Stories from the War Hospital - Richard Wilcocks in the Leeds Library

Richard Wilcocks                                         Photo: Laura Cummins

Charlotte Gray writes:
It was a bit of a privilege to be able to set foot in the members-only Leeds Library for today’s event. Bedecked floor to ceiling with books and hiding seemingly secret passageways atop spiral staircases, its atmosphere was one that could only have been kept alive by the most dedicated of bookworms. In this vein, it was the perfect venue in which to be given a glimpse into a book that seems to have been a true labour of love.

Richard Wilcocks’s talk on his acclaimed book  Stories from the War Hospital was an engaging insight into the lives of the people that were treated and worked at the Beckett Park military hospital in Headingley during the First World War. The detailed and careful way with which he retold some of the more personal aspects of wartime life in Leeds really worked to shed light on previously forgotten elements of the city’s wartime history.

What really stood out for me was that Richard’s approach to the hospital’s history was a personal and heartfelt one. A testament to this was the fact that family members of those featured in the book were present in the audience and that Richard took the time to include photos of them in his presentation and to engage them in discussion during the talk.

Some of the most interesting moments were those in which Richard shared unexpected anecdotes about the hospital and about life in First World War Britain. One of the highlights for me was the picture shown of soldiers at Beckett Park dressed in Pierrot costumes who called themselves the ‘Cheeros’. We were told that British military hospitals were often equipped with these kinds of costume as it was firmly believed that humour and entertainment were significant aids to recovery.

Personal and heart-warming insights like this – plus the love stories, drawings, and poems of the staff and patients of Beckett Park - were what set the event apart. I, for one, am eager to read the book and find out more about this rich and previously untouched piece of Leeds’ history.


Book's website is at www.firstworldwarhospital.co.uk

Audience comments:

Great to have a chance to visit Leeds Library. No bag/coat policy a little disconcerting. Quote from the 1923 book well-chosen: "They came with the soil of France upon their great-coats... Some were entirely covered from view and of these some would not have been recognised by those who knew them best." A pen picture which enhanced the presentation. 

Powerpoint was well-paced. Good to have Mr Bass with us - a living link. Eva Dobell poem made me tingle. Rousing song! Great range of sources to inspire empathy in us for WW1 folk.

The best contribution to First World War history of Leeds I have yet come across. Could the Playhouse perform your play?

A very interesting and informative presentation of an interesting topic with memories of my grandparents and parents. Thank you.

Really enjoyed Richard's talk. Interesting facts. A very succinct speaker. It was lovely to hear about my grandma and grandad and for their name to carry on. I was extremely impressed that Richard did the whole talk from memory. His knowledge and interest are inspiring!

I found the talk really interesting from my Spanish point of view. I feel I know now a bit more of Leeds and its history.

I really enjoyed the talk. It was full of interesting information and personal stories involving the hospital. My grandfather, who I never knew, served in the First World War and he was very ill with his chest. I have been wondering whether he may have attended the hospital, but I don't think so now.

Having already read the book the talk illuminated it very effectively. A good idea.Maybe we should try the formula again with other books on Headingley matters.

A subject that should have been researched earlier.

Informative especially as I am not a local! Would have preferred a different venue so I could see the slides.

Excellent record of the stories of patients, nurses and doctors at the Beckett Park hospital. Richard has a wonderful lively manner of recalling stories, adding his skills of singing.

A very interesting talk - clear, relaxed, good pace. Some new information and fascinating stories of individual cases of the wounded, the medical team and the nursing team.

Very interesting and quite funny stories about the war hospital. Richard Wilcocks was quite funny when he was describing about the staff and patients at that hospital. I have been inside the Thackray Medical Museum a bit and found that very interesting.

Interesting and informative, with lots of opportunities for questions.

Very interesting "shaft of light" on a previously unknown piece of Leeds history.

Liked the presenter's sense of humour - a lively - though sobering presentation.

A fascinating light shone on the buildings and how they were used in wartime. Adds another dimension to my local knowledge.

Thoroughly enjoyed talk and slides, especially as missed it last year. Would love to see the play performed!

A very informative session. A great story well-told in an entertaining way. Thankyou for the opportunity to find out more about the background to the book.

I have read the book and seeing the photographs added another dimension. Varied and interesting. Extremely well presented.

Lots of fascinating local knowledge. Very well researched. A great addition to local literature.

Didn't know of the hospital previously. Interested to hear of pioneer medical work at this hospital and of who staffed it. Also, funded by private subscription.

Very engaging stories about individual doctors, VADs, nurses and patients at the hospital brought this talk alive.

Excellent thank you.

Fascinating talk full of well-researched information and well-illustrated with photographs. I have a copy of the book which is equally interesting.

Fascinating stories from the people who lived in wartime Beckett Park. A building I lived close to for over 20 years without realising its history.

Very interesting and moving stories about the history of the trained nurse, the treated soldiers and the war hospital. Definitely, my views toward the building used as the old hospital have been broadened. Thank you.

Well done and very interesting.

Well-presented and very interesting. Thank you.

Very informative and interesting talk.

Interesting and very well presented.

A fascinating talk. Thank you.

Poetry by Heart

Rosemary Jackson writes:

Paul Adrian          Photo: Rosemary Jackson

Last night, LitFest teamed up with the monthly event Poetry by Heart at the Heart Centre Cafe. Amongst the line up were a number of acclaimed poets including Mike Barlow and Paul Adrian, both winners of the National Poetry Competition and Carole Bromley, winner of the Brontë Society Literary Competition 2011.

As I arrived at the Heart Centre I was pleased to see an impressive number of people entering the building and inside the cafe was buzzing with poetry fans. Holding the event in the Heart Cafe is a brilliant idea, with the relaxed atmosphere complimenting the tone of the evening. It was also great to be able to grab a coffee or even a glass of wine throughout the show.

The first poet was Jane Routh, who specialises in poems about nature and wildlife. Last night she treated us to some of her collection The Gift of Boats, which captured the spirit of the sea perfectly. Next was Ron Scowcroft. It was particularly interesting to hear that Ron was first influenced to write poetry by listening to Bob Dylan Records and this comes across in his poem My Father’s Phonograph where he describes his old ritual of record playing with his father. Helen Burke then read a range of her poetry, from poems about her mum, dad and her hometown, to her experiences in New York, to one about hens inheriting the earth; her work was full of character and wit.

Paul Adrian read a variety of his work, including one about drinking alone with the moon. It was impressive to hear that when Paul won the National Poetry Competition with his poem Robin in Flight, which was sent just before the deadline and he did not have high hopes for it, but since then he has gone on to write a number of successful poems. Carole Bromley, creative writing teacher at York University, read us some of her touching poems primarily about death and mourning. The poem I found especially moving was about her best friend who passed away. It explains how she had a feeling she should get in touch and so sent her a bunch of flowers, but they never made it to her in time. The final poet of the evening was Mike Barlow whose reading included an interesting poem about his time as a probation officer, capturing the life of a charming young man he once supported.

Audience comments:

A good mix of different poets – reading excellent poems. A very good venue with good food.

Thought it was well organised, very entertaining and the selection of poets was of a very high standard. All were excellent.

Enjoyed enormously especially Mike Barlow, Carole Bromley, Paul Adrian, Ron Scowcroft. Food looks interesting – will come early and eat next time.

Excellent event; good feeling venue. I’ve been before and I’ll come again.

A very good evening with plenty of variety.

A nice and entertaining evening! Helen Burke was great as usual! Relaxed and full of interesting poetry.

V.good. give Helen Burke whole event by herself next year.

Enjoyable evening. Would have been good if listing of poets was in order that they appeared (it was alphabetical). At first sound quality was not great, was better later but maybe because I was not next to cashier area.

Excellent: how about contacting Franz Fanon circle in France?

Excellent! (Although the chill cabinet against the pillar is very disturbing – this problem has persisted for years – buy a new one! – it’s the noisiest fridge I’ve ever encountered – whoops! More for the attention of Heart. Sorry)

Excellent readings. Could do with less noise from the kitchen – otherwise brilliant.

Excellent enjoyable programme. The café was not the best venue – competing noise of coffee being brewed washing up of crockery while the poetry was being read.

A very good event slightly marred by the sound if washing up and clearing crockery. Perhaps give the staff a break while the poetry is being read.

Jane Routh and Ron Scowcroft were excellent. 10 minute break interrupted the flow of the evening somewhat. Event started a lot later than advertised. Helen was delightful.

It was really wonderful poetry night! Very organized; nice audience has been fascinated by the beautiful poetry and voices. (… but a little bit sadness to hear some noise from the kitchen place! I’m aware of puzzling faces in the audience!). Thank you.

An enjoyable mix of poetic styles. The poets delivered big time! The venue though leave a lot to be desired, due to not-so-very-good acoustics and noise from the coffee machine.

Fascinating first two poets, interesting material though 'noises off’ rather distracting. Helen Burke excellent but use of mic needs work.

It was a good reading, with good poets although the café was a bit noisy.

Very varied group of poets – very enjoyable evening. Pity about extraneous noise.

Noise from café workers mean it’s impossible to hear properly. Even when that’s quieter the mike and/or readers’ voices cannot be made out all the time. Disappointing. I’ve been to at least 2 poetry events here before and this has not been a problem. Readings by Paul Adrian, Carole Bromley – these were ok..

British Surrealism Opened Up - Jeffrey Sherwin

Jeffrey Sherwin                 Photo:  Richard Wilcocks

Charlotte Gray writes:

Headingley library was packed out last night for Jeffrey Sherwin’s talk introducing his new book: British Surrealism Opened Up. Having had surrealism pop up in my studies before, but never having encountered the British side of the movement, I was interested to find out more.

What struck me about Jeffrey’s delivery was the honesty with which he talked about art. He wasn’t apprehensive about admitting that he wasn’t an art historian, but just a man lucky enough to have been friends with artists and who had collected their work. For a newcomer to the concept of British surrealism, this honesty allowed for an engaging talk on a subject that could have been quite intimidating.

He said that what appealed to him about specifically British surrealist art was the placing of everyday elements of British life in a new and interesting context, which immediately intrigued me. He then went on to show photographs of several works that made up his collection and showcased this turning of the familiar on its head.

As well as providing a background to the art itself, Jeffrey made room in his talk for unexpected anecdotes about well-known artists. As a former Leeds City Councillor and leading figure in the building of the Henry Moore Institute, he had delightfully Yorkshire-based stories to tell about Moore himself. He also turned out to be quite an authority on the history of Salvador Dali’s moustache!

British Surrealism Opened Up was an altogether enjoyable evening that inspired me to find out more about the art of the British Surrealist movement. Framed by jokes, anecdotes, and plenty of pictures, the talk introduced a book that looks set to be an enjoyable and accessible way in to a fascinating group of artists.

Click for BBC article: The retired doctor with a surrealist art treasure trove

Audience comments:

A most informative and amusing lecture – clearly explained especially as Dr. Sherwin has had direct contact with many of the artists. Please may we have another talk on surrealism next year?

A fascinating account of a unique private collection – a collection of extremely rare British surrealist painters. It was very interesting that Jeffrey took a shine to the quaintness of surreal paintings and sculptures at the very start of that particular art movement. As he says, he would not be able to afford his own collection today.

Informative, very passionate and enthusiastic when discussing white male surrealists. Doug was vey good, very professional and dealt with Jeffrey well.

Informative, delivered in an entertaining manner. The lecture was accompanied by excellent slides of works of art and of artists.

A pleasant wander through a collection and its raison d’être.

A unique and personal view of surrealism by a collector. Most interesting.

An excellent idea to have an expert lecture on an aspect of art – makes a change from the many artistic performances. Much appreciated.

Great to hear all the stories behind the art especially the sordid ones.

A very entertaining evening – what a remarkable man and collector. Learned a lot! Thanks.

Very engaging and entertaining delivery. Worthwhile experience.

A most enjoyable presentation. Easy on the eye and the ear.

Excellent talk. Interesting, informative and amusing. Learned a lot.

A wonderful talk, Jeffrey. Thanks.

Interesting, witty, a real character. Loved it!

Informative, witty, entertaining.

Very enjoyable evening.

Great stories!

Interesting

Excellent!

Excellent.

Mestisa at Mint Café

Mestisa                                           Photo:  Richard Wilcocks

For bookings: mestisauk@gmail.com

Tamara Carew writes:

We were treated to authentic South American sounds by a Yorkshire-based band, Mestisa. The foursome performed in Mint café, a very warm and intimate venue in Headingley. When listening to Mestisa's music it was hard not to feel as if you were being transported to some hot, sunny beach, or to a village high in the Andes. Their music choices were from across South America including Colombia, Paraguay and Peru. 

The songs, all of them in Spanish, many of them beautifully delivered by Ana Luisa Muñoz, often had humorous tales behind them, which the band was more then happy to share with the audience. I remember one song in particular that was dedicated to men with commitment issues. The rhythms - and the emotions - were strong. Towards the end of the evening, they played several cumbia pieces: this is a popular music genre throughout South America, especially in the Andean region. It is the result of musical and cultural fusion between Native Colombians, Panamanians and colonial Spanish people and was originally a courtship dance. Several members of the audience certainly danced in the Mint back room, though at a guess they were already married rather than courting

Towards the end of the first set there was some lovely poetry based on life lessons and learning from one's mistakes read in English by Richard Wilcocks -  I’ve learned by Paolo Coelho (Eu tenho aprendido), the most famous poet in Brazil, which was very moving. 

** Paolo Coelho's inspiring and symbolic story The Alchemist (O Alquimista) was first published in Portuguese in 1988, and has since been translated into many other languages. Take a look at his current blog to see the words of I've learned by clicking on http://bit.ly/1ebTkYQ 

Audience comments:

A fantastic evening. Delicious food, great music and fantastic singing and songs.

La música fue bellisima. Me encantó escuchar la idioma de español. Gracias.

Una noche maravillosa! Todos los miembros de la banda son verdaderos profesionales que tranmiten perfectamente toda la emoción de la música latinoamericana. El poema de Paolo Coelho fue leído muy bien en inglés. Creo que ahora voy a comprar su libro 'El alquimista'.

Brilliant. Very uplifting. Great music. Great food. Great poetry.

Fascinating and very moving music and poetry. Delicious food and friendly staff and patrons. A truly special and wonderful evening! Let's have more please.

Wonderful and cosy.

The music/poetry mix was very unusual and worked well in this wonderful, friendly, intimate venue. The musicians surpassed themselves with their virtuosity and sheer talent and the food was superb.

Beautiful music, lovely intimate and friendly venue. Great to experience Latin culture locally and Mestisa never disappoint. The reading was lovely too.

The evening especially the music was like a wonderful pot pourri of (unfinished)

Music was great and poetry was fabulous.

Tales of the Unexpected - Maggie Mash's house event

Serene Leong writes:

I walked up the gravel path to a red door, not sure of what to expect at Maggie Mash’s house event Tales of the Unexpected.

In a lovely room, an expectant crowd of fifty sat happily on mismatched chairs, many of them borrowed from neighbours. For an hour or so, we listened to poems from Maggie Mash and Linda Marshall, short stories from Jane Oakshott and readings by Tony Todd, David Robertson and Frances McNeill. There was even a sneak preview by Stuart Fortey of his new detective story Scandal in Scarborough.

As the warm spring sunlight filled the room, we sang along with Teresa O’Driscoll and John Kilburn -  the Retrolettes. Harmonising to Climbing the Mountain with a Baby got me really excited and everyone there was giving their best shot at making sure we stayed in tune! 

It was a wonderful afternoon, full of exciting performances and much laughter. Tales of the Unexpected was a little scary, a little magical and a whole lot of fun. Thank you to Maggie and family for the great hospitality! 

Maggie Mash
http://justaudiobooks.com/narrators/maggie-mash/

Here, she is the character Death in a Somerset Maugham story.

Jane Oakshott
www.whitecottagewebsites.co.uk/oakshott

At the end of her delivery of a mock-gothic tale, the audience jumped out of its collective skin.

David Robertson
http://www.theatreofthedales.co.uk/

He read from The Turn of the Screw - really frightening.

Stuart Fortey
www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsF/fortey-stuart.html

Playwright Fortey has written his first detective story - set in Scarborough.

Frances McNeill
www.francesbrody.com

A new Kate Shackleton story set in the ghostly old Leeds Library - includes an exorcism.

John Kilburn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfSQTyHX77Q

Brilliant and accomplished as ever. YouTube doesn't do him full justice.

Teresa O'Driscoll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLWBh8UQZM

Brimming with charm and musicality. Should cover more Carter Family numbers.

Linda Marshall
http://headingleylitfest.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/half-moon-glasses.html

Headingley's poet laureate. Well, one of them...

Tony Todd

He read from his first novel - and left us cliffhanging

Audience comments:

An unexpected pleasure. So much talent crammed into one room! Great to see the diversity of local talent from writers, poets, actors and singers living nearby. If only there were more of these!

Amazingly varied, yet smoothly moving from one item to another. A great gathering of local talent in a sequence of excellent work, both classic and original, skilfully woven together.

Great setting for this intimate event and pleased it was so well attended. Being my first session I wasn’t sure what to expect but was delighted with all the performances and readings. Charming. I am a huge fan of Ms McNeil and was not disappointed. Having read all her books I was really looking forward to seeing her.

Wonderful variety of song, narrative and poetry, sometimes all combined. Performers who can spellbind a sticky audience. Well done.

I had no idea what to expect and what a wealth of talent was showcased this afternoon. A privilege to have been here.

Good variety of performers: poems, tales, extracts from novels, and songs. Very entertaining, good way to pass an afternoon.

A varied programme of highly entertaining readings and songs delivered in a sharp and witty fashion. The afternoon sped by.

Varied, participative, entertaining. Skilfully written and performed. The domestic setting seemed to add to enjoyment.

A lovely varied afternoon’s entertainment. Thanks Maggie for giving us your house for the afternoon and reminding us of the huge amount of local talent around.

Excellent. A really entertaining mixture of readings and music. A perfect afternoon.

Different way to spend a Sunday pm. Innovative.

Exotic, exciting and scary.

Very busy. Very entertaining. Well received – music was particularly brill – those Retrolettes should be paid far more money. Will make a point of coming again next year. Thanks Maggie.

A remarkably diverse afternoon of music, magic and mystery!

Delightful afternoon – lots of talent and mystery tales.

Great fun and the variety of the contributions was most creative and enjoyable.

A very interesting and amusing assortment, most enjoyable.

A really excellent way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Poetry, readings and music fabulous!

Delightful! Marvellous miscellany

1. Interesting  2. Warm 3. Fun

Wonderfully varied charivari of readings and song. Very enjoyable.

Very interesting afternoon. Did not know so much fun was to be had on Weetwood Lane. Will investigate the ‘Fest’.

A most entertaining afternoon. I heard many pieces I was unfamiliar with. Loved it! Thank you.

An uplifting and stimulating event with a lively mix of prose, poetry and son. Very well organised.

Lovely afternoon, local talent I wouldn’t have known otherwise.

Exciting/wildly varied and all most stimulating!

A wonderful afternoon – full of originality and wit.

Tea and Cakes with Oscar Wilde

Victoria Clarke writes:

Speaking in front of a full house at the New Headingley Club, amateur local historian Geoff Dibb discussed the thirty years worth of research on the life and lectures of Victorian literary legend Oscar Wilde.

Hailing from a wealthy family in Ireland, Wilde was born in 1854 and was well educated, eventually moving to Oxford to study Classics at Magdalen College - where he also began his creative and journalistic writing practices. Following his first class graduation, he moved to London with a friend to work on his poetry. In 1882 he embarked upon a tour of America, giving lectures on art and literature, extending this lecture series to Great Britain and Ireland from 1883-4, during which time he met and married Constance Lloyd. Over the next decade his two sons were born, he commenced his doomed relationship with the Lord Alfred Douglas, and he built a strong reputation as a respected journalist and playwright, in addition to publishing his only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. The following year he unsuccessfully fought a lawsuit from Lord Alfred Douglas’ father and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for ‘gross indecency’. Following his release in 1887, Wilde exiled himself to France and died destitute in Paris in 1900.

It is Wilde’s 1880s lecture series that Dibb became interested in. Having read several biographies of Wilde, he noticed an emphasis on the peak of his writing career in the early 1890s, with little information on the background informing it. Having noticed in one of these biographies a letter from Wilde, informing the reader of his stay at the Great Northern Railway Hotel, Leeds, dated December 1884, accounting his lecture on rational dress for women at the Albert Hall, Wakefield, native Dibb was intrigued. He journeyed to the Leeds City Library to research some contemporary newspapers, finding advertisements and reviews of these lectures. It was through his library research that Dibb was also able to bridge the historical gaps in the names of these Wildean Leeds landmarks - the Great Northern Railway Hotel being situated on Wellington Street next to the old train station, and the Albert Hall having since been incorporated into the Leeds City Museum.

Dibb recalls that it was at this point that he began to suspect that his library research was generating new information. He began to travel around West Yorkshire in search of records of other lectures, and it was at this point that Dibb’s suspicions about his work were confirmed. He was delighted to reminisce to the audience his being contacted with an American academic working on an Encyclopaedia of Oscar Wilde, to which Dibb contributed an entry on the 1883 lectures. Dibb found that these lectures spanned a variety of topics, and were performed twice per day, seven days a week, but mostly followed the themes of art, socialism, and proto-feminism.

A lively Q&A session followed the lecture, with audience members’ interests varying from contemporary gossip, with, “what do you know about the Whistler/Wilde rivalry?” to the technological advancements of our own age, with “would he be on Twitter?” The informative and entertaining session would not have been complete without the occasional recitation of Wildean aphorisms, to which the audience responded with great enthusiasm.

Geoff Dibb’s book on the Wilde lectures, Oscar Wilde: Vagabond with a Mission is available for purchase now. A more detailed biography of Wilde’s life is freely available online.

Thanks to Victoria Clarke, who stepped in to blog our Oscar Wilde event at the last minute.  She writes her own blog, on the food in Tolkien - shame she wasn't at our Beowulf and the Hobbit event last Wednesday! There's a recipe for Lembas too.

http://dinnerwithdragons.blogspot.co.uk/

Audience comments:

Really interesting. Quite a fun speaker. I didn’t know anything about Oscar Wilde (thought I did). It must have been exciting to keep finding the papers as he did.

A good event, Literature, Laughter and Cake! Thank you, good value on every level. A most knowledgeable speaker, a clear presentation, friendly. Venue well organised by Volunteers.

A very satisfying event – very knowledgeable and passionate talk by Geoff – the questions from the floor were very well answered. Tea, cakes and venue all very good. Thank you!

Interesting, author knew his topic very well and spoke fluently without too any note.

A very enjoyable afternoon. The room and presentation were very well organised.

Excellent speaker – so good to hear an expert who isn’t an academic! Delicious cake too: thank you.

Geoff didn’t have a very good voice. A little slow and too local. He needs to work on his delivery and countenance. This would have been better presented by somebody more eloquent and outré. Disappointing that he seemed to concentrate on his work (Wilde) whereas the man himself is far more interesting. Wilde was a v. flamboyant character. However things did improve and Geoff certainly knew his facts. A little too much concentration on Leeds – Wilde was larger than that. Overall did very well. His book is a worthy one.

Geoff Dibb gave a really interesting lecture on what could have been a very dry subject. I was very impressed.

Thoroughly enjoyable; wonderful audience participation and comment. Excellent.

Brilliant – what a crowd! Geoff v. good and tea and cake an excellent idea for this kind of event.

Most interesting – humorous and informative – Wilde would have enjoyed it!

Brilliant, a thoroughly enjoyable event, interesting, thought provoking.

Very enjoyable talk, interesting and well presented. Good format. Lovely cakes.

Great event in conjunction with the Leeds Salon. Geoff was a great speaker and the event was thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you!

Very enjoyable meeting. Excellent speaker. Well organised (once it got started!). Wish I’d known about the rest of the festival.

Witty, entertaining and extremely well delivered with great insight and humour. Good mix of delivery and audience participation (Q&A).

Informative amusing talk bringing local history alive.

Brilliant – well informed and easeful manner made the talk exceptionally entertaining. Thank you.

Entertaining, broad, Leeds focused which intrigued me and highly informative re Wilde’s personal views and background.

Excellent talk and discussion. Tremendous expertise, nice cake too!

Really like the salon format. V. engaging speaker.

Good cake – interesting talk.

Very interesting. Well done!

Very interesting and informative.

Highly informative and interesting.

Entertaining and well run.

Very entertaining

Brilliant

Great