Welcome
Welcome to the website of the Norman Nicholson Society. The site aims to provide information about Nicholson and his work and encourage the study and enjoyment of this remarkable man's writings. Here you will also find information about the NN Society which holds regular events and publishes the newsletter Comet. The Society is based in Millom, on the banks of the River Duddon and in the shadow of Black Combe, and has a worldwide membership.
MembershipNew members of the Norman Nicholson Society are warmly welcomed. Membership fees are £15 per annum or £20 for a couple living at the same address, and £6 youth membership (up to age 25). Check out benefits of membership here, including how to access the Members' exclusive area of this website. Please contact us at [email protected]
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Norman Nicholson
Norman Nicholson was born in Millom, Cumbria, in 1914 and lived there until his death in 1987 with the exception of two years in his late teens when he was sent to a sanatorium in Hampshire to recover from tuberculosis - an event which shaped his subsequent life. His writing career lasted from 1930 until his death and embraced plays, poetry, novels, criticism and essays. He is best known for his poetry and was awarded the Queen's Medal for Poetry in 1977 and the OBE in 1981.
Read an appreciation of Norman Nicholson by Fran Baker, former archivist at the John Rylands University of Manchester Library, HERE. Most frequently-asked question: Where can I get hold of Nicholson's work? Very sadly the Greetings shop in Lapstone Road, Millom, which had a range of Nicholson books in stock, has closed. Try Faber & Faber HERE or Amazon HERE, or click HERE for links to Nicholson's poems online. If you know of a shop currently selling NN's work, please let us know. |
Social Media: We're on Facebook, Bluesky, and YouTube. Click on the icons below and you can
email us by clicking the envelope.
email us by clicking the envelope.
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Get out and about with our three Nicholson walking trails! Go to Google Play or the App Store and search for 'Norman Nicholson's Millom'
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Catch up on news and pics from our 2023 Festival HERE
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Our anthology of lockdown poetry by our members and friends is available from Amazon or from the publishers at a reduced rate. Email [email protected] for details.
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Find out about the Norman Nicholson House Project HERE
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LATEST NEWS
The Bloody Cranesbill at Hodbarrow
photo: GLENN LANG
This is just one of the memorable sights which our members enjoyed at the Society's recent Summer Event in Millom. Our exploration of the nature reserve at Hodbarrow yielded, among other things, a close-up of the Bloody Cranesbill, the plant celebrated by Norman in his poem of the same name in the Sea to the West collection of 1981. The flower was always a reminder to Norman of the habitual Sunday walks he would undertake with his father and Uncle Jim.
We scuffed through a scabbed and scruffy valley of ruddled rocks
To Cumberland's southernmost point....
Norman described the flower as
...red as the ore
It grew from, fragile as Venetian glass, pencilled with metal-thread
Haematite-purple veins.
The mine was still in production in those days, but now,
Fifty years later,
And it's hard to tell there ever was a mine: pit-heads
Demolished, pit-banks levelled, railway-lines ripped up...
So much has changed, so much has gone, but the flower lives on, a symbol of tenacity, determination, and survival:
A town's
Purpose subsides with the mine; my father and my Uncle Jim
Lie a quarter of a century dead; but out on its stubborn skerry,
In a lagoon of despoliation, that same flower
Still grows today.
And 45 years on from publication, it still does - and without the despoliation.
Thanks to Glenn Lang for the photo.
posted 30/6/2025
We scuffed through a scabbed and scruffy valley of ruddled rocks
To Cumberland's southernmost point....
Norman described the flower as
...red as the ore
It grew from, fragile as Venetian glass, pencilled with metal-thread
Haematite-purple veins.
The mine was still in production in those days, but now,
Fifty years later,
And it's hard to tell there ever was a mine: pit-heads
Demolished, pit-banks levelled, railway-lines ripped up...
So much has changed, so much has gone, but the flower lives on, a symbol of tenacity, determination, and survival:
A town's
Purpose subsides with the mine; my father and my Uncle Jim
Lie a quarter of a century dead; but out on its stubborn skerry,
In a lagoon of despoliation, that same flower
Still grows today.
And 45 years on from publication, it still does - and without the despoliation.
Thanks to Glenn Lang for the photo.
posted 30/6/2025
'Comet' available now to members
The latest edition of the Society's newsletter 'Comet' has been circulated to members by email. A pdf version is now available in our exclusive Members Area on this website. If you're not sure how to access the Members Area, the details are HERE.
posted 30/6/2025
posted 30/6/2025
Irvine Hunt: poet, author and friend
The Norman Nicholson Society was very sorry to receive the sad news in April of the death of the author, poet and storyteller Irvine Hunt, a founder member of the Norman Nicholson Society and a great friend and supporter of Norman Nicholson. Irvine died peacefully at home on April 2nd at the age of 95.
Irvine often helped Norman by driving him to poetry readings at which they both performed, including in Morpeth and Ashington for the MidNAG festivals in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. The friendship between the two writers was strong and lasting, and Irvine and his family were entrusted with the Nicholson Literary Estate after Norman's death in 1987. Irvine honoured Norman's memory in many ways, including compiling and editing the selection of Nicholson's topographical prose Norman Nicholson's Lakeland: A Prose Anthology, published by Robert Hale Ltd in 1991.
Irvine’s funeral service took place in the lovely St. Kentigern’s Church in Castle Sowerby. The service ended with a reading of Nicholson's beautiful poem 'Sea to the West'.
We know that Irvine always treasured his connection with the Society and that he valued the positive contribution it has made to Norman’s literary legacy. We will greatly miss his kindly and gentle interest in our activities. We hope to publish a more formal tribute to Irvine in our Society Bulletin later this year, in recognition of the work that he and his family have done to keep Norman’s name alive.
posted 24/6/2025
Irvine often helped Norman by driving him to poetry readings at which they both performed, including in Morpeth and Ashington for the MidNAG festivals in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. The friendship between the two writers was strong and lasting, and Irvine and his family were entrusted with the Nicholson Literary Estate after Norman's death in 1987. Irvine honoured Norman's memory in many ways, including compiling and editing the selection of Nicholson's topographical prose Norman Nicholson's Lakeland: A Prose Anthology, published by Robert Hale Ltd in 1991.
Irvine’s funeral service took place in the lovely St. Kentigern’s Church in Castle Sowerby. The service ended with a reading of Nicholson's beautiful poem 'Sea to the West'.
We know that Irvine always treasured his connection with the Society and that he valued the positive contribution it has made to Norman’s literary legacy. We will greatly miss his kindly and gentle interest in our activities. We hope to publish a more formal tribute to Irvine in our Society Bulletin later this year, in recognition of the work that he and his family have done to keep Norman’s name alive.
posted 24/6/2025
Philip Gardner thesis available at Millom Library
There's a valuable addition to the resources available in Millom Library. Philip Gardner's 1969 PhD thesis, a key text for Nicholson scholars over many years, is now available in hard copy for readers to access within the library. It's kept in the reserve collection, but with a note on the shelf with Nicholson's work to say that it is available. The thesis is also available online from Liverpool University at https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3174119/
The thesis was the precursor to Gardner's writing the first full-length book devoted to Nicholson’s work, his Norman Nicholson, published by Twayne of New York in 1973, combining literary criticism with biographical and geographical information which provide important context. It’s a book written with authority. Gardner’s appreciation of Nicholson dates back to student days in 1955, later prompting him to travel to Millom to meet him. From this visit a valued friendship developed, which in turn informed the thesis.
A detailed article about Philip Gardner, who now lives in Ottawa, appeared in Comet, the Norman Nicholson Society's newsletter, in March 2024.
posted 5/6/2025
The thesis was the precursor to Gardner's writing the first full-length book devoted to Nicholson’s work, his Norman Nicholson, published by Twayne of New York in 1973, combining literary criticism with biographical and geographical information which provide important context. It’s a book written with authority. Gardner’s appreciation of Nicholson dates back to student days in 1955, later prompting him to travel to Millom to meet him. From this visit a valued friendship developed, which in turn informed the thesis.
A detailed article about Philip Gardner, who now lives in Ottawa, appeared in Comet, the Norman Nicholson Society's newsletter, in March 2024.
posted 5/6/2025
New chair and changes to our committee
JONATHAN POWELL. Photo: 4-5 Gray's Inn Square
We are pleased to announce that Jonathan Powell was elected as our new Chair at the 2025 Norman Nicholson Society AGM in April. Jonathan is a barrister at Gray’s Inn and divides his time between London and The Hill, just outside Millom. He has been a member of the NNS since 2018 and joined the NNS committee last year.
After serving as Joint Acting Chairs of the NNS last year, Prof. Brian Whalley remains as the Membership Secretary and Glenn Lang has returned to his old position as NNS Secretary. Dr Antoinette Fawcett continues as the editor of The New Comet and The Comet Bulletin, and Brian Charnley remains as Treasurer. Antoinette and Glenn are also the NNS Joint Representatives to the Alliance of Literary Societies. Sue Dawson continues to be our Schools and Communities Officer.
Abi Palmer’s place on the NNS committee was ratified at the AGM; Abi is based at the University of Cumbria and is currently writing a Ph.D. thesis on the renowned Yorkshire diarist Anne Lister. John Grieve will continue to serve as a co-opted member of the committee.
Dr Laura Day, Janice Brockbank and Simone Faulkner have recently resigned from the committee due to the pressure of other commitments. Janice served as the NNS Secretary from November 2019 to April 2023 and continued on the committee till December 2024. Dr Laura Day was the NNS Youth Representative from 2021 to 2025 and Simone acted as an important contact in Millom. We thank them all for their vital contributions to the work of the Norman Nicholson Society over the years.
posted 23/5/2025
After serving as Joint Acting Chairs of the NNS last year, Prof. Brian Whalley remains as the Membership Secretary and Glenn Lang has returned to his old position as NNS Secretary. Dr Antoinette Fawcett continues as the editor of The New Comet and The Comet Bulletin, and Brian Charnley remains as Treasurer. Antoinette and Glenn are also the NNS Joint Representatives to the Alliance of Literary Societies. Sue Dawson continues to be our Schools and Communities Officer.
Abi Palmer’s place on the NNS committee was ratified at the AGM; Abi is based at the University of Cumbria and is currently writing a Ph.D. thesis on the renowned Yorkshire diarist Anne Lister. John Grieve will continue to serve as a co-opted member of the committee.
Dr Laura Day, Janice Brockbank and Simone Faulkner have recently resigned from the committee due to the pressure of other commitments. Janice served as the NNS Secretary from November 2019 to April 2023 and continued on the committee till December 2024. Dr Laura Day was the NNS Youth Representative from 2021 to 2025 and Simone acted as an important contact in Millom. We thank them all for their vital contributions to the work of the Norman Nicholson Society over the years.
posted 23/5/2025
The Norman Nicholson Society Summer Event:
Poets, Artists and Inspiration
photo: SUE DAWSON
Saturday 14th June 2025
11.00am to 4.30pm (approx)
This year is the 25th anniversary of Christine Boyce’s stained glass masterpiece, the
Norman Nicholson Memorial Window, which was completed in time for the
millennium, just thirteen years after Nicholson’s death. Christine Boyce (1928-
2019) spent two years immersing herself in Nicholson’s poetry and prose and was
given almost complete freedom in terms of the design of the window.
The event will take place in St. George’s Church, Millom, where the window is
located. There will be a general introduction to the images in the window and their
inspiration, followed by a consideration of Nicholson’s key poem ‘Caedmon’. The
Anglo-Saxon poet Caedmon is the first English poet known to us by name and his life
and work clearly had deep significance for Nicholson. Christine Boyce places the
figure of The Poet at the centre of her design to stress the importance of ‘Caedmon’ in her conception of the task of the creative artist: not only that of the poet
memorialized in her own work of art, but that of all artists, whether working in the
visual arts, music, dance or literature. The morning session will be followed by lunch and the consideration of other poems portrayed in the window, particularly ‘The Bee Orchid’ and ‘The Bloody Cranesbill’.
If the weather permits, we will take a walk at Hodbarrow to see these flowers in bloom. We will include a short visit to Nicholson’s house, either in the morning or the afternoon, to see the current renovations. There will also be the option to visit the ancient Church of the Holy Trinity on the outskirts of Millom, which will be celebrating the Festival of the Holy Trinity the same weekend. This was Nicholson’s favourite church, where his mentor the Rev Sam Taylor was the vicar from 1935-1944. At Holy Trinity Church there will be the opportunity to see an exhibition of the work of the artist David Bates ARCA
(1929-2024) which portrays Millom as it was when Nicholson knew it. The exhibition also includes work by David Bates’s wife, June Moss, and his pupil, Jim Billsborough. Malcolm Bates will give a talk about the work of his father and
mother (details to be released later).
The Norman Nicholson Society Summer Event will start at 11.00am promptly, so please arrive before the starting time. St. George’s Church will be open from 10.30am. We expect the day to finish between 4.30pm and 5.00pm. There is no need to book, but do send us an email if you hope to attend: [email protected]. NOTE: All activities are at your own risk. Please ensure that you wear suitable clothing and footwear for the walk and bring necessary refreshments. Tea and coffee will be available in St. George’s Church.
Whatever the weather may be, this summer event will give friends and members the chance to acquaint or reacquaint themselves with the wellsprings of Nicholson’s inspiration. See you there!
posted 15/5/2025
(1929-2024) which portrays Millom as it was when Nicholson knew it. The exhibition also includes work by David Bates’s wife, June Moss, and his pupil, Jim Billsborough. Malcolm Bates will give a talk about the work of his father and
mother (details to be released later).
The Norman Nicholson Society Summer Event will start at 11.00am promptly, so please arrive before the starting time. St. George’s Church will be open from 10.30am. We expect the day to finish between 4.30pm and 5.00pm. There is no need to book, but do send us an email if you hope to attend: [email protected]. NOTE: All activities are at your own risk. Please ensure that you wear suitable clothing and footwear for the walk and bring necessary refreshments. Tea and coffee will be available in St. George’s Church.
Whatever the weather may be, this summer event will give friends and members the chance to acquaint or reacquaint themselves with the wellsprings of Nicholson’s inspiration. See you there!
posted 15/5/2025
Norman Nicholson Symposium, September 27th 2025:
Place, Space and Time in Norman Nicholson’s Oeuvre
Ambleside Campus of the University of Cumbria
We’re delighted to announce that the third Norman Nicholson symposium in the series organised by the Norman Nicholson Society, and hosted at the University of Cumbria’s Ambleside Campus by Dr. Penny Bradshaw, Associate Professor of
English Literature and Theme Lead for Cultural Landscapes within the University of Cumbria’s Centre for National Parks and Protected Areas, will take place on Saturday September27th 2025. The topic this year will be Place, Space and Time
in Norman Nicholson’s Oeuvre, themes that are central to Nicholson’s writing in all the genres in which he worked.
This symposium will continue and extend the range of debate about Nicholson’s place in English Literature; his lifelong engagement with the landscape, industry, culture and history of Greater Lakeland; his sensitive awareness of and response to
the natural world; and his abiding commitment to societal, environmental, and spiritual issues. We are especially interested in papers or presentations which explore these themes in the context of Deep Time, local distinctiveness and,
particularly, environmental, societal and industrial transitions, theological space and rural modernism.
The programme of speakers is almost complete, but we do still have space for one or two further presentations. If you are interested in reading a 20-minute paper, making a creative presentation, giving a performance, or reading at this symposium,
please contact the Norman Nicholson Society at [email protected].
We are also delighted to announce that Dr. David Cooper of Manchester Metropolitan University, and a former chair of the Society, will be this year’s keynote speaker. Other speakers will include the art historian Dr David A. Cross and the writer and environmentalist Dr Karen Lloyd, as well as several poets and writers, including Luke Bateman, Kelly Davis, and Mary Robinson. Recent research on Nicholson will be presented by Meghann Hillier-Broadley and we expect there to be news of Nicholson-related projects and lively readings from his work.
Thanks to a generous private donation, places will be free of charge and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The day will include a light lunch and refreshments, and will provide plenty of opportunities to chat to the speakers and
each other.
Registration for the event will open in mid-August. Please keep an eye on our website, social media, and Society emails and bulletins for the opening of the booking period, and do send in your booking request quickly to ensure your place.
posted 10/5/2025
New look to 14 St George's Terrace!
Repairs to the exterior of Norman Nicholson's house in Millom have been completed on schedule – and a new look to the 140-year-old building has been revealed.
The £99,000 project to carry out vital repairs to the exterior of the house at 14 St George’s Terrace included installing a new slate roof, strengthening the chimney stack and dormer, replacing the windows, drainpipes and gutters, and returning the lay-out of the front of the building to its original design.
The house was suffering badly from damp, missing slates and damaged timber and brickwork. Now it looks in great condition, boasting a brand-new appearance with the woodwork painted an eye-catching shade of pink as a nod to Millom’s past as the site of one of the world’s richest seams of haematite, something frequently referenced in Nicholson’s poetry.
Chair of the Nicholson House project Charlie Lambert said: ‘This is a massive step on the way towards fully reopening the house as a café, a place for small-scale community events, a Nicholson exhibition, and accommodation for a writer in residence and general tourists. Our aims are to celebrate Norman Nicholson’s outstanding writing and to make a genuine contribution to Millom and the surrounding area. We’re extremely grateful to South Copeland GDF Community Partnership and Cumberland Council/UK Shared Prosperity Fund for providing the funding to carry out the work.’
Now that the building is secure and weatherproof the project will seek further funding to renovate the interior, build an extension at the back, and fully equip the house for its future role.
The £99,000 project to carry out vital repairs to the exterior of the house at 14 St George’s Terrace included installing a new slate roof, strengthening the chimney stack and dormer, replacing the windows, drainpipes and gutters, and returning the lay-out of the front of the building to its original design.
The house was suffering badly from damp, missing slates and damaged timber and brickwork. Now it looks in great condition, boasting a brand-new appearance with the woodwork painted an eye-catching shade of pink as a nod to Millom’s past as the site of one of the world’s richest seams of haematite, something frequently referenced in Nicholson’s poetry.
Chair of the Nicholson House project Charlie Lambert said: ‘This is a massive step on the way towards fully reopening the house as a café, a place for small-scale community events, a Nicholson exhibition, and accommodation for a writer in residence and general tourists. Our aims are to celebrate Norman Nicholson’s outstanding writing and to make a genuine contribution to Millom and the surrounding area. We’re extremely grateful to South Copeland GDF Community Partnership and Cumberland Council/UK Shared Prosperity Fund for providing the funding to carry out the work.’
Now that the building is secure and weatherproof the project will seek further funding to renovate the interior, build an extension at the back, and fully equip the house for its future role.
THEN: January 24th 2025. photo: CHARLIE LAMBERT
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NOW: April 7th 2025. photo: SUE DAWSON
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posted 8/4/2025
Our AGM - and a visit to the Beacon Museum
The NN Society AGM will take place on Zoom on Saturday, April 26th at 11.00am. This will be followed by an online event at 12noon, details of which to be confirmed.
Before that, on Saturday March 29th at 2pm our committee member Jonathan Powell has arranged an informal visit to the Beacon Museum in Whitehaven to view the exhibition 'Inspired by Industry', which features work by Percy Kelly and other West Cumbrian artists. Nicholson and Kelly had much in common with each other and their relationship was the subject of David Cross's book Cumbrian Brothers: Letters from Percy Kelly to Norman Nicholson. We will be guided round the exhibition by Chris Wadsworth, Kelly's biographer. Details of the exhibition can be found on the Beacon's website: https://thebeacon-whitehaven.co.uk/galleries/
The usual museum entrance fee will apply. If you'd like to join us, please send an email to Jonathan Powell at the following address: [email protected] and headed WHITEHAVEN BEACON VISIT.
posted 17/3/2025
Before that, on Saturday March 29th at 2pm our committee member Jonathan Powell has arranged an informal visit to the Beacon Museum in Whitehaven to view the exhibition 'Inspired by Industry', which features work by Percy Kelly and other West Cumbrian artists. Nicholson and Kelly had much in common with each other and their relationship was the subject of David Cross's book Cumbrian Brothers: Letters from Percy Kelly to Norman Nicholson. We will be guided round the exhibition by Chris Wadsworth, Kelly's biographer. Details of the exhibition can be found on the Beacon's website: https://thebeacon-whitehaven.co.uk/galleries/
The usual museum entrance fee will apply. If you'd like to join us, please send an email to Jonathan Powell at the following address: [email protected] and headed WHITEHAVEN BEACON VISIT.
posted 17/3/2025
ALS Newsletter now available to our members
The Alliance of Literary Societies Spring 2025 newsletter has been published and is available for our members to read in the members' area of this website. There are many interesting articles, including one about Arthur Ransome which members will find interesting, given Ransome's Cumbrian connections. If you're not yet a member, you would be very welcome to join us. Membership details are HERE.
posted 2/3/2025
posted 2/3/2025
Explore Nicholson at Higham Hall
Antoinette Fawcett
Our committee member and editor of Comet Antoinette Fawcett is to lead a two-day course exploring the work of Norman Nicholson at Higham Hall, near Cockermouth, next month. The course, organised by Higham Hall, presents an exciting and surprising journey through Nicholson’s work, exploring his craftmanship, his deep knowledge of Greater Lakeland, and the important and lasting themes he tackled. The course will also consider some influences on Nicholson and works that he in turn inspired. It starts on Wednesday March 26th at 6.30pm and ends on Friday March 28th at 1.30pm. Costs are Residential: £310, Non-residential: £225. To book, ring 01768 776276. More information on the Higham Hall website HERE.
posted 10/2/2025
posted 10/2/2025
Work starts at 14 St George's Terrace
photo: SUE DAWSON
Repair work has started on Nicholson's old home in Millom! Having secured funding to pay for a new slate roof and numerous other external repairs the Nicholson House project, which was launched by the Society in 2016, has commissioned Millom company J.Nuttall Building Services to carry out the work. Scaffolding began to appear today and the builders are due to complete the job at the end of March. South Copeland GDF Community Partnership and Cumberland Council are very kindly providing the funds for this. Our project team will now began the quest for further funding to cover the cost of interior repairs and refurbishment.
Read more about this on the BBC website HERE and the NW Mail website HERE - and watch Border TV tomorrow when there's due to be a report on this milestone moment.
posted 30/1/2025
Read more about this on the BBC website HERE and the NW Mail website HERE - and watch Border TV tomorrow when there's due to be a report on this milestone moment.
posted 30/1/2025
Find out about the Nicholson Papers
Jessica Smith (photo: University of Manchester)
Our second event of the year comes up on Wednesday February 5th (7.30pm) when Jessica Smith, archivist and curator in charge of the Modern Literary Archives at the John Rylands Library in Manchester, will talk about the papers of Norman Nicholson held in their archive, and the work of the archive in general. The talk, on Zoom, is a great opportunity to learn about the scope of the Nicholson-related materials and to understand the kind of use that can be made of this treasure trove and the insights it can give us.
Although Norman Nicholson is known to have destroyed many of his papers, including drafts of poems and personal letters, he also kept a range of important materials until his death. These were eventually deposited with the John Rylands Library, which is part of the University of Manchester. This extensive collection is known as The Papers of Norman Nicholson and is complemented by the Norman Nicholson Book Collection and The Papers from the Norman Nicholson Book Collection, also held at the John Rylands.
The importance of these collections was stressed by former archivist, Stella Halkyard, as they formed the initial basis of the Modern Literary Archives at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library. The first Nicholson deposits attracted further donations, including the Papers of Doreen Cornthwaite relating to Norman Nicholson and many more important and interesting Nicholson-related papers and artefacts. These donations and long-term loans make the John Rylands Library the richest and most complete source of archival material relating to Norman Nicholson.
Registration for this event is now open. Please contact the Society at the usual email address, [email protected], by Monday 3rd February at 5.00pm. The event is open to all and is free of charge.
posted 21/1/2025
Although Norman Nicholson is known to have destroyed many of his papers, including drafts of poems and personal letters, he also kept a range of important materials until his death. These were eventually deposited with the John Rylands Library, which is part of the University of Manchester. This extensive collection is known as The Papers of Norman Nicholson and is complemented by the Norman Nicholson Book Collection and The Papers from the Norman Nicholson Book Collection, also held at the John Rylands.
The importance of these collections was stressed by former archivist, Stella Halkyard, as they formed the initial basis of the Modern Literary Archives at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library. The first Nicholson deposits attracted further donations, including the Papers of Doreen Cornthwaite relating to Norman Nicholson and many more important and interesting Nicholson-related papers and artefacts. These donations and long-term loans make the John Rylands Library the richest and most complete source of archival material relating to Norman Nicholson.
Registration for this event is now open. Please contact the Society at the usual email address, [email protected], by Monday 3rd February at 5.00pm. The event is open to all and is free of charge.
posted 21/1/2025
Our first events of the New Year
Members and friends gathered online on the evening of Wednesday January 8th to celebrate the 111th anniversary of Norman Nicholson's birth. A dozen Society members read favourite poems, including a wonderfully-illustrated reading of a little-known Nicholson poem, Cricket in Cumberland, by Sue Dawson. There was also a reading of Askam Unvisited by John Killick who recalled meeting Nicholson at an event in Doncaster and telling him that he rated this as his one of his greatest poems. 'Nicholson agreed,' said John - adding 'although he might have just been being polite!'
The evening, hosted by Antoinette Fawcett, also included a reading by Martyn Halsall of his own poem The Inheritors, written in tribute to Nicholson. The event concluded with a toast to Norman with more than one of our number choosing Norman's favourite tipple, a good Scottish malt whisky.
Our next event comes up on Wednesday February 5th, 'Norman Nicholson and the John Rylands Library Archive', an online talk
by Jessica Smith, Archivist in charge of the Modern Literary Archives at the John Rylands Library in Manchester, starting at 7.30pm. To register, please email [email protected] by Monday February 3rd at 5pm.
posted 12/1/2025, updated 16/1/2025
The evening, hosted by Antoinette Fawcett, also included a reading by Martyn Halsall of his own poem The Inheritors, written in tribute to Nicholson. The event concluded with a toast to Norman with more than one of our number choosing Norman's favourite tipple, a good Scottish malt whisky.
Our next event comes up on Wednesday February 5th, 'Norman Nicholson and the John Rylands Library Archive', an online talk
by Jessica Smith, Archivist in charge of the Modern Literary Archives at the John Rylands Library in Manchester, starting at 7.30pm. To register, please email [email protected] by Monday February 3rd at 5pm.
posted 12/1/2025, updated 16/1/2025
Celebrating Norman's 111th birthday
We've been celebrating Norman's birthday (January 8th) as a Society since 2007, when a group of us stood outside what was then the Norman Nicholson House café and toasted Norman with champagne. Eighteen years later we still mark the start of each new Nicholson year with a special celebration, although this year’s event will be online rather than in person.
As for our celebration last year, we are asking friends and members to be involved in the reading of poems and prose passages by Nicholson, with one suitable choice for each month of the year. Prose passages can be chosen from Wednesday Early Closing or Provincial Pleasures. This will take place at 7.30pm on Wednesday January 8th 2025.
If you would like to participate as a reader, do let us know as soon as possible, as the programme is filling up. You should give details of your chosen poem or passage and the month you would like that poem or passage to represent. You should also give second and third choices, in case other people have chosen the same pieces/months as you.
Registration for the event will open on Monday December 16th and closes at 5pm on Monday January 6th. We will send you the Zoom link on the morning of January 8th. To register, either as audience or reader, please email [email protected]
posted 16/12/24
As for our celebration last year, we are asking friends and members to be involved in the reading of poems and prose passages by Nicholson, with one suitable choice for each month of the year. Prose passages can be chosen from Wednesday Early Closing or Provincial Pleasures. This will take place at 7.30pm on Wednesday January 8th 2025.
If you would like to participate as a reader, do let us know as soon as possible, as the programme is filling up. You should give details of your chosen poem or passage and the month you would like that poem or passage to represent. You should also give second and third choices, in case other people have chosen the same pieces/months as you.
Registration for the event will open on Monday December 16th and closes at 5pm on Monday January 6th. We will send you the Zoom link on the morning of January 8th. To register, either as audience or reader, please email [email protected]
posted 16/12/24
We move to Bluesky
The Society has opened an account on the social media platform Bluesky where you can find us by searching for Norman Nicholson Society. This will in due course replace our activity on X / Twitter where we will continue to maintain a presence until the New Year. If you've been following us on X / Twitter, thank you so much for your support and we look forward to linking up again as we build a following on Bluesky. Click HERE to start.
posted 7/12/24
posted 7/12/24
'A nationally important writer with an international reputation'
Despite the ravages of Storm Bert, more than thirty people attended Antoinette Fawcett’s lecture at Higham Hall on the afternoon of Sunday 24th November 2024. The audience consisted of a few NNS members and the general public, including many who had no previous knowledge of Norman Nicholson.
Through close readings of five poems (The Elm Decline, Wall, Cornthwaite, Carol and Clouded Hills) Antoinette guided her audience through several topics that were of major significance to Norman throughout his life, including the environment, society, local and family history, and spirituality. While doing so she conveyed much about his life and character and argued that in his lifetime Nicholson was a nationally important writer with an international reputation, who should not be forgotten.
The lively question and answer session that followed the lecture showed how engaged the audience had been, and included not only fascinating personal memories of Norman and his work but also tributes to Antoinette for her meticulous research and her informative and entertaining presentation. Many discussions continued over tea and cake in the elegant dining room at Higham after the lecture. It was good to see Norman’s reputation being revived in this way and we trust that the NNS will be welcoming several new members as a result. - GLENN LANG
posted 1/12/24
Through close readings of five poems (The Elm Decline, Wall, Cornthwaite, Carol and Clouded Hills) Antoinette guided her audience through several topics that were of major significance to Norman throughout his life, including the environment, society, local and family history, and spirituality. While doing so she conveyed much about his life and character and argued that in his lifetime Nicholson was a nationally important writer with an international reputation, who should not be forgotten.
The lively question and answer session that followed the lecture showed how engaged the audience had been, and included not only fascinating personal memories of Norman and his work but also tributes to Antoinette for her meticulous research and her informative and entertaining presentation. Many discussions continued over tea and cake in the elegant dining room at Higham after the lecture. It was good to see Norman’s reputation being revived in this way and we trust that the NNS will be welcoming several new members as a result. - GLENN LANG
posted 1/12/24
'It was never a light we thought to see...'
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Shepherds' Carol from Nicholson's 1944 collection Five Rivers is the poem chosen as the inspiration for the Society's entry in the annual Christmas Tree Festival at St George's Church in Millom, which opened today. The poem is one of several by Nicholson which transplants Biblical stories from the original Palestine to Cumbria, so we find the shepherds telling the story of 'the child we found in a cot of straw' after making their way through the darkness of ghyll and scree, and light on the fells, accompanied by their collies. The shepherds used in the display were originally made by our former chair, the late Peggy Troll, and it's a special moment for us to have Peggy's memory celebrated like this.
Our display has been put together by our committee member Sue Dawson, assisted by Janice Brockbank.
The Christmas Tree Festival is open for visitors every Friday, Saturday and Sunday between now and Christmas Day, 11.30am to 4.30pm. The theme this year is simply 'Christmas'. There are around 60 trees on display.
Note: Nicholson wrote two poems titled Shepherds' Carol. This is the first. The second one, same idea but different construction, was written for the 1967 TV production No Star on the Way Back with music by Thea Musgrave.
Our display has been put together by our committee member Sue Dawson, assisted by Janice Brockbank.
The Christmas Tree Festival is open for visitors every Friday, Saturday and Sunday between now and Christmas Day, 11.30am to 4.30pm. The theme this year is simply 'Christmas'. There are around 60 trees on display.
Note: Nicholson wrote two poems titled Shepherds' Carol. This is the first. The second one, same idea but different construction, was written for the 1967 TV production No Star on the Way Back with music by Thea Musgrave.
posted 29/11/24 - pictures by SUE DAWSON
'A unique, revisionary perspective'
Dr Frayn was a speaker at the Norman Nicholson Festival, 2019
The roll call of British war poets doesn't usually include the name of Norman Nicholson, but that is to overlook significant influences on his writing and an important element of his poetic output. That's the view of Dr Andrew Frayn of Edinburgh Napier University, whose latest paper on Nicholson has been published by Modernist Cultures, the journal of the British Association for Modernist Studies.
In the paper, to quote from the abstract, Dr Frayn argues that Nicholson's 'position in his lifetime home of Millom, an industrial town on the periphery of the tourist Lake District, gives his writing a unique, revisionary perspective on both modern/ist and war poetry: he is a non-combatant rural poet who focuses not on contested ground overseas, but on the rural and wartime industry on the north-western English coast'.
The paper goes on to examine Nicholson's credentials as a modernist poet (about which Nicholson himself was somewhat equivocal) with particular reference to his early work, something which coincides with our upcoming online talk by Dr Antoinette Fawcett on the poems written before his 1944 collection Five Rivers, to take place on Thursday week, December 5th.
'On the Perimeter and Fringe of War' - Norman Nicholson, Rural Modernity and Wartime by Dr Andrew Frayn can be accessed free of charge here: https://www.euppublishing.com/toc/mod/19/1 Scroll down to find the paper under 'Articles' on the left-hand side.
Also available online is Dr Frayn's previous paper on Nicholson, Rural Modernity, Rural Modernism and Deindustrialisation in Norman Nicholson’s Poetry, published in English Studies by Taylor & Francis, March 2023, here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0013838X.2023.2180593#d1e229
posted 27/11/24
In the paper, to quote from the abstract, Dr Frayn argues that Nicholson's 'position in his lifetime home of Millom, an industrial town on the periphery of the tourist Lake District, gives his writing a unique, revisionary perspective on both modern/ist and war poetry: he is a non-combatant rural poet who focuses not on contested ground overseas, but on the rural and wartime industry on the north-western English coast'.
The paper goes on to examine Nicholson's credentials as a modernist poet (about which Nicholson himself was somewhat equivocal) with particular reference to his early work, something which coincides with our upcoming online talk by Dr Antoinette Fawcett on the poems written before his 1944 collection Five Rivers, to take place on Thursday week, December 5th.
'On the Perimeter and Fringe of War' - Norman Nicholson, Rural Modernity and Wartime by Dr Andrew Frayn can be accessed free of charge here: https://www.euppublishing.com/toc/mod/19/1 Scroll down to find the paper under 'Articles' on the left-hand side.
Also available online is Dr Frayn's previous paper on Nicholson, Rural Modernity, Rural Modernism and Deindustrialisation in Norman Nicholson’s Poetry, published in English Studies by Taylor & Francis, March 2023, here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0013838X.2023.2180593#d1e229
posted 27/11/24
Memories of Norman and Enrica
This month has seen the publication of a book by one of the pupils of Enrica Garnier, the inspirational teacher who had a 10-year relationship with Norman Nicholson.
The book, ‘Parents Absent’, by Frances Clemmow, includes memories of meeting Nicholson when he travelled to visit Enrica at Pontesford House near Shrewsbury in Shropshire, the place to which pupils and staff from Walthamstow Hall School in Sevenoaks, Kent, were evacuated during the Second World War. Fran Clemmow was one of the pupils; Enrica Garnier taught French and English (and swimming) at Sevenoaks but was teacher in charge at the Pontesford satellite.
The book, ‘Parents Absent’, by Frances Clemmow, includes memories of meeting Nicholson when he travelled to visit Enrica at Pontesford House near Shrewsbury in Shropshire, the place to which pupils and staff from Walthamstow Hall School in Sevenoaks, Kent, were evacuated during the Second World War. Fran Clemmow was one of the pupils; Enrica Garnier taught French and English (and swimming) at Sevenoaks but was teacher in charge at the Pontesford satellite.
Fran recounts how she met Nicholson on one occasion, in 1943, when she was met by Enrica at Shrewsbury station at the start of the summer term. They had time in hand before catching the bus to Pontesford House so they went to the flat of a friend of Enrica’s, Emmeline Blackburn.
‘Limited as she was with places where she could meet Nicholson outside her Pontesford bedsit, Emmeline’s flat must have been a godsend,’ she writes. ‘On this occasion I remember being slightly over-awed when being introduced to this very colourful be-whiskered gentleman.’
Fran credits the Society’s vice-president David Boyd for much of the detail she’s picked up regarding Nicholson and his relationship with Enrica, through David’s 2015 biography ‘Norman Nicholson, A Literary Life’. She notes the time spent by Enrica in typing out Norman’s poems for his first collection, ‘Five Rivers’ (dedicated to Enrica), and mentions in particular the poem ‘September in Shropshire’ with its references ‘unmistakably Pontesford House’.
‘The more I read the poem,’ she writes, ‘the more it seems to me that it might also have been Nicholson’s private farewell to his relationship with Enrica’.
The poem ends:
And so I leave you
To hoard the bright pods of a dying summer
In the brown and poignant winter of this war.
She might have a point.
‘Parents Absent – Memories of a Girls’ Boarding School in Wartime 1939-1950’ by Frances Clemmow, available from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Frances-Clemmow/s?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3AFrances+Clemmow
At £11.99 paperback or £4.99 Kindle.
CHARLIE LAMBERT
posted 20/11/24
‘Limited as she was with places where she could meet Nicholson outside her Pontesford bedsit, Emmeline’s flat must have been a godsend,’ she writes. ‘On this occasion I remember being slightly over-awed when being introduced to this very colourful be-whiskered gentleman.’
Fran credits the Society’s vice-president David Boyd for much of the detail she’s picked up regarding Nicholson and his relationship with Enrica, through David’s 2015 biography ‘Norman Nicholson, A Literary Life’. She notes the time spent by Enrica in typing out Norman’s poems for his first collection, ‘Five Rivers’ (dedicated to Enrica), and mentions in particular the poem ‘September in Shropshire’ with its references ‘unmistakably Pontesford House’.
‘The more I read the poem,’ she writes, ‘the more it seems to me that it might also have been Nicholson’s private farewell to his relationship with Enrica’.
The poem ends:
And so I leave you
To hoard the bright pods of a dying summer
In the brown and poignant winter of this war.
She might have a point.
‘Parents Absent – Memories of a Girls’ Boarding School in Wartime 1939-1950’ by Frances Clemmow, available from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Frances-Clemmow/s?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3AFrances+Clemmow
At £11.99 paperback or £4.99 Kindle.
CHARLIE LAMBERT
posted 20/11/24
Norman Nicholson: a writer for our time
Dr. Antoinette Fawcett will be giving a lecture on Norman Nicholson as an exemplary writer for our own time at Higham Hall, near Cockermouth, on Sunday November 24th, 2pm to 4pm. It may be 80 years since Nicholson's first collection was published, and 37 years since his death, yet his writing continues to hit an uncannily accurate mark for our own generation. This lecture will explore the life and work of Nicholson, whose response to nature, society, spirituality, and the environment in his time resonates even more strongly in our own. Full details HERE. This event has been organised by Higham Hall.
Looking to next year, Antoinette will also be giving a course at Higham Hall in March, giving people a chance to deepen their understanding of Nicholson's poetry. Details HERE.
posted 11/11/24
Looking to next year, Antoinette will also be giving a course at Higham Hall in March, giving people a chance to deepen their understanding of Nicholson's poetry. Details HERE.
posted 11/11/24
'Norman Nicholson and me' - talk at the Armitt this Sunday
Thanks to all who have registered for Professor Brian Whalley's online talk on Nicholson tomorrow evening. There's another event coming up which will be of interest: this Sunday, November 10th, our committee member Dr. LAURA DAY will discuss her personal reflections on Nicholson’s work in a talk titled NORMAN NICHOLSON AND ME - EXPLORING CUMBRIA TOGETHER, A CENTURY APART. It's at the Armitt Museum, Ambleside, 2pm-4pm. Laura will reflect on her personal relationship with the landscape having grown up on a Cumbrian sheep farm, and how Nicholson forged his own personal relationship via his poetry.
Tickets are £10 each from the Armitt Museum at https://www.armitt.com/event-directory/
posted 5/11/24
Tickets are £10 each from the Armitt Museum at https://www.armitt.com/event-directory/
posted 5/11/24
'The silent god within the silent rock'
Online event coming up next Wednesday, November 6th at 7.30pm: Dr. Brian Whalley, acting chair of the Norman Nicholson Society, will give a talk on ‘Glaciers and ice in the poetry of Norman Nicholson - and some cold notes on creativity in science fact and fiction’. Brian is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Sheffield and a renowned geomorphologist, who over many years has introduced poetry and other forms of creative writing into his teaching. All are welcome to attend this free event via Zoom. Please register by 5pm on Tuesday November 5th by contacting us at the usual Gmail address:[email protected] A link will be sent to you on the day of the event.
posted 31/10/24, updated 4/11/24
posted 31/10/24, updated 4/11/24
We'll be 'at the Music Festival' in Ulverston - again
The Norman Nicholson Society is once again sponsoring the South Cumbria Musical Festival for two set-piece poetry recitation classes, in memory of Peggy Troll, our founder Chair. For the last two years we have also been Patrons of the Festival, which is an important competitive event and a training ground for the musicians, speakers, actors and writers of the future.
Nicholson himself, as we know from his memoir Wednesday Early Closing, was a very gifted boy reciter, famous in Millom and the surrounding area for his dramatic renditions of poetry. He describes the Musical Festival of ‘those days’ as ‘one of the favourite winter sports in our part of the world’, with the audience ‘waiting, tense and excited …for the Adjudicator’s verdict’.
The SCMF grew out of the Millom Festival and we were pleased to see last year how well the Millom Schools still support the event, in spite of the distance between Millom and Ulverston.
The set pieces for this year's Norman Nicholson Poetry Classes are ‘Put on More Coal’ (up to and including school year 6) and ‘Wall’ (school years 7 to 9 inclusive). Copies of the poems are available from the SCMF Entries Secretary, along with notes to help the children understand the pieces and prepare for their performance. Entries close on 13th January, 2025.
In addition to sponsoring the two Poetry Classes, the Norman Nicholson Society is providing special book token prizes. Full details are available on the SCMF website: https://southcumbriamusicalfestival.co.uk/.
Nicholson himself, as we know from his memoir Wednesday Early Closing, was a very gifted boy reciter, famous in Millom and the surrounding area for his dramatic renditions of poetry. He describes the Musical Festival of ‘those days’ as ‘one of the favourite winter sports in our part of the world’, with the audience ‘waiting, tense and excited …for the Adjudicator’s verdict’.
The SCMF grew out of the Millom Festival and we were pleased to see last year how well the Millom Schools still support the event, in spite of the distance between Millom and Ulverston.
The set pieces for this year's Norman Nicholson Poetry Classes are ‘Put on More Coal’ (up to and including school year 6) and ‘Wall’ (school years 7 to 9 inclusive). Copies of the poems are available from the SCMF Entries Secretary, along with notes to help the children understand the pieces and prepare for their performance. Entries close on 13th January, 2025.
In addition to sponsoring the two Poetry Classes, the Norman Nicholson Society is providing special book token prizes. Full details are available on the SCMF website: https://southcumbriamusicalfestival.co.uk/.
CARLISLE AND DISTRICT MUSIC AND DRAMA FESTIVAL, which takes place from 10th-15th March 2025, also has two Norman Nicholson classes (Class 15 and Class 33). The syllabus can be downloaded here: Carlisle and District Music and Drama Festival. Entries close on Sunday, 19th January 2025.
posted 29/10/24
posted 29/10/24
Driving Norman to see Josefina - latest in our Audio Archive
Former Haverigg teacher and one-time warden of the Harriet Trust Chris Powell has recorded his memories of Norman Nicholson for our Audio Archive, available on this website HERE. Chris often drove Norman to visit the founder of the Harriet Trust, the sculptor Josefina de Vasconcellos, and her husband, the artist Delmar Banner, at their home, The Bield, in Little Langdale. He recalls those days in an interview recorded on October 10th 2024.
posted 25/10/24
posted 25/10/24
Christmas lunch: December 14th in Grange-over-Sands
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The Society will again be holding a Christmas lunch for members and their family and friends. The date is Saturday December 14th, 1.30pm for 2pm, at the Netherwood Hotel in Grange-over-Sands which has looked after us so well over many years. Please see the Events page for full details including booking arrangements.
posted 5/10/24
posted 5/10/24
Our Symposium hears 'the speaking voice'
Keynote speaker: Professor Jonathan Pitches
Scholars, researchers, poets, artists and literature enthusiasts gathered at the University of Cumbria's Ambleside Campus yesterday for our second Norman Nicholson Symposium, in conjunction with the University of Cumbria's Centre for National Parks and Protected Areas. What emerged was a stimulating day of presentations on the theme of 'The Speaking Voice; the Written Word: Norman Nicholson and Performance'.
Keynote speaker was Professor Jonathan Pitches of the University of Leeds. He focused on one specific aspect of Nicholson's verse plays, the way he uses mountains in his dramas, giving them personalities and speaking roles on stage. Professor Pitches referenced in particular The Old Man of the Mountains and Birth by Drowning, recalling the impact that the former had when it first appeared in 1946 with its forceful condemnation of what today would be described as unsustainable farming practices. The ideas presented in the play over 70 years ago are as current as ever, he said.
In all there were 11 different presentations encompassing scholarly papers, live poetry readings, BBC radio recordings, an illustrated talk by the Nicholson MA graduate and wood engraver Carole Thirlaway, and a recording by the Cumbrian-born contralto Jess Dandy of the poem Fossils, set to music by the composer Joel Rust.
For a full report and more pictures of the Symposium, click HERE.
Keynote speaker was Professor Jonathan Pitches of the University of Leeds. He focused on one specific aspect of Nicholson's verse plays, the way he uses mountains in his dramas, giving them personalities and speaking roles on stage. Professor Pitches referenced in particular The Old Man of the Mountains and Birth by Drowning, recalling the impact that the former had when it first appeared in 1946 with its forceful condemnation of what today would be described as unsustainable farming practices. The ideas presented in the play over 70 years ago are as current as ever, he said.
In all there were 11 different presentations encompassing scholarly papers, live poetry readings, BBC radio recordings, an illustrated talk by the Nicholson MA graduate and wood engraver Carole Thirlaway, and a recording by the Cumbrian-born contralto Jess Dandy of the poem Fossils, set to music by the composer Joel Rust.
For a full report and more pictures of the Symposium, click HERE.
posted 29/9/24
posted 29/9/24
Full house for our September Symposium!
Due to cancellations some extra places have become available for our Symposium in Ambleside this Saturday. If you'd like to come, please email [email protected]. The event is free of charge with lunch and refreshments also supplied, thanks to a very generous benefactor. More details plus a downloadable copy of the full programme for the day can be found on our EVENTS page.
We're looking forward to seeing everyone at the Langdale Building of the University of Cumbria Ambleside campus, formerly Charlotte Mason College, just across the road from The Knoll which was the home of Harriet Martineau from 1846 to 1876.
The day starts with arrivals from 10am and the first formal session opens at 10.30am. Contributors will include Jess Dandy, described as 'the foremost British contralto of her generation', who will perform Nicholson’s poem ‘Fossils’ in a setting by the composer Joel Rust via an audio recording.
The Symposium is scheduled to close around 5.30pm.
posted 12/9/24, updated 13/9/24 and again 23/9/24
We're looking forward to seeing everyone at the Langdale Building of the University of Cumbria Ambleside campus, formerly Charlotte Mason College, just across the road from The Knoll which was the home of Harriet Martineau from 1846 to 1876.
The day starts with arrivals from 10am and the first formal session opens at 10.30am. Contributors will include Jess Dandy, described as 'the foremost British contralto of her generation', who will perform Nicholson’s poem ‘Fossils’ in a setting by the composer Joel Rust via an audio recording.
The Symposium is scheduled to close around 5.30pm.
posted 12/9/24, updated 13/9/24 and again 23/9/24
Booking opens for the 2024 Norman Nicholson Symposium
Booking is now open for this year’s Norman Nicholson Symposium in Ambleside on Saturday September 28th. The deadline for registration is Thursday, September 12th. If you'd like to attend, please register as soon as possible by emailing [email protected]. We will keep a reserve list in case of cancellations. As places on the symposium are limited, it is important that you contact us as soon as possible if you do need to cancel your attendance so that your place can be made available for someone else.
As for last year’s symposium, a complimentary lunch and refreshments will be provided for all delegates. Arrivals from 10am for 10.30 start. The event will close around 5.30pm.
The theme for this year’s symposium, to be hosted by Professor Penny Bradshaw of the University of Cumbria, is Norman Nicholson and Performance. The keynote lecture, Norman Nicholson’s mountain dramas: performance perspectives on a nascent eco-critic, will be delivered by Professor Jonathan Pitches of the University of Leeds, while Dr. Christopher Donaldson of the University of Lancaster will give the final lecture of the day on Voices of History in Norman Nicholson’s Poetry and Prose.
Delegates will also have the rare chance to hear A Wall Walks Slowly: The Sound of Cumbria, an award-winning and innovative BBC Radio 3 programme produced in 1977 by Desmond Briscoe, which combined Nicholson’s poetry with a Cumbrian soundscape that included interviews with local people and the atmospheric sounds of nature.
Other presentations include: Ann Thomson on audience perception and Nicholson’s controversial play A Match for the Devil; Meghann Hillier-Broadley on the unspoken words of Nicholson’s dramas; a rehearsed reading of ‘The Bow in the Cloud’; a consideration by Andrew F. Wilson, Nicholson’s bibliographer, of the poet’s many radio broadcasts of the 1940s and 1950s; an examination of the contrasting soundscapes of Nicholson’s poetry; and much more, including an audio performance of a contemporary composer’s response to Nicholson’s poem ‘Fossils’.
The poet and former journalist Martyn Halsall will examine Nicholson’s creative legacy, honouring his echoes in his own work, while the wood engraving artist Carole Thirlaway will look at what it means to give visual voice to Nicholson’s poetry.
Thanks to our collaboration with the University of Cumbria, and the generosity of an anonymous donor based in the US, we are able to offer places on the symposium free of charge. We would, however, appreciate donations towards future events at the symposium itself. 2027 will mark the 40th anniversary of Nicholson’s death and we plan to make that a very special year!
posted 16/8/2024
As for last year’s symposium, a complimentary lunch and refreshments will be provided for all delegates. Arrivals from 10am for 10.30 start. The event will close around 5.30pm.
The theme for this year’s symposium, to be hosted by Professor Penny Bradshaw of the University of Cumbria, is Norman Nicholson and Performance. The keynote lecture, Norman Nicholson’s mountain dramas: performance perspectives on a nascent eco-critic, will be delivered by Professor Jonathan Pitches of the University of Leeds, while Dr. Christopher Donaldson of the University of Lancaster will give the final lecture of the day on Voices of History in Norman Nicholson’s Poetry and Prose.
Delegates will also have the rare chance to hear A Wall Walks Slowly: The Sound of Cumbria, an award-winning and innovative BBC Radio 3 programme produced in 1977 by Desmond Briscoe, which combined Nicholson’s poetry with a Cumbrian soundscape that included interviews with local people and the atmospheric sounds of nature.
Other presentations include: Ann Thomson on audience perception and Nicholson’s controversial play A Match for the Devil; Meghann Hillier-Broadley on the unspoken words of Nicholson’s dramas; a rehearsed reading of ‘The Bow in the Cloud’; a consideration by Andrew F. Wilson, Nicholson’s bibliographer, of the poet’s many radio broadcasts of the 1940s and 1950s; an examination of the contrasting soundscapes of Nicholson’s poetry; and much more, including an audio performance of a contemporary composer’s response to Nicholson’s poem ‘Fossils’.
The poet and former journalist Martyn Halsall will examine Nicholson’s creative legacy, honouring his echoes in his own work, while the wood engraving artist Carole Thirlaway will look at what it means to give visual voice to Nicholson’s poetry.
Thanks to our collaboration with the University of Cumbria, and the generosity of an anonymous donor based in the US, we are able to offer places on the symposium free of charge. We would, however, appreciate donations towards future events at the symposium itself. 2027 will mark the 40th anniversary of Nicholson’s death and we plan to make that a very special year!
posted 16/8/2024
Norman Nicholson Symposium 2024: Saturday September 28th
We're very pleased to confirm that the Norman Nicholson Symposium 2024 will be held in conjunction with the University of Cumbria at the uni's Ambleside campus on Saturday September 28th.
This will be the second Nicholson Symposium, following on from the successful event at the same venue last year. It will be hosted by Associate Professor Penny Bradshaw, Programme Leader for the university’s MA in Literature, Romanticism and the English Lake District.
The theme this year is The Speaking Voice; the Written Word: Norman Nicholson and Performance. This presents us with an opportunity to examine Nicholson's emphasis on speakable words, whether in poetry, drama, or prose. The theme also enables the consideration of Nicholson's radio and television work, as well as responses to Nicholson's work in the broadcast media, or in music and song. An exciting element of this Symposium will be the chance to hear some of Nicholson's work in performance, such as extracts from the plays or prose, or complete poems.
Our speakers this year include Professor Jonathan Pitches of the University of Leeds, Dr Christopher Donaldson of the University of Lancaster, Dr Martyn Halsall, former poet-in-residence at Carlisle Cathedral, and Andrew F. Wilson, the author of an unpublished bibliographical study of Nicholson’s work.
Registration for the event will open in August. Places on the symposium are free of charge, but will be limited to ensure that everyone who attends has the opportunity to engage with the speakers and each other. More details will appear here and on our Facebook and 'X' accounts in due course.
published 4/7/24
This will be the second Nicholson Symposium, following on from the successful event at the same venue last year. It will be hosted by Associate Professor Penny Bradshaw, Programme Leader for the university’s MA in Literature, Romanticism and the English Lake District.
The theme this year is The Speaking Voice; the Written Word: Norman Nicholson and Performance. This presents us with an opportunity to examine Nicholson's emphasis on speakable words, whether in poetry, drama, or prose. The theme also enables the consideration of Nicholson's radio and television work, as well as responses to Nicholson's work in the broadcast media, or in music and song. An exciting element of this Symposium will be the chance to hear some of Nicholson's work in performance, such as extracts from the plays or prose, or complete poems.
Our speakers this year include Professor Jonathan Pitches of the University of Leeds, Dr Christopher Donaldson of the University of Lancaster, Dr Martyn Halsall, former poet-in-residence at Carlisle Cathedral, and Andrew F. Wilson, the author of an unpublished bibliographical study of Nicholson’s work.
Registration for the event will open in August. Places on the symposium are free of charge, but will be limited to ensure that everyone who attends has the opportunity to engage with the speakers and each other. More details will appear here and on our Facebook and 'X' accounts in due course.
published 4/7/24
At the Atlantic's dying edge - a celebration
We celebrated the 80th anniversary of the publication of Nicholson's first solo collection, Five Rivers, with a trip by rail up the West Cumbrian coast from Millom to Whitehaven and back. It was a wonderful opportunity to get together and enjoy Nicholson's poetry in the locations which provided his inspiration. Pictured is our committee member and editor of 'Comet' Antoinette Fawcett reading the poem 'Whitehaven' by the harbour.
Curlews wheel on the north wind,
Their bills still moist with Solway sand,
And waves slide up from the wide bays
With rumours of the Hebrides...
Thanks to all who came (dogs as well) and took part in the day.
posted 19/6/24
Curlews wheel on the north wind,
Their bills still moist with Solway sand,
And waves slide up from the wide bays
With rumours of the Hebrides...
Thanks to all who came (dogs as well) and took part in the day.
posted 19/6/24
A Grand Day Out
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Millom station to Whitehaven and return with The Norman Nicholson Society 15th June 2024 09.55 Millom to Whitehaven, arrive 10.50.
Return Whitehaven 13.19/14.16 arrive Millom 14.09/14.30 Optional return stop at Ravenglass Lunch/refreshments not provided but there are plenty of cafes, including at the Beacon, in Whitehaven. |
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In 1944 Norman Nicholson published his first ‘solo’ collection of poems; Five Rivers. The Grand Day Out commemorates this collection with a railway journey to Whitehaven from Millom Station. Nicholson used the coastal railway extensively and this is reflected in some of his early poems as in ‘Five Rivers’. We want to make this a travellers’ participation tribute to Nicholson, the coast of Cumbria, its towns and its railway; for participants to observe, recollect and ponder the changes in the coast and especially in the post-industrialisation of the area.
Nicholson, born and raised in Millom, had TB as teenager and worked as a writer, critic and poet for the remainder of his life at 14 St George’s Terrace, Millom. He established a friendship with his Millom contemporary, Bessie Satterthwaite, who took a teaching post in Whitehaven and was a champion and supporter of Nicholson for the remainder of his life. She probably also introduced Nicholson to the Workers’ Education Association (WEA) and might have been responsible for him to be hired to lecture at their classes in the St Bees and Whitehaven area. Daniel Hay, the Borough Librarian of Whitehaven had developed a strong interest in local history and the literary scene and became a friend and admirer of Nicholson’s work. Hay commented, ‘No living Cumbrian has won such a worldwide esteem as Nicholson’ and, ‘for me ‘Five Rivers’ holds the key to what he will write later’. Please see David Boyd’s ‘Norman Nicholson A Literary Life' (2015) for more detail on the people involved in Nicholson’s literary life and from which the foregoing has been taken.
Nicholson’s love for topography and geology is well-known; they play a part in many of his poems. The presence of Black Combe is evident in poems and especially in the southern part of the Millom-Whitehaven journey. Perhaps less well appreciated is his knowledge and use of wildlife, birds and plants. The estuaries provide a place to see birds but in ‘Whitehaven’ he sets the scene with,‘… Within the harbour’s lobster claws. Curlews wheel on the north wind. Their bills still moist with Solway sand.’
The Beacon Museum (our first visit) provides a good view of the harbour. We shall have to see about birds we see but in the poem 'Five Rivers' Nicholson mentions gulls, eagles, stone chat, plover as well as curlew. Plants include rhubarb, watercress, ferns, bracken, hawthorn, thrift, dog-daisy, dog rose and dog grass. But Nicholson also liked ‘Weeds’ (Sea to the West collection of 1981; Collected Poems (340)). Nicholson is also well aware of Cumbria’s historical antecedents. The ‘statesmen’ who ‘meet in the Woolpack' (still in Eskdale) are estates men, yeoman farmers from Tudor times and who had an impact on the land-use. So too have the Neolithic wood-clearers (‘The Elm Decline’), ‘Roman cement and arches teach / Of the galleys that came to Ravenglass’ and Vikings, ’Here where the Norsemen foraged down the dales.’ (‘For the Grieg Centenary’ (36), also in Five Rivers).
But it is the railways that perhaps that have had the greatest impact in the area. As David Boyd says, ‘Millom did not exist until about 1860’ and ‘The Whitehaven and Furness Junction railway had reached out its network to this remote area in 1850.’ The history, not to mention the trials, experiments and tribulations of establishing the railway system, are explained, with splendid maps, in the CRA books by the late Alan Atkinson and David Joy. More recently, there is The Energy Coast, including Sellafield and the gas fields.
So please, observe, note and inwardly digest the coast, write something, sketch something or photograph people and places that mean something to you. Please send them to Brian Whalley ([email protected]) and we’ll put something together as a report on the ‘Grand Day Out’ for Comet and the website. And see if you can identify (in ‘Coastal Journey’) where, ‘the train halts where the railway line / Twists among the misty shifting sand. / Neither land nor estuary, / Neither wet nor dry.’ and ‘The train moves off again, / And the sandy pinetrees bend / Under the dark green berries of the rain.’
Reading
Atkinson, A. (2012) Millom, A Cumberland Iron Town and its Railways. Cumbrian Railways Association.
Boyd, D. (2015) Norman Nicholson. A Literary Life.
Joy, D. (2017) An Introduction to Cumbrian Railways. Cumbrian Railways Association.
Nicholson, N. Five Rivers and Collected Poems, Faber and Faber
Historic OS Maps links from the National Library for Scotland
View map: Great Britain. Ordnance Survey, Sheet 18 - Wasdale - Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. One-inch to the mile, Popular Edition - OS One-inch 'Popular' edition, England and Wales, 1918-1926 (nls.uk). View map: Great Britain. War Office, Sheet 18 - Wasdale - War Revision 1940 [Popular Edition mapping, Popular Edition marginalia, Sales C... - War Office, England and Wales One-Inch Popular, 5th ed. GSGS 3907 - 1937-45 (nls.uk) https://maps.nls.uk/view/196182759
The Norman Nicholson Society
Membership Secretary; [email protected] Membership; Individual £16, Joint at one address £20. Youth/Student £6
- Brian Whalley, Acting Chair
posted 14/6/24
Nicholson’s love for topography and geology is well-known; they play a part in many of his poems. The presence of Black Combe is evident in poems and especially in the southern part of the Millom-Whitehaven journey. Perhaps less well appreciated is his knowledge and use of wildlife, birds and plants. The estuaries provide a place to see birds but in ‘Whitehaven’ he sets the scene with,‘… Within the harbour’s lobster claws. Curlews wheel on the north wind. Their bills still moist with Solway sand.’
The Beacon Museum (our first visit) provides a good view of the harbour. We shall have to see about birds we see but in the poem 'Five Rivers' Nicholson mentions gulls, eagles, stone chat, plover as well as curlew. Plants include rhubarb, watercress, ferns, bracken, hawthorn, thrift, dog-daisy, dog rose and dog grass. But Nicholson also liked ‘Weeds’ (Sea to the West collection of 1981; Collected Poems (340)). Nicholson is also well aware of Cumbria’s historical antecedents. The ‘statesmen’ who ‘meet in the Woolpack' (still in Eskdale) are estates men, yeoman farmers from Tudor times and who had an impact on the land-use. So too have the Neolithic wood-clearers (‘The Elm Decline’), ‘Roman cement and arches teach / Of the galleys that came to Ravenglass’ and Vikings, ’Here where the Norsemen foraged down the dales.’ (‘For the Grieg Centenary’ (36), also in Five Rivers).
But it is the railways that perhaps that have had the greatest impact in the area. As David Boyd says, ‘Millom did not exist until about 1860’ and ‘The Whitehaven and Furness Junction railway had reached out its network to this remote area in 1850.’ The history, not to mention the trials, experiments and tribulations of establishing the railway system, are explained, with splendid maps, in the CRA books by the late Alan Atkinson and David Joy. More recently, there is The Energy Coast, including Sellafield and the gas fields.
So please, observe, note and inwardly digest the coast, write something, sketch something or photograph people and places that mean something to you. Please send them to Brian Whalley ([email protected]) and we’ll put something together as a report on the ‘Grand Day Out’ for Comet and the website. And see if you can identify (in ‘Coastal Journey’) where, ‘the train halts where the railway line / Twists among the misty shifting sand. / Neither land nor estuary, / Neither wet nor dry.’ and ‘The train moves off again, / And the sandy pinetrees bend / Under the dark green berries of the rain.’
Reading
Atkinson, A. (2012) Millom, A Cumberland Iron Town and its Railways. Cumbrian Railways Association.
Boyd, D. (2015) Norman Nicholson. A Literary Life.
Joy, D. (2017) An Introduction to Cumbrian Railways. Cumbrian Railways Association.
Nicholson, N. Five Rivers and Collected Poems, Faber and Faber
Historic OS Maps links from the National Library for Scotland
View map: Great Britain. Ordnance Survey, Sheet 18 - Wasdale - Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. One-inch to the mile, Popular Edition - OS One-inch 'Popular' edition, England and Wales, 1918-1926 (nls.uk). View map: Great Britain. War Office, Sheet 18 - Wasdale - War Revision 1940 [Popular Edition mapping, Popular Edition marginalia, Sales C... - War Office, England and Wales One-Inch Popular, 5th ed. GSGS 3907 - 1937-45 (nls.uk) https://maps.nls.uk/view/196182759
The Norman Nicholson Society
Membership Secretary; [email protected] Membership; Individual £16, Joint at one address £20. Youth/Student £6
- Brian Whalley, Acting Chair
posted 14/6/24
The Society will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the publication of Norman Nicholson’s first solo book of verse 'Five Rivers' in 1944 by having a Grand Day Out on Saturday June 15th. Norman had strong connections with the Cumbrian west coast and Whitehaven, so we plan to visit Whitehaven via the railway he used so much and recorded in various ways in the poems in 'Five Rivers'.
We'll depart Millom station on the 09.55 train which arrives in Whitehaven at 10.50. The return trip is aimed at departing Whitehaven on the 13.19 train, arriving at Millom at 14.09, but perhaps with an hour’s stopover at Ravenglass. There is no fixed timetable, however, and you can come and go as you please. There is no planned lunch so you can bring your own or eat at a café in Whitehaven as you wish. Please buy your own train tickets.
Although it is an informal turn-up-and-go event, it would be helpful to have indications of the numbers as we will try to arrange a Whitehaven library visit and a visit to the Beacon. Please email Brian Whalley, [email protected] for further information, and if you intend to join us please also inform Brian so we have an ideas of the numbers to expect.
posted 23/5/24 Ravenglass photo: Euroguides
We'll depart Millom station on the 09.55 train which arrives in Whitehaven at 10.50. The return trip is aimed at departing Whitehaven on the 13.19 train, arriving at Millom at 14.09, but perhaps with an hour’s stopover at Ravenglass. There is no fixed timetable, however, and you can come and go as you please. There is no planned lunch so you can bring your own or eat at a café in Whitehaven as you wish. Please buy your own train tickets.
Although it is an informal turn-up-and-go event, it would be helpful to have indications of the numbers as we will try to arrange a Whitehaven library visit and a visit to the Beacon. Please email Brian Whalley, [email protected] for further information, and if you intend to join us please also inform Brian so we have an ideas of the numbers to expect.
posted 23/5/24 Ravenglass photo: Euroguides
Ulverston concert starring Jess, Neil - and Norman
The words of Norman Nicholson and the poetry of the Society's vice-president Neil Curry will come together with music by contralto Jess Dandy and pianist Anthony Hewitt in a unique concert to be held in Ulverston on Friday June 7th at 1pm.
The concert is part of Ulverston International Music Festival and presents a programme of words and music inspired by the North and its rich natural, industrial, and spiritual identity over last two millennia.
Jess, who was brought up in Barrow-in-Furness and has long been a keen supporter of Nicholson, said: "Alongside verse by Millomite Norman Nicholson, we’ll walk coast to coast with local poet Neil Curry, who will read from his new collection, ‘A Word With Bede’, exploring Lindisfarne and the Eastern borderlands, focusing on its extraordinary age of spiritual flowering.
"The songs chosen along the way illuminate Neil and Norman’s manuscript: expect music by Britten, Grieg, Barber, but also Quaker & Gregorian plainchant, and folk songs from County Durham and Northumbria. A setting by US-based composer, Joel Rust, of Nicholson’s ‘Fossils’, written to be performed with the microfossils of Birkrigg Common’s limestone pavement, roots us firmly in the knowledge that, even – or especially – in the deepest time, the North ‘is alive in our bones’.
"I’ve loved cultivating this programme with Neil and Anthony – it’s been a nourishing opportunity to explore the rich seam of my heritage and the multidimensional nature of the place I call home. It’s helped me to ‘know my place’, in the best possible sense, and I hope it may do the same for you, if you’d like it to".
The concert will take place at Coronation Hall, Ulverston. There will be a pre-concert talk at 11:30 with Jess, Neil and Joel, when they will discuss their creative process and the formation of the programme more generally.
Tickets via this link:
https://www.thecoro.co.uk/event/knowing-your-place-ideas-of-the-north-in-words-music/
posted 23/5/24 photos: Jess Dandy by Clare Park; Norman Nicholson by Ray Troll; Neil Curry courtesy Enitharmon Editions
The concert is part of Ulverston International Music Festival and presents a programme of words and music inspired by the North and its rich natural, industrial, and spiritual identity over last two millennia.
Jess, who was brought up in Barrow-in-Furness and has long been a keen supporter of Nicholson, said: "Alongside verse by Millomite Norman Nicholson, we’ll walk coast to coast with local poet Neil Curry, who will read from his new collection, ‘A Word With Bede’, exploring Lindisfarne and the Eastern borderlands, focusing on its extraordinary age of spiritual flowering.
"The songs chosen along the way illuminate Neil and Norman’s manuscript: expect music by Britten, Grieg, Barber, but also Quaker & Gregorian plainchant, and folk songs from County Durham and Northumbria. A setting by US-based composer, Joel Rust, of Nicholson’s ‘Fossils’, written to be performed with the microfossils of Birkrigg Common’s limestone pavement, roots us firmly in the knowledge that, even – or especially – in the deepest time, the North ‘is alive in our bones’.
"I’ve loved cultivating this programme with Neil and Anthony – it’s been a nourishing opportunity to explore the rich seam of my heritage and the multidimensional nature of the place I call home. It’s helped me to ‘know my place’, in the best possible sense, and I hope it may do the same for you, if you’d like it to".
The concert will take place at Coronation Hall, Ulverston. There will be a pre-concert talk at 11:30 with Jess, Neil and Joel, when they will discuss their creative process and the formation of the programme more generally.
Tickets via this link:
https://www.thecoro.co.uk/event/knowing-your-place-ideas-of-the-north-in-words-music/
posted 23/5/24 photos: Jess Dandy by Clare Park; Norman Nicholson by Ray Troll; Neil Curry courtesy Enitharmon Editions
Lake District tourism and Nicholson - event in Millom
Three days to go before the spotlight falls on the history of Lake District tourism at an event in Millom which will feature our committee member and editor of Comet, Antoinette Fawcett, and Jeff Cowton, curator of Wordsworth Grasmere. Antoinette will speak about Norman Nicholson's poetry and prose, and Jeff will speak about the current 'To the Lakes!' exhibition in Grasmere, including links to Nicholson's book The Lakers. The event is organised by Millom & District Local History Groupand runs from 1pm to 3pm this Saturday, April 20th, at Holy Trinity Church, Millom. Tickets are £5. For details please ring 01229 772084.
posted 17/4/24
posted 17/4/24
Nicholson the war poet
Norman Nicholson as a war poet? The next event in the Cultural Landscapes lecture series, organised by Cumbria University's Institute of Education, Arts & Society, will be a talk by Dr Andrew Frayn of Edinburgh Napier University (pictured) with the title 'On the perimeter and fringe of war: Norman Nicholson's Cumbria and rural wartime.' This event will take place at the university's Ambleside campus on Tuesday 7th May at 6.30 pm. Further details and a link to book your place can be found here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/cultural-landscapes/t-qjkykga
On the subject of war, stories, photographs and recollections of how World War Two came to Millom and Haverigg are among the many memorable features included in our Nicholson-themed self-guided walks which you can follow via our app. Search for 'Norman Nicholson's Millom' wherever you find your apps.
posted 11/4/24
On the subject of war, stories, photographs and recollections of how World War Two came to Millom and Haverigg are among the many memorable features included in our Nicholson-themed self-guided walks which you can follow via our app. Search for 'Norman Nicholson's Millom' wherever you find your apps.
posted 11/4/24
Notes On Words
As explained in the Society’s March bulletin emailed to members, we are re-launching the feature formerly called ‘Word of the Month’, and widening its scope. The new title is 'Notes on Words'. Anyone is welcome to offer a short article unpacking a word, phrase or allusion in Norman Nicholson’s work that may be obscure to some readers, such as distinctively local vocabulary, or references to social, cultural, working or religious life that are now unfamiliar. If you would like to offer a contribution, or suggest a subject for one, please email the editor Ann Thomson at [email protected].
The first contribution to 'Notes on Words' comes from Ann herself, and takes a biblical quotation as its title. Read As Trees Walking on the Notes on Words page - where you'll also find all the previous articles discussing Nicholson's use of language in 'Word of the Month'.
posted 9/4/24
The first contribution to 'Notes on Words' comes from Ann herself, and takes a biblical quotation as its title. Read As Trees Walking on the Notes on Words page - where you'll also find all the previous articles discussing Nicholson's use of language in 'Word of the Month'.
posted 9/4/24
Our AGM and talk on Nicholson's plays: Saturday April 13th 2024, 11am
The 2024 AGM of the Norman Nicholson Society will take place online by Zoom on Saturday 13th April at 11.00am. The AGM is open to all members of the Society and membership fees should be renewed in advance to ensure that you are able to vote.
The agenda will be sent out in advance of the AGM.
The AGM will be followed by an online talk at 1200 noon by Meghann Hillier-Broadley on ‘Space, Place, and the Environmental Crisis: The Plays of Norman Nicholson in the Twenty-First Century’. The talk is open to members of the public and is free to attend. Full details are on our Events page. You must be a member in order to attend the AGM. The talk is open to all. Register for either or both by email: [email protected]
posted 2/4/24
The agenda will be sent out in advance of the AGM.
The AGM will be followed by an online talk at 1200 noon by Meghann Hillier-Broadley on ‘Space, Place, and the Environmental Crisis: The Plays of Norman Nicholson in the Twenty-First Century’. The talk is open to members of the public and is free to attend. Full details are on our Events page. You must be a member in order to attend the AGM. The talk is open to all. Register for either or both by email: [email protected]
posted 2/4/24
Lift-off for Black Combe School
Children from Black Combe School in Millom dominated the prizes in the poetry class sponsored by the Norman Nicholson Society at the South Cumbria Musical Festival last week, Tuesday 19th March.
We sponsored Class 204: Poetry: Norman Nicholson – Up to and Including School Year 6; and Class 210: Poetry: Norman Nicholson – School Years 7-9 Inclusive. The younger entrants (Class 204) performed the set piece ‘Off to Outer Space Tomorrow Morning’, while the set piece for the older entrants was ‘Weeds’.
The first prize in Class 204 went to Isla-Jae Fisher, for an extremely clear and well-paced performance of the piece. Isla-Jae’s performance was given a total of 88 marks, a Distinction. She received the SCMF Buttermere Shield and a £20.00 book token from the NN Society, as well as a special congratulations card which we hope Isla-Jae will treasure. We’d love to see her perform more of Norman Nicholson’s work in the future and hope that this will be the start of a long journey into the wonderful world of poetry.
Joint second places, with marks of 87, were awarded to Octavia Raven, and Matthew Chen. These were also Distinctions. Olivia’s performance was notable for its clarity and good pace, while Matthew had a great ability to project his voice and a wonderful sense of rhythm. Both performers conveyed their excellent understanding of the poem and obviously enjoyed the experience. In third place was Jaymie Bennet-Ely, with a mark of 86, a Commended. Jaymie’s performance was very expressive and she clearly enjoyed the piece. All the other performances were awarded grades that were either at a Merit or a Commended level, a very high standard indeed.
We thank all the pupils who entered this Class and their teachers for their enthusiasm and support. It is fantastic to see that so many children from Millom and Barrow will carry this poem in their memories and hearts. Thanks also to the committee of the SCMF for their support in making this Class possible. We were so pleased to see that the description of the Class in the official programme contained these words: ‘Norman Nicholson (1914-1987) was a well-known Cumbrian poet from Millom’; and ‘Class sponsored by: the Norman Nicholson Society, Millom, in memory of Millom schoolteacher Peggy Troll.’
Unfortunately, Class 210, for the older children, was cancelled. The only entrant in this Class withdrew. This was a great shame, as Nicholson’s poem ‘Weeds’ is so humorous and performable. It will be set again for next year’s Festival and the £30.00 book token which would have been awarded this year will also be carried over to that occasion.
Antoinette Fawcett
posted 28/3/24
We sponsored Class 204: Poetry: Norman Nicholson – Up to and Including School Year 6; and Class 210: Poetry: Norman Nicholson – School Years 7-9 Inclusive. The younger entrants (Class 204) performed the set piece ‘Off to Outer Space Tomorrow Morning’, while the set piece for the older entrants was ‘Weeds’.
The first prize in Class 204 went to Isla-Jae Fisher, for an extremely clear and well-paced performance of the piece. Isla-Jae’s performance was given a total of 88 marks, a Distinction. She received the SCMF Buttermere Shield and a £20.00 book token from the NN Society, as well as a special congratulations card which we hope Isla-Jae will treasure. We’d love to see her perform more of Norman Nicholson’s work in the future and hope that this will be the start of a long journey into the wonderful world of poetry.
Joint second places, with marks of 87, were awarded to Octavia Raven, and Matthew Chen. These were also Distinctions. Olivia’s performance was notable for its clarity and good pace, while Matthew had a great ability to project his voice and a wonderful sense of rhythm. Both performers conveyed their excellent understanding of the poem and obviously enjoyed the experience. In third place was Jaymie Bennet-Ely, with a mark of 86, a Commended. Jaymie’s performance was very expressive and she clearly enjoyed the piece. All the other performances were awarded grades that were either at a Merit or a Commended level, a very high standard indeed.
We thank all the pupils who entered this Class and their teachers for their enthusiasm and support. It is fantastic to see that so many children from Millom and Barrow will carry this poem in their memories and hearts. Thanks also to the committee of the SCMF for their support in making this Class possible. We were so pleased to see that the description of the Class in the official programme contained these words: ‘Norman Nicholson (1914-1987) was a well-known Cumbrian poet from Millom’; and ‘Class sponsored by: the Norman Nicholson Society, Millom, in memory of Millom schoolteacher Peggy Troll.’
Unfortunately, Class 210, for the older children, was cancelled. The only entrant in this Class withdrew. This was a great shame, as Nicholson’s poem ‘Weeds’ is so humorous and performable. It will be set again for next year’s Festival and the £30.00 book token which would have been awarded this year will also be carried over to that occasion.
Antoinette Fawcett
posted 28/3/24
ALS Newsletter
The Spring edition of the Alliance of Literary Societies' newsletter has been published and is available to all members of the Norman Nicholson Society. It can be found in the Members' Area of this website. If you're a member and you haven't already registered for access to this exclusive area, the details are HERE. This edition contains information about the upcoming annual gathering and AGM of the ALS, to be hosted by the Arthur Ransome Society in Bowness-on-Windermere in May.
posted 12/3/24
posted 12/3/24
Purchase of Nicholson's house is confirmed!
Our long-standing desire to see the future of Norman Nicholson's old home in Millom secured was realised yesterday when lawyers confirmed that the purchase of the property by Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company had been completed. The CIC was set up by the Society in 2020 to focus on the project to buy and renovate the house, and we congratulate the directors, funders and supporters on achieving this landmark. There's much more information about the project and the challenges that still lie ahead on the website www.normannicholsonhouse.co.uk
posted 1/3/24
posted 1/3/24
Antoinette to speak at History Group event
Our committee member and editor of Comet, Antoinette Fawcett, is to speak about Norman Nicholson's poetry and prose at an event organised by Millom & District Local History Group. The theme is the history of Lake District tourism, and also features Jeff Cowton, curator of Wordsworth Grasmere, who will speak about the current 'To the Lakes!' exhibition in Grasmere, including links to Nicholson's book The Lakers. The Millom event runs from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday April 20th at Holy Trinity Church, Millom. Tickets are £5. For details please ring 01229 772084.
posted 25/2/24
Jonathan joins our committee
We're delighted to announce that Jonathan Powell has been co-opted onto the committee of the Society. Jonathan is a well-known personality in the Millom area, having his home here while also working as a lawyer in London. He has been a valuable and enthusiastic member of the Norman Nicholson Society for many years and is involved in a number of other local societies, including Millom and District Local History Society. He has plenty of new ideas to contribute to our events and projects, as well as good contacts with the local and wider community, and we're looking forward to working with him.
Our committee members Brian Whalley and Glenn Lang will jointly chair the Society until a suitable long-term chair can be co-opted and/or elected.
posted 20/2/24
Our committee members Brian Whalley and Glenn Lang will jointly chair the Society until a suitable long-term chair can be co-opted and/or elected.
posted 20/2/24
Off to Outer Space...
The Norman Nicholson Society is again sponsoring two classes at the South Cumbria Musical Festival in memory of our Founder Chair and Norman’s great friend Peggy Troll.
The set poems are ‘Off to Outer Space Tomorrow Morning’ (junior school children), and ‘Weeds’ (senior school children, up to Year 9). The Speech Classes will take place on Tuesday 19th March, with the younger children performing at approximately 10:14am and the older children starting at approximately 2:30pm.
A representative from the Society will attend the performances but all are welcome to come and see the children perform. The cost of entry is small and helps to support the continuance of this Festival. Attendance by the public gives the children an audience beyond the pupils and teachers of their own school. Venue: Coronation Hall, Ulverston LA12 7LZ.
Nicholson himself was a champion reciter of poetry in his boyhood and in Wednesday Early Closing amusingly describes participation in the Musical Festivals: as ‘one of the favourite winter sports in our part of the world’.
Carlisle also has a Music and Drama Festival taking place between 11th and 16th March. This festival also features two Norman Nicholson Classes (Class 15 and Class 33), although these are not sponsored by the NN Society. It’s very good to see that Nicholson’s work is remembered and celebrated in this way right across the county.
For more details about these festivals please visit their websites: http:// southcumbriamusicalfestival.co.uk/; https://www.carlislemusicanddrama.com/.
posted 19/2/24
The set poems are ‘Off to Outer Space Tomorrow Morning’ (junior school children), and ‘Weeds’ (senior school children, up to Year 9). The Speech Classes will take place on Tuesday 19th March, with the younger children performing at approximately 10:14am and the older children starting at approximately 2:30pm.
A representative from the Society will attend the performances but all are welcome to come and see the children perform. The cost of entry is small and helps to support the continuance of this Festival. Attendance by the public gives the children an audience beyond the pupils and teachers of their own school. Venue: Coronation Hall, Ulverston LA12 7LZ.
Nicholson himself was a champion reciter of poetry in his boyhood and in Wednesday Early Closing amusingly describes participation in the Musical Festivals: as ‘one of the favourite winter sports in our part of the world’.
Carlisle also has a Music and Drama Festival taking place between 11th and 16th March. This festival also features two Norman Nicholson Classes (Class 15 and Class 33), although these are not sponsored by the NN Society. It’s very good to see that Nicholson’s work is remembered and celebrated in this way right across the county.
For more details about these festivals please visit their websites: http:// southcumbriamusicalfestival.co.uk/; https://www.carlislemusicanddrama.com/.
posted 19/2/24
Our AGM will be on Saturday April 13th
The Society's AGM will take place online on April 13th 2024 at 11.00am. It will be followed by an online event at 12 noon; speaker to be confirmed. The AGM is only open to current members of the NN Society; the event will be open to the general public. More details to follow.
posted 12/2/24
posted 12/2/24
Take a walk around Haverigg - and its history
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A two-mile walking route around Haverigg has been unveiled by the Nicholson House project, the third option within the 'Norman Nicholson's Millom' app which was first launched in 2021, funded by Millom Town Board. The new trail, which starts and finishes by the Inshore Rescue lifeboat station behind the dunes at Haverigg, guides visitors on a 90-minute journey along the sea front, then alongside the river past the former site of the old tannery works, across fields with excellent views of Black Combe and the Lake District fells, back through the village and finally, via St Luke's Church, to the finish. The walk also takes in the spectacular 'Escape to Light' sculpture by Nicholson's friend Josefina de Vasconcellos.
Along the way walkers will find out about Haverigg's rich history, from serious riots to equipping the Household Cavalry to its links with Norman Nicholson.
Children from Haverigg Primary School helped to develop the trail which goes past a series of mosaics illustrating aspects of village life, originally created in a project with the school in 2015. An audio commentary includes conversations between the children and local historians explaining the significance of the images within the mosaics.
More information on the Norman Nicholson House website https://www.normannicholsonhouse.co.uk/news.html.
Posted 5/2/24 photos by SUE DAWSON
Along the way walkers will find out about Haverigg's rich history, from serious riots to equipping the Household Cavalry to its links with Norman Nicholson.
Children from Haverigg Primary School helped to develop the trail which goes past a series of mosaics illustrating aspects of village life, originally created in a project with the school in 2015. An audio commentary includes conversations between the children and local historians explaining the significance of the images within the mosaics.
More information on the Norman Nicholson House website https://www.normannicholsonhouse.co.uk/news.html.
Posted 5/2/24 photos by SUE DAWSON
Webcast details for Doreen Cornthwaite's funeral
Doreen's funeral takes place this Thursday, January 25th, at 1pm at Carlisle Crematorium, Dalston Rd, Carlisle CA2 6AR. For those wishing to join from afar there will be video coverage online. To join the webcast, go to https://www.wesleymedia.co.uk/webcast-view and enter the PIN 115-5098. There's more information about the webcast at https://clientportal.wesleymedia.co.uk/email-template/webcast_viewing_instructions.pdf.
posted 23/1/24
posted 23/1/24
Sad news at the start of the year
We're sorry to start the New Year with the sad news that Doreen Cornthwaite, Norman Nicholson's cousin, has died at the age of 88. Doreen passed away in Carlisle Infirmary on December 30th. She was a regular attender at Society events for many years, and when it became too difficult to travel to the south of the county she continued to follow news of our activities and was consistently supportive and encouraging.
Doreen was related to Norman through her father and Norman's mother - her grandfather was the brother of Norman's maternal grandfather. She was born South Africa, first visited the UK in 1959, and then moved permanently in 1965 after her parents retired to Cumbria. Her mother was originally from Millom and her father from Silecroft. She worked for Border TV as a librarian and archivist. After being introduced to Norman she became good friends with him and his wife Yvonne, and a strong supporter of Norman's writing. In her biography The Whispering Poet Kathleen Jones recounts how it was Doreen who gave Norman the first picture he ever saw of his mother, who had died when he was five years of age. It was only when Norman's autobiography Wednesday Early Closing was published in 1975 that Doreen realised that her cousin had never known what his mother looked like so she immediately sent him a photograph. Some years after Norman's death in 1987 Doreen donated a large number of letters received from Norman to the John Rylands Library in Manchester where they remain available for inspection by appointment.
In 2022 Doreen recorded her memories of Norman for the Society's Audio Archive, located within this website.
The news of Doreen's passing comes on the heels of more sad news, which was that our former committee member Professor Alan Beattie passed away a few days before Christmas. Alan, who lived in Morecambe and spent most of his career at the University of Lancaster, was an extremely knowledgeable academic whose interests ranged across a unique variety of disciplines, earning him prominence in the fields of public health, mobility research, dance, and literature, where his work included a number of articles and conference papers about Norman Nicholson. Alan, often accompanied by his wife Kay, was a frequent and imaginative speaker at Nicholson Society events. He stepped down from our committee in 2017.
The Society sends its condolences to the family and friends of both Doreen and Alan.
posted 1/1/24
Doreen was related to Norman through her father and Norman's mother - her grandfather was the brother of Norman's maternal grandfather. She was born South Africa, first visited the UK in 1959, and then moved permanently in 1965 after her parents retired to Cumbria. Her mother was originally from Millom and her father from Silecroft. She worked for Border TV as a librarian and archivist. After being introduced to Norman she became good friends with him and his wife Yvonne, and a strong supporter of Norman's writing. In her biography The Whispering Poet Kathleen Jones recounts how it was Doreen who gave Norman the first picture he ever saw of his mother, who had died when he was five years of age. It was only when Norman's autobiography Wednesday Early Closing was published in 1975 that Doreen realised that her cousin had never known what his mother looked like so she immediately sent him a photograph. Some years after Norman's death in 1987 Doreen donated a large number of letters received from Norman to the John Rylands Library in Manchester where they remain available for inspection by appointment.
In 2022 Doreen recorded her memories of Norman for the Society's Audio Archive, located within this website.
The news of Doreen's passing comes on the heels of more sad news, which was that our former committee member Professor Alan Beattie passed away a few days before Christmas. Alan, who lived in Morecambe and spent most of his career at the University of Lancaster, was an extremely knowledgeable academic whose interests ranged across a unique variety of disciplines, earning him prominence in the fields of public health, mobility research, dance, and literature, where his work included a number of articles and conference papers about Norman Nicholson. Alan, often accompanied by his wife Kay, was a frequent and imaginative speaker at Nicholson Society events. He stepped down from our committee in 2017.
The Society sends its condolences to the family and friends of both Doreen and Alan.
posted 1/1/24
Registration now open for Nicholson birthday Zoom event
We have a full line-up of readers for our planned Nicholson Birthday Celebration on Zoom on Monday January 8th, the 110th anniversary of Norman's birth. Thank you to everyone who has stepped forward and chosen a poem to read. There will be one poem for every month of the year, so 12 in all, including two from Five Rivers, the collection whose 80th anniversary it is in 2024, plus some of Nicholson's best-known poems and others which are not perhaps instantly familiar.
The event will be hosted by our committee members Brian Whalley and Antoinette Fawcett, starting at 7.30pm with a scheduled finish of 9pm to allow plenty of time for reaction and discussion - and a birthday toast to Norman! Please join us. You can register to join by emailing [email protected], or by completing the Contact Form on this website. Readers don't need to contact us again unless you have to withdraw for any reason, in which case please let us know.
posted 20/12/23
The event will be hosted by our committee members Brian Whalley and Antoinette Fawcett, starting at 7.30pm with a scheduled finish of 9pm to allow plenty of time for reaction and discussion - and a birthday toast to Norman! Please join us. You can register to join by emailing [email protected], or by completing the Contact Form on this website. Readers don't need to contact us again unless you have to withdraw for any reason, in which case please let us know.
posted 20/12/23
Call for readers at our NN birthday event
We will celebrate the 110th anniversary of Norman Nicholson's birth on Monday January 8th with an online feast of poetry and prose, and we're inviting you, our friends and members, to select a piece that you would like to read.
There'll be 12 readings, one for each month of the year. The event will be held on Zoom, starting at 7.30pm, and we hope that readers will join us from far and wide to make the most of the opportunity that the Zoom platform affords us. If you don't fancy reading, do join us as a member of the audience.
Anyone wanting to read should let us know by 5pm on Wednesday December 20th, by using the contact form on this website or emailing [email protected]. The programme of readings, each of which should last no longer than five minutes, will be created on a first-come, first-served basis. Readings from Norman's first individual collection, Five Rivers (1944), will be particularly welcome as we will be celebrating the centenary of its publication in 2024 - but don't feel limited by this; you are welcome to select anything from Nicholson's oeuvre that seems appropriate.
Registration and programme details will be released in due course. The event is free and open to all.
Look forward to hearing from you!
posted 15/12/23
There'll be 12 readings, one for each month of the year. The event will be held on Zoom, starting at 7.30pm, and we hope that readers will join us from far and wide to make the most of the opportunity that the Zoom platform affords us. If you don't fancy reading, do join us as a member of the audience.
Anyone wanting to read should let us know by 5pm on Wednesday December 20th, by using the contact form on this website or emailing [email protected]. The programme of readings, each of which should last no longer than five minutes, will be created on a first-come, first-served basis. Readings from Norman's first individual collection, Five Rivers (1944), will be particularly welcome as we will be celebrating the centenary of its publication in 2024 - but don't feel limited by this; you are welcome to select anything from Nicholson's oeuvre that seems appropriate.
Registration and programme details will be released in due course. The event is free and open to all.
Look forward to hearing from you!
posted 15/12/23
When 'The Old Man' was staged in Melbourne, Australia
Nicholson's verse play, The Old Man of the Mountains, was written in 1944, first performed in 1945 in London, and published in print in 1946. The play relocates the Biblical story of Elijah to Cumbria and has a strong environmental focus. Kathleen Jones, Nicholson's biographer, describes it as 'an extraordinary play to be written in 1944, well ahead of the ecological concerns raised in the fifties and sixties.' The play also found an audience in Australia, performed in July 1953 at the Union Theatre in Melbourne by students from Ormond and Women's Colleges of the city's university.
We're grateful to Tom Bishop, whose parents were among the audience for that production, for bringing this to our attention and sending these images of the programme, with the main image by the artist Arthur Boyd.
The University of Melbourne's online record of the production and an image of the flyer can be found HERE.
posted 7/12/23
posted 7/12/23
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Explore Millom and surrounding area:
Millom Arts & Heritage Centre St George's Church Hodbarrow RSPB Reserve
Millom Arts & Heritage Centre St George's Church Hodbarrow RSPB Reserve
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