Handel Messiah. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messiah_%28Handel%29

 

 

 

 

 

Blogs using the British Newspaper Archive Blog #4 Jane Austen imitated by PD James

 

Blogs using the British Newspaper Archive

Blog #4 (URL links are broken) 

Jane Austen imitated by PD James

All images  © The British Library Board

Recently reading PD James Death comes to Pemberley, I wondered how reviews of this novel compared to those of Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen had sold the copyright of the novel to Thomas Egerton, and he published the first edition in January 1813 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice ). Perhaps it was Egerton who placed the advertisement in the Morning Post  on 9 February 1813 (p.2 col.2): ‘This day published, in 3 vols. price 18s. in boards, Pride and Prejudice; a Novel, by a Lady, Author of “sense and Sensibility”…’

 The Morning Post 9 February 1813

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000174/18130209/002/0002

Pride and Prejudice sold well. By October 1813, Mackay’s Circulating Library was advertising the novel in its list of new books, in the Caledonian Mercury - Saturday 9 October 1813 (p.3 col.5)

The Caledonian Mercury - Saturday 9 October 1813

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http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000045/18131009/012/0003?_=1350670811367

J. Bottrill, a Printer and Bookseller in Lutterworth, stated that he added the novel to his circulating library in the Northampton Mercury - Saturday 23 October 1813 (p.3 col.2); and on the 5 November in the Leicester Journal (p.3. col. 1).

Northampton Mercury - Saturday 23 October 1813

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000317/18131023/030/0003

The second edition Pride and Prejudice was advertised in the Morning Post - Saturday 20 November 1813 (p.2 col.2)

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000174/18131120/002/0002

In 1818, a year after Jane Austen died, the issue by John Murray of Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, “…together with a biographical note of the Author”, in four volumes, prompted a lengthy, favourable review of Jane Austen’s works in The Scots Magazine - Friday 01 May 1818 ( p.57 col.2; p. 58). The review begins, as below:

The Scots Magazine - Friday 01 May 1818

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http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000547/18180501/016/0057

The review continues: …“When this period arrives, we have no hesitation in saying, that the delightful writer of the works now before us [i.e. Northanger Abbey and Persuasion], will be one of the most popular of English novelists, and if, indeed, we could point out the individual who, within a certain limited range, has attained the highest perfection of the art of novel writing, we should have little scruple in fixing upon her. She has confined herself, no doubt, to a narrow walk. She never operates among deep interests, uncommon characters, or vehement passions. The singular merit of her writings is, that we could conceive, with the slightest strain imagination, any one of her fictions to be realized in any town or village in England…She has much observation, - much fine sense, - much delicate humour, - many pathetic touches, - and throughout all her works, a most charitable view of human nature, and a tone of gentleness and purity, that are almost unequalled. …As stories they are nothing in themselves, though beautiful and simple in their combination with the characters. … such is the facility and the seemingly exhaustless invention of this lady, that, we think, like a complete mistress of a musical instrument, she could have gone on in the same strain for ever…”

The Scots Magazine - Friday 01 May 1818

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000547/18180501/016/0057

If Jane Austen’s qualities attracted such praise only a year after her death, the reception by reviewers of Death comes to Pemberley has been more mixed. The Guardian review is mocking and starts: “It is a truth not universally acknowledged that a classic novel is not in want of a sequel.” (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/oct/31/death-comes-to-pemberley-pd-james  )

 The Historical Novel Review is also negative: “…I'm sorry Ms James, I normally love your work, but I’m afraid I won’t even be keeping this one on my e-reader.” (http://historicalnovelreview.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/death-comes-to-pemberley-by-p-d-james.html)  

The New York Times Sunday Book Review is far more complimentary: “Not infrequently, while reading “Death Comes to Pemberley,” one succumbs to the impression that it is Austen herself at the keyboard.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/books/review/death-comes-to-pemberley-by-p-d-james-book-review.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&  )

The Independent also gushes: “It's a great joint achievement, and a joyous read.”  ( http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/death-comes-to-pemberley-by-pd-james-6256572.html  )

For my own part, Death comes to Pemberley is erudite, well-plotted, picking up very well on the characters and situations of the earlier work. Perhaps PD James was knowingly constrained by the plot and characters of Pride and Prejudice, in which Jane Austen so clearly displays the goodness, fallibilities and follies of mankind, with a restrained, yet occasionally barbed, language that will never be equalled.

Ed King 

December 2012