More about C. A. Lucas

Thank you to Sara Wear and Becki Morris from Warwickshire Museums who gave us an hour of time on Saturday to discuss the life of Cicely Lucas.  Becki said she is one of only a few known Warwickshire suffragettes.

What we discovered.
Edwin's parents were Sarah and John, a carpenter.  They lived in Chetnole, Dorset.  Edwin was christened in 1st Nov 1846.  Therefore this must be his year of birth.  In 1871, aged 24 he is living with his sister Ellen (23) on the Bristol Road in St John's Highbridge, Burnham on Sea, Somerset.  He is described as a schoolmaster.

The Old St John's School, Highbridge (to the left).

A typical house on Mary Road Stechford, Birmingham.

The house Cicely bought for her parents when they came back together was on Mary Road, Stechford, Yardley, Birmingham.  When Sarah Neale, Cicely's mother (interestingly born in Winterbourne-Stoke, Salisbury) died, she was buried in the cemetery of St John the Baptist Westwood Heath, on 1st March 1910 by the Rev B Haywood- Browne, She was  67 years old.  We could not find her grave.  In 1911 only Edwin filled out the census form stating 'Daughter is a Suffragette'.

There is no mention of Ernest.  Edwin describes himself as a widower of private means, aged 64, living at Mary Road in an 8 roomed house.  When did the family move to France?

It was easy however to find Cecil and Kate's Grave.

Kate died at The School House on
21st November 1929, aged 52 years.
Cecil Furmage Neale, died
24th March 1953, aged 78 years.

We were given the 1891 census result. Edwin 44, Sarah 50, Cecil F 16 (Pupil Teacher), Eustace E 14, Cicely A 12 and Christopher W 9.

Cicely does not feature in the 1911 but Edwin states that his daughter is a suffragette (confirming my suspicion that she joined the suffragette boycott).

In Cicely's 'Albume' dated 1898, which collects best wishes from friends at DTC, and pictures and mementos from Ernest, Cicely has included signatures from three suffragette friends.

Christabel Pankhurst
Mrs Jennie Baines
Mary Gawthorpe

Mary Gawthorpe, originally from Leeds, a teacher and co-founder of NUT.
Badly injured by police a number of times.  Emigrated to USA in 1916

Jennie Baines, from poor Birmingham roots, was a regular at
Holloway Prison.

Jennie's Police Surveillance picture.
Her family whisked her off to Australia in 1913.

Christabel Pankhurst

And finally

A beautiful love offering from 'Ranji' to Cicely while she was away at DTC.

Joanna goes to Royal Holloway, London

Poor Joanna, jet lagged, not feeling well, and off to visit a university with both parents in toe (they wanted a day out).  These days parents are very much customers too.  We refused to go in the Parents' waiting area/ bar/ creche (bean bags on the floor).  But what great entertainment!  we were taken around by enthusiastic (well paid) students who showed us student rooms, complete with students lounging on their beds (paid too).  It was like a cross between a National Trust tour and reality TV.  Royal Holloway's Building is extraordinary.  I can think of nowhere quite like it.

Founders Building 1887- Chapel- Picture Gallery- Dinning Hall - Library-  bedrooms with high ceilings.

So the university has chosen Joanna, but will Joanna choose them?  All universities come out with their spin on statistics.  I was reminded of Judgemeadows old headteacher who said of their GCSE results "the best results in Leicester".  And when I questioned this, "best results from a non-selective school"  was the reply.  The faith schools had done better than us.  "Quick thinking", I said (after a long pause.)

The drama space is perfect.  A regency house with theatre tagged on, set in a peaceful garden.

Drama Department

Caryl Churchill Theatre

 New Architecture?  Of course, where else can all these student loans be spent?

New Library for RHL, but will Joanna fill one of these spaces?

The down side?  I think we all agree with Dr Suess on that one I'm afraid.

See Wikapedia entry for Egham
During World War II, American author Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss was briefly stationed in Egham as part of his work on the propaganda film Your Job in Germany. He did not settle well in the town, despite the efforts of his RAF host Flight Sergeant Sam Beckinsale to draw the local amenities to his attention. When it was pointed out how green the area was, due in part to its proximity to Windsor Great Park he retorted "I do not like green Egham". Geisel later cited this as the inspiration for his 1960 best-selling book Green Eggs and Ham and the often-repeated line in the book "I do not like them Sam I Am. I do not like green eggs and ham".^[8]

Waddesdon Manor

Just thought- what about Waddesdon Manor? - Victorian  Loire style?  

Craiglhouse Campus, Napier University

Royal Victorian Patriotic Building

Claire vs Mr Joseph

Claire preached in church on Sunday.  I thought she had something to say to Joanna's Philosophy teacher.

Mr Joseph asked Joanna "If God is good, why would he send those he 'loves' to hell?"

We agree that the Creator, being all powerful, must have created the possibility of 'Hell' in the first place.  That is an interesting thought.  Claire was speaking from the famous story of the prodigal son.  The key here was not that the son was not 'sent to hell'.  He chose to go.  One could wonder whether the son really knew what he was choosing.  He wanted the 'good' bits, but may not have considered the consequences in the round.  He also chose to return to his father.

I agree that this passage indicates, as noted by John  Powell, that God does not 'send' anyone to Hell.  Sometimes it's us who choose to go there ourselves.  We have the freedom to wander, but the morality question is interesting.  We tread into a world littered with landmines.

My thought is that perhaps we have to go though these ordeals in life in order to be ready for the future.   Without it we could not understand the the full consequence of the freedom on offer.  Freedom will surely still exist, but like the father, we will understand the full picture.

What about those who genuinely enjoy seeing other suffering?  

Amour

John and Vendela chose this film for our film club.

Winner of Palm D'Or 2012

Anne and Georges live in a once grand Parisian Apartment.  We see them enjoying the success of of a virtuoso pianist, a former pupil of Anne's.  Then Anne experiences a TIA (stroke), and things change for the couple.  I was reminded of older people in my life.  I was with my Grandparents at the dinning table when my Grandmother had a TIA.  I remember how Marion, my mother-in-law cared for and loved Brian through the 18 months of decline to his death.  Their love outshone everything.

This film speaks of hopelessness.  The loss of function is equated to a slow, painful, exhausting, nothingness.  This is a film set where 'The Creator'  God is either absent, or is the stupid priest presiding at 'Pierre's' funeral, which Georges attends.  The film is brave because it has nothing positive to say, reminding me of  Waiting for Godot.

I used it to test my theory on relationships, that all relationship need some two way 'reciprocity', Something shared, that is created in the moment, and nourishes the relationship.  In the film we see glimpses of this, when Anne becomes more lucid, and is able to be affectionate,  Rare moments, but I am interested how little of this is needed to keep the relationship alive.

Tempest

Cover picture

Joanna published her first book.  Her friend said 'surely it should be called The Tempest.'  'No- that's been done', says Joanna.  It's a story through the eyes of Miranda, a teenaged girl, who sees the world slightly differently from that of her rather domineering father.  Autobiographical Joanna?