Memorial Day with thoughts by Emily Hobhouse from 1923 ...

Perhaps the time has come for Emily Hobhouse's words to be considered and acted upon ... 

I have found these books on Emily Hobhouse to be particularly insightful into life from 1860 to 1926 … as we travel with Emily through that period from:

Soldiers going to serve in World War I
from Pensilva village, next village to
St Ive, near Liskeard, north Cornwall

• North Cornwall and England,

• briefly into America,

The early years of
Emily's life and
the Boer War:
"To Love One's Enemies"

• long periods in South Africa at and after the Boer Wars, with breaks in England and Europe,

Emily's years in
the first World War -
mostly spent in Europe
"Agent of Peace"

• in Europe during the 1910 – 1920 years (World War I, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and more),

•  then her letters and journaled thoughts as she compiled, composed and readied her papers for her nephew, Oliver, for the future after her death.

"Living The Love"-
the last years of
Emily's life

These are the papers inherited by Jennifer’s father, Oliver Hobhouse, but which passed to Jennifer.  She has devoted her recent years to researching, refining and ensuring that Emily Hobhouse’s work will not be forgotten … where the truth can be told utilising original documents, backed up by informed reference.  These papers are now stored in the Bodleian Library, Oxford

St Ive, Liskeard, Churchyard - the village where Emily
lived for the first half of year relatively short life

The following paragraphs form the frontispiece of Jennifer’s last book on Emily’s life, after World War I (1918 – 1926) : “Living the Love” … seem appropriate for a Memorial weekend post …

‘It is astonishing that though so long a list of the world’s greatest thinkers in all periods have pronounced against war, yet (to this time) no statesmen has appeared capable of abolishing it as a means of settling disputes …

Great therefore will be the statesman who takes his stand on Permanent Peace … He will teach the world that Peace is not a mere absence of war; that it is not a passive ‘do nothing’ existence … but rather an agreement to join together in work of mutual interests …

In a word he will substitute Co-operation in place of Competition …’

‘Histories should be re-written showing how mistaken statesmen have invariably been in leading their countrymen into war, and how little is gained and at what enormous cost. 

The attention of youth should be fixed on the really great men of history – thinkers, poets, discoverers, scientists etc, who have laboured to advance civilization, not destroy …’

National Women's Monument
in Bloemfontein

‘Only in South Africa is there a monument to the civilian dead, often the main sufferers in war.’

Emily Hobhouse 1923

(Permission granted to reproduce these words by Jennifer Hobhouse Balme – May 2016)

In our difficult present times … we need to remember others … to encourage our leaders to co-operate, to bring peace, to let us all live together in an harmonious world – global, region, country, area, town and parish – everyone supporting and encouraging each other … sharing and giving joy to the world.

May we be and remain at peace this Memorial Day weekend … with all our fellow humans …

The titles chosen by Jennifer for her books on Emily Hobhouse today seem so appropriate - titles available on Amazon ... links below:

To Love One's Enemies

Agent of Peace

Living the Love


My post on Emily Hobhouse and her life includes a note by David Nash, Professor of History, who argued in 1999, that (Emily’s) opposition to the Second Boer War began the tradition of peace politics that has flourished through the twentieth century …
The Boer War and its Humanitarian Critics  

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Want to Make a Difference Blogfest by helping with emergency food?

This winter and then ongoing into 2014 extreme food poverty will affect many of us across the UK ... I had no idea that 13 million, out of a total population of 70 million, are on or below the poverty line ...

 

Remember to give to
others blogfest ... 

I have been aware of the recent talk and articles on food banks – there are 'baskets' to collect food in the supermarkets, and I’ve noticed a food bank sign near where I have my car serviced.

So MJJoachim and Tina’s invitation to participate in this blogfest seemed a good idea ... please join us ... so many people in our local community, locality need our help ...

I had heard of the Trussell Trust and seen/heard snippets about their work on the tv or radio ... but had not looked into the organisation or found out how the Trust got started.

Then there was a link across to The Cinnamon Network – and what they were about ... you do live and learn – well I do!

The Cinnamon Network is the catalyser here ... it was/is Christian based, but now encompasses all churches and denominations of peoples who wish to make a difference.

I quote from their About page on their website:

“Rather than come up with an idea and ask God to ‘bless it’ the approach adopted was to see what God was doing and join in. 

It was observed that local churches responding to local needs were developing successful local community transformation projects which other local churches began to replicate.

Powerful examples of this included Street Pastors which developed from Brixton, Foodbank in Salisbury and CAP debt advice emerging from Bradford.

The closest marketplace model to this approach was commercial franchising however the projects were not for commercial benefit but community benefit so they were described as Community Franchising.”

Foods recommended
for donation

TheTrussell Trust let us know why people need emergency food – because of redundancy, illness, benefit delay, domestic violence, debt, family breakdown and paying for the additional costs of heating during winter are just some of the reasons many go hungry.

So if we can donate something every time we go to the supermarket – it will brighten someone’s life ... and perhaps save a life ... suicide can be a considered alternative ... life at this stage desperately needs comfort and support.

Each food box the foodbank gives out contains a minimum of 3 days nutritionally balanced, non-perishable food ...

I saw in one of the local churches recently requests for other items specific to the needs of the community – often these will be baby foods, nappies etc ..

So at this time ... with Thanksgiving coming first, Christmas following and the New Year – let us give something to lighten others’ loads ... and then make sure we continue on ...

This country raised (pledged) over £31 million for Children in Need last week, while we also raised £33 million for the Philippines Disaster Fund ... and we will come together to help our own during the coming winter – that will be bleak for some ... small supplies of regular food will always help.

There are over 400 food banks and I expect these will grow in towns where, for now, there is no presence ... 

I found reading about these two organisations very heart-rending, yet warming ... as people reach out to help.

There are also soup kitchens and many other volunteers who are doing so much for their local communities ...

I also spotted two breadline bloggers in the Telegraph magazine, Stella ... I don’t normally buy the Telegraph – but was glad I did for the information on these two breadline bloggers ...

As the magazine quotes:  One feeds her young son and herself for less than £10 per week, another made it his mission to eat like a king on a shoestring budget when his world fell apart.

Meet the breadline bloggers whose brilliantly inventive recipes are going down a storm ...

Jack Monroe’s blog: A Girl called Jack.com  

Tony’s blog:  TheSkint Foodie.com 

 

c/o Entyce Creative
Give tins instead of tinsel

And still there are all the peoples of this world who suffer, or have, from drought, flooding, disasters of various sorts ... and now the tornado storm that has ripped through middle America ...

Let’s do what we can to alleviate others’ lives ... so they can develop a positive spirit and be inspired to help others ...

Thank you ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Ken Loach film, Tubular Fells map and Prosthetics from Lego ...

Tube maps and Lego are taking me on yet another ‘journey’ ... I set off to see an exhibition in Oxford this week (more anon – that is a serious subject!) ... and lo and behold in the free rag that comes out for train travellers was an article on Lego ...

Oxford Botanical Garden - one of
their greenhouses with the golden
stone building .. 

... then when I was letting my eyes roam the Botanical Gardens sheltering from the wonderful beating sun in the shadows of a tall Oxford golden-stone wall ...

... a lady, who with her sister (aged 70 or so), had just walked the five hundred miles along ‘El Camino de Santiago’ – the Pilgrim’s Way of St James – from the Basque country in the Pyrenees across ‘the top of Spain’, sat down next to me to idly survey the Gardens ... and we got chatting, as one does! ...

... when, as she was seeing her grandson, I wondered if she knew about the Lego tube maps which are up in some of the Underground stations, see this post ...

The long wall .. 

... she then asked if I’d seen the Tubular Fells map of the Lake District – of course, I hadn’t ........but I’m not about to let a gem for a post like that  be forgotten about .

It’s extraordinary how one aspect is mentioned and before too long a new mental link comes to light ...

 We used to holiday in the Lake District for the first ten years of my life ... before my mother’s first husband’s family moved south (he had died in the War) ... we had such fun times up there ...

... so the Lakes resonate with me and that part of the world is just so beautiful ... the title of this map is one of our times “Tubular Fells” ...

c/o Tubular Fells website

The blurb on the website reads “Inspired by nearly 20 years of London life, linked with his own love of the fells, Peter Burgess geographer and teacher, has now created a topological map of Alfred Wainwright’s 214 fells, akin to the London Underground map devised by engineering draughtsman, Harry Beck in 1931”.

Alfred Wainwright’s books remain among the most popular for their depth, detail and unique style (see my post for moreinformation on guide books). 

Wainwright’s division of the Lake District into seven areas and choice of fells to include ... gave the cartographer,Peter Burgess, the inspiration for his Tubular Fells map ...

A snippet from the Snowmotion map -
note the Lake, the Ridge, and cottage
included along the Snowmotion lines

Having manipulated a topological map to emulate the characteristics of a transport map featuring the Lakeland’s fells ... both Peter Burgess and Harry Beck (the Underground map) have created iconic cartographic and graphic art ...

Tubular Fells has inspired a new topological concept based on the Munros  – all 283 of Scotland’s 3,000’ peaks ... this time creating a quasi-surreal rail network ... “MunrOverground”.

Then there’s ‘Snowmotion’ ... featuring Snowdonia, but including the eight narrow gauge steam railways ... note the ‘Os’ as railway wheels – so creatively clever – then including them in the Logo ...

"For those who enjoy the big hills" ...
map of MunrOverland

The three maps can be seen on the TubularFells website, plus information on the creative spirit behind their production, along with two brief videos – well worth watching ... especially for all train lovers amongst you (or your children, or partners!) ...

Well time to catch the train back for a film ... “The Spirit of ‘45” ...

The film, which is well worth catching if you have not yet seen it, is Ken Loach's highly acclaimed feature length documentary The Spirit of '45.   This very personal film looks mainly at Britain just after the war and it is undoubtedly the work of a committed socialist.  

The Chairman of our Film Society feels that it is a highly accomplished piece of filmmaking which features both old footage and specially filmed interviews, which are splendidly balanced, while the quality of the old images is such that if displayed in an art gallery they would be regarded as an outstanding portrait of an era.   

The film relates mainly to Britain, but there are references to Europe and particularly America ... as well as other overseas territories ... I found it a fascinating documentary film and hope to see it again.

Keswick town and Derwent Water - the Skiddaw massif
in the background, taken from Walla Crag

Essentially it covers the pre WWII years to the present day – but details the post war politics of trying to get the country back on its feet ... so there’s a little back history reference to WWI and brief comments of the effects the British people have on their history ... tying it all in to the film’s title: “The Spirit of ‘45”

Looks a little like the London
Underground tube map

I’d highly recommend this film with its historical reminders of life in the 20^th century ... before the technological age took hold – yet including references to the politics of today.

Quoted from Wikipedia’s page: Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian acknowledged that the film could be seen as “patrician-nostalgist” but said he was “swept along by the calm simplicity of its presentation” --- while The Daily Telegraph described it as a “stirring film” that was probably Loach’s best since 2002.  I’d concur.

It’s play time and thought time ... more Lego!  On my trip to Oxford an article appeared about an artificial leg being made out of Lego ... Christina, aged 31, an American occupational therapist, who through a freak accident lost one of her legs, has made a video about her creation ...

Christina Stevens making her prosthetic leg

She was determined to turn the tragedy into a positive experience ... and set about working on the Lego attachment after a joke suggestion from a work colleague.

Now her Lego leg is an internet hit on YouTube after she filmed herself fashioning the limb out of the toy blocks.

As she says ... being an amputee will make me a better therapist ... I know what it’s like to have limited mobility ... and everyone I work with as an occupational therapist will relate to me, and know that I understand them and their plight.

 The article includes links to other videos on how to walk on a prosthetic leg, the frustration of phantom limb pain and the thrill of getting an amputee tattoo.

Also bloggerDavid Powers King has just posted about Lego films being made by Warner ... so David’s informative article just adds to the mix on Lego and Warner/Disney for that matter ....

 

The Amazon set -
"Harry Potter Page to Screen"

Going back to my last two posts about Harry Potter I had meant to note the package (at the pricey cost of over four hundred pounds – which is not the relevant part – on Amazon) ... of  "Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Film Making Journey” ... of the Harry Potter films  ... if anyone is interested in looking: I imagine it would make a fascinating read.

Well I really think I’ve cracked Lego ... creatively inspired myself thinking about logos, journeys of life, via Tubular Fells, MunrOverground and Snowmotion maps ... and reminded myself that I’d like to watch Ken Loach’s film “The Spirit of ‘45” again ...

... let alone aspects of positivity over tribulation ... the weekend looks like it is going to be a scorcher ... and we have a family barn dance party under canvas – an ideal weekend with friends here ...

Tubular Fells map YouTube promotion ... it's lovely! 

It looks like the Tubular Fells links aren't working at the moment (they are now!)..but this Amazon one does ... as does the blog one (but the World Map she refers to does not) ... I'll check back and adjust this note as necessary - adjusted!:

Amazon Tubular Fells Maps for sale - go here ...  
Ordnance Survey Blog - has a post on the Tubular Fells maps

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Suffragette – Emily Wilding Davison

This story interested me ... we really do not know what went on 100 years ago ... we think history is recorded accurately, yet, as here, it obviously was very different.

1909 Handbill

Some records on Emily’s protests were only released in 2003 – ninety years after the events ... they are scary.  

I don’t pass judgement ... but I do like to remember that each aspect I see being reported then and now ... that there might be other points to be considered – so often we don’t see or hear of them, or think about things from a different angle.

On 4 June 1913, ardent suffragette, Emily Wilding Davison stepped out in front of King George V’s racehorse, Anmer, during the Epsom Derby.  Thrown violently to the ground upon impact, she never regained consciousness and died four days later.

The Suffragette, newspaper
edited by Emily Pankhurst -
the Memorial issue

Sacrificing herself to the suffragette slogan “Deeds not Words” in protest against Parliament’s refusal to grant voting rights to women, Davison remains a feminist icon, viewed by many as a martyr for women’s rights.

Emily Wilding Davison (1872 – 1913) showed that she was a very determined lady from a young age ... her father died, she was taken out of school ... but she still achieved entrance to study biology, chemistry, English Language and Literature at St Hugh’s, Oxford.

She was a militant agitator within the Suffragette movement, who expressed her frustrations that it was ludicrous that in the early 1900s women still did not have the right to vote.

 

Is this justice for women?
(open up to read in full
and understand
is this justice for women?)

The Suffragettes had to keep agitating as the Government waxed and wane with opening the voting doors for women ... but as so often the Government pedalled backwards.

For some feminists this was a time to make sure their cause was heard ... and militancy escalated; Davison was arrested nine times, sent to prison, latterly going on hunger strikes and was force fed (in those days – via tube and funnel).

On one such occasion in 1909 she hurled herself ten metres down a flight of iron stairs in protest ... injuring her spine and fracturing her skull.  Her intention, she wrote afterwards, was to stop the suffering of everyone else by carrying out this action.

That fateful Derby day was one of the early occasions when newsreel recorded the event – from three different camera angles ... but it took one hundred years before the films were analysed to see if they matched what had been reported.

Davison falling to the ground -
the horse and jockey were not
badly injured - though the jockey
was badly traumatised.

It was thought that Emily had purposely thrown herself in front of the King’s horse to kill herself ... yet that was not obvious in her demeanour, nor from her life – which was looking forward.

The analysis of the film footage suggests that Emily was in a slightly different place to that historically recorded, and that she likely had full sight of the horses – so knew which horse to target: that of the King’s ...

... and that she very possibly only wanted to attach a “votes for women” sash – which now hangs in the Houses of Parliament.

 Every person in the UK has the right to petition the Crown, but Emily knew that would not be possible with her police record ... and possibly realised that this was one way she could bring the Women’s Suffragette Cause to the King and Queen’s notice.

No one was aware of her intentions, which were to end in such a sad unintentional way ... she was determined, if not wise in her actions ...

Memorial Plaque
on back of cupboard
door where Emily
hid during the night
of the 1911 Censu

To think where would we be today ... if women, like Emily, had not campaigned vigorously for the vote ... they downed ‘tools’ at the start of the War – to put their efforts into working and keeping going the parts of life that their men-folk had been responsible for before the War started.

In 1919 women were granted some rights, but in 1928 the franchise equalled that for men.

I hadn't realised that in the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony - Emily was honoured when, amid the depiction of monumental events in British history, there was a tribute to the Suffragettes' struggles, and the key moment in Davison's crusade to win voting rights.  

I need to revisit the Opening Ceremony footage - to learn more, obviously!

EmilyDavison at her Wikipedia page:      Links I looked at: 

•                 Astonishing 1911 census find – Emily Davison in Parliament’s crypt;
•                  An exhibit on Emily Davison, London School of Economics

Timelineof Women’s Suffrage across the world – worth a look through ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories