News Archive
'Christmas crackled up between winter walls...'
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The Society's contribution to the annual Christmas Tree festival at St George's Church has been unveiled! Our tree this year is based on Nicholson's poem ‘Comprehending it Not’, in which Norman recalls his Christmas at the age of seven when, with his mother dead, he was
...fobbed of to my Grandma's with my Christmas Tree
Bundled under my arm...
Our display, created by Sue Dawson, Janice Brockbank and Don Brockbank, is a reconstruction of a 1920s style Christmas tree, made by Don. It's only about two feet high, so unique in this year's festival. In the poem Norman talks about visiting his grandmother with his small tree. Then, when there's a gas leak and the house is plunged into darkness, Norman's tree with its candles becomes the main source of light in the dark of his grandmother's kitchen:
...high on the dresser, my Christmas Tree,
Ignited like a gorse-bush, pollened the room with light.
...fobbed of to my Grandma's with my Christmas Tree
Bundled under my arm...
Our display, created by Sue Dawson, Janice Brockbank and Don Brockbank, is a reconstruction of a 1920s style Christmas tree, made by Don. It's only about two feet high, so unique in this year's festival. In the poem Norman talks about visiting his grandmother with his small tree. Then, when there's a gas leak and the house is plunged into darkness, Norman's tree with its candles becomes the main source of light in the dark of his grandmother's kitchen:
...high on the dresser, my Christmas Tree,
Ignited like a gorse-bush, pollened the room with light.
Our display, located in front of the Nicholson Memorial window with its spectacular stained glass design by the late Christine Boyce, includes photographs of Norman as a small child. In one of them he is standing with a wooden railway engine. This toy engine has been recreated by Don, helping to recreate a scene of a small boy's Christmas in Millom in the 1920s.
There are over fifty trees on show in St George’s Church this year. The display is open to visitors on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from now until Christmas Eve, 11am - 4.30pm.
posted 2/12/23 photos by SUE DAWSON
posted 2/12/23 photos by SUE DAWSON
Book now for our annual Christmas lunch
The deadline to book places at the Society's annual Christmas lunch on December 9th at the Netherwood Hotel in Grange-over-Sands is this coming Friday, November 24th. Cost is £35 for three courses or £28.50 for two courses. The hotel has asked for a £10 deposit per person at the time of booking, and members should settle the balance of their bills direct with the hotel on the day.
To book, please contact the Netherwood by phone on 01539 532552, give them the names and your choices from the menu (below). When you've done that, please send the same details (names and menu choices) to us at [email protected] so we have a record of who is coming and what meals have been selected. Lunch is booked for 1pm with arrivals from 12.30.
For more information about the Netherwood go to The Netherwood Hotel & Spa - Squirrel Group (netherwood-hotel.co.uk). Full address is Lindale Road, Grange-over-Sands, LA11 6ET.
Our Christmas lunch has always been a wonderful event which gives us the opportunity to meet each other in a relaxed, welcoming and festive atmosphere. We will have the chance to use the lounge afterwards, so bring along a favourite Nicholson text, if you like. We enjoyed some lovely informal readings last year. Our former Chair Charlie Lambert will be attending, so we will have the chance to thank him in person for his many years of service to the Society.
See you soon!
posted 20/11/23
To book, please contact the Netherwood by phone on 01539 532552, give them the names and your choices from the menu (below). When you've done that, please send the same details (names and menu choices) to us at [email protected] so we have a record of who is coming and what meals have been selected. Lunch is booked for 1pm with arrivals from 12.30.
For more information about the Netherwood go to The Netherwood Hotel & Spa - Squirrel Group (netherwood-hotel.co.uk). Full address is Lindale Road, Grange-over-Sands, LA11 6ET.
Our Christmas lunch has always been a wonderful event which gives us the opportunity to meet each other in a relaxed, welcoming and festive atmosphere. We will have the chance to use the lounge afterwards, so bring along a favourite Nicholson text, if you like. We enjoyed some lovely informal readings last year. Our former Chair Charlie Lambert will be attending, so we will have the chance to thank him in person for his many years of service to the Society.
See you soon!
posted 20/11/23
Dr Ian Davidson
We are sad to report that our former Chair and Life Member of the Society Dr Ian Davidson has passed away at the age of 90. Ian, whose cheerful personality illuminated many an event, was elected Chair of the Society in 2011, succeeding Dr David Cooper, and served as Chair for four years. He was from a Millom family and became a long-time resident of Broughton Mills, a place he immortalised in a perceptive and entertaining series of novels which included 'Dynamiting Niagara' and 'More Like London Every Day'. The Society sends its condolences to Ian's family.
posted 6/11/23 photo: JOHN TROLL
posted 6/11/23 photo: JOHN TROLL
Nicholson House project set to complete purchase by Christmas
The Norman Nicholson House project has officially announced today that it is in a position to buy Nicholson's home in Millom! They hope to conclude the purchase before Christmas. This is terrific news after so much hard work.
The breakthrough comes as a result of funding secured from a generous benefactor along with the proceeds of our crowdfunding campaign which was matched by a £20,000 grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund. There's still a long way to go with funding still needed for repairs and renovation work, but this is a real milestone moment.
You can hear chair of the Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company Charlie Lambert discussing this and more with Helen Millican on BBC Radio Cumbria this afternoon - at 1 hour 37 minutes along the timeline https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0gj3rf9.
posted 27/10/23
The breakthrough comes as a result of funding secured from a generous benefactor along with the proceeds of our crowdfunding campaign which was matched by a £20,000 grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund. There's still a long way to go with funding still needed for repairs and renovation work, but this is a real milestone moment.
You can hear chair of the Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company Charlie Lambert discussing this and more with Helen Millican on BBC Radio Cumbria this afternoon - at 1 hour 37 minutes along the timeline https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0gj3rf9.
posted 27/10/23
Charlie steps down as Chair
Charlie Lambert steps down as Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society today, having succeeded Dr Ian Davidson in the role in October 2015. The position will be left open until next year's AGM when a new chair will be elected. The committee is inviting nominations.
Charlie has written a letter to members which has been circulated in the Society's most recent e-bulletin. It's also available in the Members' Area of this website. If you're a member and you haven't yet registered for access to this exclusive area, details are HERE.
He has today added these final thoughts:
"One thing I didn't mention in the letter is that I'm proud of the way we as a committee and a Society came through the Covid lockdowns. The best decision we made was to cancel our AGM in March 2020. So many events were cancelled during Covid that we may forget what a big deal it was, at the time, to call off our annual meeting. The Government had not yet issued any such guidance, and events were going ahead which the committee felt were foolhardy in the extreme, given what was already evident about the infection rates. Subsequently, we worked very hard to maintain Society activities by developing live online events using Zoom, and running an international poetry competition which resulted in the wonderful collection, The Unpredicted Spring. We even managed to put together a terrific collaboration with Wordsworth Grasmere, resulting in our being part of their 'Still Glides the Stream' exhibition. Looking back, I'm very pleased with the way we all dealt with those very challenging circumstances."
posted 24/10/23
Charlie has written a letter to members which has been circulated in the Society's most recent e-bulletin. It's also available in the Members' Area of this website. If you're a member and you haven't yet registered for access to this exclusive area, details are HERE.
He has today added these final thoughts:
"One thing I didn't mention in the letter is that I'm proud of the way we as a committee and a Society came through the Covid lockdowns. The best decision we made was to cancel our AGM in March 2020. So many events were cancelled during Covid that we may forget what a big deal it was, at the time, to call off our annual meeting. The Government had not yet issued any such guidance, and events were going ahead which the committee felt were foolhardy in the extreme, given what was already evident about the infection rates. Subsequently, we worked very hard to maintain Society activities by developing live online events using Zoom, and running an international poetry competition which resulted in the wonderful collection, The Unpredicted Spring. We even managed to put together a terrific collaboration with Wordsworth Grasmere, resulting in our being part of their 'Still Glides the Stream' exhibition. Looking back, I'm very pleased with the way we all dealt with those very challenging circumstances."
posted 24/10/23
'I fancy that songs go on echoing...'
This year, 2023, has been Coronation year, the first in the UK since 1953. And in that year of '53 there were two schools' music concerts to celebrate the Queen's coronation, involving the combined schools of Millom and Haverigg and local musicians, held at the Methodist schoolroom in Queen Street (where else!), on two evenings in May. Norman Nicholson wrote the notes for the official programme, which we're very pleased to reproduce here. Our thanks to Linda de Bruyn-Taylor for sending the images. Linda's father Bramwell Taylor is listed as the trumpet soloist.
posted 14/10/23
'Built to stand / But not stand still...'
Here's the link to a very interesting article in the American journal The Cresset about the Nicholson-inspired art installation 'Walking Wall' created by Andy Goldsworthy in Kansas City in 2019: thecresset.org/2020/Lent/Kurz_L20.html. The author is Joel Kurz, pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Warrensburg, Missouri. There are more details about this astonishing project in our News Archive, dated 21/3/19.
Andy Goldsworthy and the Kansas wall. photo: Julie Denesha
posted 6/10/23
Norman Nicholson Symposium 2023 - report
The venue - Langdale Building
‘Norman Nicholson,’ said Dr Penny Bradshaw when formally opening the symposium, ‘was a vital 20th century poet, one who speaks to us.’ Which, even now in the well-established 21st century, he most certainly does, as evidenced by the many Nicholson academics and enthusiasts who travelled a fair distance to assemble in the lovely surroundings of the University of Cumbria’s Ambleside campus. But why does he continue speak to an audience 36 years after his death? There are many answers to that one, but our opening speaker, Nicholson’s biographer Kathleen Jones, put her finger on perhaps the most vital one, using extracts from Nicholson’s earliest verse plays to place the 1954 poetry collection ‘The Pot Geranium’ in the context of the ‘radical contribution’ made by Nicholson to the cause of environmentalism, then and, very much, now.
Professor Brian Whalley took the train to help us understand Nicholson’s writings about his home territory, tracing his travels around Cumbria by rail, and showing how important the rail network was to the whole industrial development of the western coast. Laura Day, like Brian a member of the Nicholson Society committee, then spoke about Nicholson’s literary relationships, showing how the writings of people as diverse as Ted Hughes and Dante influenced the work coming out of 14 St George’s Terrace.
Professor Brian Whalley took the train to help us understand Nicholson’s writings about his home territory, tracing his travels around Cumbria by rail, and showing how important the rail network was to the whole industrial development of the western coast. Laura Day, like Brian a member of the Nicholson Society committee, then spoke about Nicholson’s literary relationships, showing how the writings of people as diverse as Ted Hughes and Dante influenced the work coming out of 14 St George’s Terrace.
The view from the campus
Lunch was provided free of charge – as were all the printed materials distributed at the symposium – thanks to a very generous donation by a USA-based supporter of the Norman Nicholson Society. The afternoon session began with Judith Gale delivering a paper by David Boyd, an entertaining insight into the trials and tribulations of the Nicholson researcher. This included David’s assertion that Norman was not averse to ‘bending the facts’ when it suited him, as in his claims that he was never in love with Sylvia Lubelsky, his fellow patient at Linford sanatorium, when personal letters show exactly the opposite was true.
Carole Thirlaway examined the long-lasting impact on Norman of the death of his mother, which dovetailed neatly with Ann Thomson’s presentation about the themes of memory which characterise much of his work. Susan Cartwright-Smith looked at the role of Black Combe in Nicholson’s writing, and not simply in the geographical sense. Continuing the topographical theme, Meghan Hillier-Broadley spoke about the lakes and mountains of Cumbria and how they set Norman’s life in a ‘Deep Time’ perspective, and Dr Max Long, in a pre-recorded video presentation, gave us an illuminating insight into Nicholson's topographical notebooks, used by Norman when researching his prose book ‘Greater Lakeland’ in the late 1960s. Full marks to Max for deciphering the handwriting!
Carole Thirlaway examined the long-lasting impact on Norman of the death of his mother, which dovetailed neatly with Ann Thomson’s presentation about the themes of memory which characterise much of his work. Susan Cartwright-Smith looked at the role of Black Combe in Nicholson’s writing, and not simply in the geographical sense. Continuing the topographical theme, Meghan Hillier-Broadley spoke about the lakes and mountains of Cumbria and how they set Norman’s life in a ‘Deep Time’ perspective, and Dr Max Long, in a pre-recorded video presentation, gave us an illuminating insight into Nicholson's topographical notebooks, used by Norman when researching his prose book ‘Greater Lakeland’ in the late 1960s. Full marks to Max for deciphering the handwriting!
Dr Andrew Frayn speaks at the Symposium
After the tea break Dr Antoinette Fawcett gave an expanded version of her talk at our Festival in July, looking at the huge influence on the arts of George Stephenson, director of MidNAG, the Mid Northumberland Arts Group, who worked closely with Nicholson. Antoinette displayed several of the remarkable poetry posters which were produced by MidNAG, some of them featuring Nicholson’s poems. The Society’s chair, Charlie Lambert, ensured that Norman’s own voice was heard in these surroundings again (as Jack Threlfall Hartley noted, Nicholson gave a reading here in 1979) by playing several audio recordings of Norman reading and discussing his work. The event closed with a presentation by Dr Andrew Frayn of Edinburgh Napier University, turning the spotlight on Nicholson’s wartime poems such as ‘Bombing Practice’ and the impact that wartime actions had on a rural community like Millom. Nicholson’s writing, said Andrew, gets away from the dominance of Blitz narratives of the Second World War.
Reaction from those who attended has been very heartening. Planning for this event began almost a year ago following a proposal to the committee from Jack Threlfall Hartley. Dr Penny Bradshaw agreed to host the symposium at the Ambleside campus and Jack and Antoinette Fawcett then set about the detailed planning. Although the programme changed a little over the course of the year, many of the speakers sent in their first ideas regarding involvement in February and March, meaning we could finalise arrangements with confidence. Interest in the symposium was most encouraging, with all places being taken up over a month ahead of the event.
The Society would like to thank everyone involved in making it a success. It was gratifying to hear the kind words of Dr Frayn in the prologue to his presentation, when he said that ‘the Norman Nicholson Society is a fantastically well-run society that does a lot of things that other societies would like to do’.
posted 2/10/23
Reaction from those who attended has been very heartening. Planning for this event began almost a year ago following a proposal to the committee from Jack Threlfall Hartley. Dr Penny Bradshaw agreed to host the symposium at the Ambleside campus and Jack and Antoinette Fawcett then set about the detailed planning. Although the programme changed a little over the course of the year, many of the speakers sent in their first ideas regarding involvement in February and March, meaning we could finalise arrangements with confidence. Interest in the symposium was most encouraging, with all places being taken up over a month ahead of the event.
The Society would like to thank everyone involved in making it a success. It was gratifying to hear the kind words of Dr Frayn in the prologue to his presentation, when he said that ‘the Norman Nicholson Society is a fantastically well-run society that does a lot of things that other societies would like to do’.
posted 2/10/23
Nicholson symposium - a great success!
Thank you to everyone who came to our Symposium at the University of Cumbria in Ambleside on Saturday! It was an excellent event which brought together Nicholson academics and enthusiasts from far and wide at a wonderful venue. Special thanks to Dr Penny Bradshaw and the staff and students of the university, all the speakers, and our own committee members Antoinette Fawcett and Jack Threlfall-Hartley, for making it all happen. Full report will be posted here shortly.
posted 2/10/23
posted 2/10/23
Caroline Gilfillan
We are very sad and shocked to learn that our member Caroline Gilfillan has died. She had been ill for some time but was nevertheless due to attend the Society's symposium in Ambleside this weekend.
Our vice-president Kathleen Jones writes: 'Caroline was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. She was an accomplished musician and poet, inspirational workshop leader, author of a recent collection Hail Sisters of the Revolution, rooted in her experience as a feminist in the 1970s, four other collections of poetry and a novel. She was one of the writers included in the anthology, North Country, published this year by Saraband. A recent recruit to the Nicholson Society, she was a big fan of his work and performed at the Nicholson Society Festival in Millom in July. She was actively writing and taking part in workshops until last week. Her presence will be very much missed. Heartfelt condolences to all her family and friends.'
posted 27/9/23, updated 29/9/23
Our vice-president Kathleen Jones writes: 'Caroline was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. She was an accomplished musician and poet, inspirational workshop leader, author of a recent collection Hail Sisters of the Revolution, rooted in her experience as a feminist in the 1970s, four other collections of poetry and a novel. She was one of the writers included in the anthology, North Country, published this year by Saraband. A recent recruit to the Nicholson Society, she was a big fan of his work and performed at the Nicholson Society Festival in Millom in July. She was actively writing and taking part in workshops until last week. Her presence will be very much missed. Heartfelt condolences to all her family and friends.'
posted 27/9/23, updated 29/9/23
Line-up announced for our Ambleside Symposium
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The full line-up of speakers has been announced for the Society's Symposium in conjunction with the University of Cumbria's Centre for National Parks and Protected Areas (CNPPA). The event, at the University's Ambleside campus on Saturday September 30th, will be hosted by Associate Professor Penny Bradshaw, Programme Leader for the MA in Literature, Romanticism and the English Lake District, and our committee members Dr Antoinette Fawcett and Jack Threlfall Hartley. Registration is from 10am for 10.30 start. The event will end around 5pm.
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Attendees must reserve their places in advance. All places were taken within days of first announcing the event, but a couple of places have just come available. If you'd like to attend please register as soon as possible by emailing [email protected]. It's free, and complimentary refreshments and lunch will be provided thanks to a very generous donation to the Society by a benefactor currently based in the USA.
We will hear presentations in the morning from:
Kathleen Jones: Radical Nicholson: A Voice for the 21st Century
Professor Brian Whalley Norman Nicholson’s Local Travels: the Railways, Anthropocene and Capitalocene of West Cumbria
Laura Day Nicholson’s Literary Friends: Seeking Connections in His Body of Work
Afternoon session:
David Boyd and Judith Gale The Art of Coarse Nicholson Research
Carole Thirlaway Early Traumas and Their Effect upon the Life and Works of Norman Nicholson
Ann Thomson ‘The Screes of the Slithering Moment’: Norman Nicholson and Concepts of Memory
Susan Cartwright-Smith Black Combe as a Beacon
Meghann Hillier-Broadley Time in the Topographical Literature and Poetry of Norman Nicholson
Dr. Max Long Norman Nicholson’s Topographical Notes at the John Rylands Library (Video Presentation)
FInal session:
Dr. Antoinette Fawcett Sowing the Seed: George Stephenson, MidNAG and Norman Nicholson
Charlie Lambert ‘Listen! For God’s sake – LISTEN!’
Dr. Andrew Frayn Norman Nicholson and Rural Wartime
posted 11/9/23
ALS newsletter available now
The autumn edition of the Alliance of Literary Societies' Newsletter is now available to our members and can be found in the Members' Area of this website. If you are a member of the Norman Nicholson Society you are eligible to access this members-only section. How to do this - click HERE . This latest newsletter includes details of the ALS's AGM next year which will be held in the Lake District.
posted 10/9/23
posted 10/9/23
'I wonder, Duddon, if you still remember...'
An exhibition of paintings and sketches from a field trip inspired in part by Norman Nicholson's poetry will be held at Seathwaite Parish Room, Seathwaite, LA20 6ED, this Sunday, August 27th, 3pm to 6pm. The exhibition is the result of a visit to Cumbria in June by a group of artists from Yorkshire. The event was organised by Cole's Gallery in Leeds and Wallace Seymour Fine Art Products of Settle, who took the group on a journey of artistic exploration along the full length of the River Duddon, from source to sea. The day included a visit to Millom. On Sunday the work inspired by the visit will be on show. All welcome.
posted 21/8/23
posted 21/8/23
Remembering 'The Old Man of the Mountains'
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'The Old Man of the Mountains' was Nicholson's first verse play, commissioned by E.Martin Browne who ran the Pilgrim Players, premiered at the Mercury Theatre in London shortly after VE Day in 1945, and published by Faber & Faber in 1946. The London production was well received (even though TS Eliot, who attended the opening night with Norman, remained impassive throughout, contenting himself with the verdict 'Promising, Nicholson - promising'!) The play was later performed by the Workington Playgoers Club at the town's Theatre Royal, in December 1946, and received a detailed review in the Cumberland Evening Star. The paper reported that the audience 'was completely fascinated by this unusual play' and described it as extremely moving and absorbing, with 'brilliant and compelling poetry interlaced with some first-class comedy in broad dialect'. You can find the review and photos of the performance on the theatre's website: https://www.theatre-royal-workington.co.uk/1946-the-old-man-of-the-mountains/
'The Old Man of the Mountains' was followed by 'Prophesy to the Wind' (1947), 'A Match for the Devil' (1955) - controversial because of its depiction of prostitution in the temple - and finally 'Birth by Drowning' (1959). David Boyd, in his book 'Norman Nicholson, A Literary Life' (Seascale Press, 2015) says that the plays 'provide invaluable and clear insights into Nicholson's other works, however dated, unloved and forgotten they may now have become. They still, if only for this reason, continue handsomely to repay scrutiny.' |
Cumbria Uni to host our Nicholson Symposium
We are delighted to announce that there will be a full-day Norman Nicholson Symposium to be held at the University of Cumbria, Ambleside Campus, on Saturday, September 30th 2023, in conjunction with the University’s Centre for
National Parks and Protected Areas (CNPPA) and with Associate Professor Penny Bradshaw, who is Programme Leader for the MA in Literature, Romanticism and the English Lake District, and Theme Lead for Cultural Landscapes within the CNPPA.
The day will give speakers a chance to share their work and all participants the opportunity to engage with what is happening in current Nicholson Studies in an informal and welcoming atmosphere on a beautiful campus in the heart of the Lake
District. It will be free of charge to all and will include refreshments and a light lunch. This has been made possible by a very generous donation to the Norman Nicholson Society by an anonymous donor based in the USA.
We are limiting applications to this symposium to 50 places to ensure that everyone who attends has the opportunity to engage with the speakers and each other.
Applications to attend are open to anyone, not only members of the Norman Nicholson Society. We would particularly encourage students of literature and creative writing to attend, but the Symposium is aimed at a broad audience. Please
do spread the word.
Speakers will include Norman Nicholson Society Vice-Presidents Kathleen Jones and David Boyd, Dr. Andrew Frayn (Edinburgh Napier University), and Society Chair Charlie Lambert, as well as a number of past and present students of Nicholson’s work. The topics to be presented and discussed will cover a wide range of angles on Nicholson’s work, including biographical,
ecological/environmental, geological, archival and historical. More information about our speakers and their topics will be released in the weeks leading up to the Symposium. For further information, including a detailed timetable for the day, please check this website and our social media regularly (Facebook: Norman Nicholson Society. Twitter: @nnicholsonpoet). The event is provisionally scheduled to start at 10.30am with arrivals/registration from 10am.
Applications to attend should be sent to the Norman Nicholson Society at [email protected]. Please give your name and contact details (email address and mobile telephone number), any affiliations (university, college or society), and indicate whether you are happy for your email address to be shared with other attendees.
The deadline for applying to attend the Symposium is Friday 15th September, 2023. All are welcome!
posted 11/8/23
UPDATE: All places at the Symposium have now been taken. We're starting a reserve list in case people drop out. If you'd like to put your name on that list, please check the information above, and send your details by email to [email protected].
posted 18/8/23
National Parks and Protected Areas (CNPPA) and with Associate Professor Penny Bradshaw, who is Programme Leader for the MA in Literature, Romanticism and the English Lake District, and Theme Lead for Cultural Landscapes within the CNPPA.
The day will give speakers a chance to share their work and all participants the opportunity to engage with what is happening in current Nicholson Studies in an informal and welcoming atmosphere on a beautiful campus in the heart of the Lake
District. It will be free of charge to all and will include refreshments and a light lunch. This has been made possible by a very generous donation to the Norman Nicholson Society by an anonymous donor based in the USA.
We are limiting applications to this symposium to 50 places to ensure that everyone who attends has the opportunity to engage with the speakers and each other.
Applications to attend are open to anyone, not only members of the Norman Nicholson Society. We would particularly encourage students of literature and creative writing to attend, but the Symposium is aimed at a broad audience. Please
do spread the word.
Speakers will include Norman Nicholson Society Vice-Presidents Kathleen Jones and David Boyd, Dr. Andrew Frayn (Edinburgh Napier University), and Society Chair Charlie Lambert, as well as a number of past and present students of Nicholson’s work. The topics to be presented and discussed will cover a wide range of angles on Nicholson’s work, including biographical,
ecological/environmental, geological, archival and historical. More information about our speakers and their topics will be released in the weeks leading up to the Symposium. For further information, including a detailed timetable for the day, please check this website and our social media regularly (Facebook: Norman Nicholson Society. Twitter: @nnicholsonpoet). The event is provisionally scheduled to start at 10.30am with arrivals/registration from 10am.
Applications to attend should be sent to the Norman Nicholson Society at [email protected]. Please give your name and contact details (email address and mobile telephone number), any affiliations (university, college or society), and indicate whether you are happy for your email address to be shared with other attendees.
The deadline for applying to attend the Symposium is Friday 15th September, 2023. All are welcome!
posted 11/8/23
UPDATE: All places at the Symposium have now been taken. We're starting a reserve list in case people drop out. If you'd like to put your name on that list, please check the information above, and send your details by email to [email protected].
posted 18/8/23
Nicholson and Cumbrian Poetic Landscapes
Nicholson specialist and member of the Norman Nicholson Society committee Laura Day is to give a talk on Nicholson's poetry at 2pm on Tuesday August 29th at the Armitt Museum in Ambleside. The talk is titled 'Norman Nicholson and Cumbrian Poetic Landscapes' and will explore the way Nicholson connects to the landscape through both his poetry and prose, a theme close to Laura's heart, having grown up on a sheep farm in east Cumbria. Laura’s recently-completed PhD looked at Nicholson's poetry and how it helps us to reflect on the climate crisis of the 21st century.
The event is organised by the Armitt Museum. Tickets are £5, bookable at EVENTS | ARMITT MUSEUM AND LIBRARY.
posted 10/8/23
The event is organised by the Armitt Museum. Tickets are £5, bookable at EVENTS | ARMITT MUSEUM AND LIBRARY.
posted 10/8/23
ALS Journal now available to our members
The new edition of ALSo, the journal of the Alliance of Literary Societies, is now out and available free of charge to members of the Norman Nicholson Society. It can be found by logging on to the Members Area of this website. Details of how to do this, and how to join our Society, can be found HERE. If you are not already a member, why not join us now? You would be very welcome and there's always something going on!
posted 4/8/23
posted 4/8/23
Two contemplative poets
Our member and long-time supporter of the Society, Grevel Lindop, is to host a fascinating one-day event to take place in London on Saturday September 9th. The event, organised by the Meditatio Centre in Clerkenwell, is entitled: T.S. Eliot and Kathleen Raine: Two Contemplative Poets. This will focus on the meditative nature of the work of these two poets, who of course each played a sizeable part in the development of Norman Nicholson as a poet. The event starts at 10.30am and continues until 4pm, and you can attend in person or online. More information including registration details can be found at https://meditatiocentrelondon.org/events/ts-eliot-and-kathleen-raine-two-contemplative-poets/
posted 28/7/23
posted 28/7/23
We are Society of the Month!
To our absolute delight, the Norman Nicholson Society has been named Society of the Month by the Alliance of Literary Societies! This is how the ALS announced the news on Twitter: Our society of the month is the extremely busy @NNicholsonPoet. This is wonderful to see as we gather our breath after our 2023 Festival in Millom, and yes, we have been extremely busy! There's not much relaxation either, because we are now switching our focus to our upcoming study day in collaboration with the University of Cumbria in Ambleside on September 30th. Thank you, ALS!
posted 10/7/23
posted 10/7/23
Simone joins our committee
It's our great pleasure to announce that Simone Faulkner has joined the committee of the Norman Nicholson Society.
Simone is a long-term resident of Haverigg, a retired teacher from Millom School where she is now a governor, a town councillor representing Haverigg ward, and is currently the Mayor of Millom. She is also a huge admirer of Nicholson's work, as she reminded the audience when opening the Norman Nicholson Festival in her official role as Mayor last weekend.
Chair of the Society Charlie Lambert said: 'It is quite a coup for us to have Simone on our committee. She brings so much enthusiasm, and has built up such an enviable reputation in Millom, that we are fortunate to have her on board. I didn't think there was any chance of her joining us when she has so many official commitments as Mayor, but she really wanted to get involved and we are all looking forward to working with her to continue the progress of the Society'.
Simone is a long-term resident of Haverigg, a retired teacher from Millom School where she is now a governor, a town councillor representing Haverigg ward, and is currently the Mayor of Millom. She is also a huge admirer of Nicholson's work, as she reminded the audience when opening the Norman Nicholson Festival in her official role as Mayor last weekend.
Chair of the Society Charlie Lambert said: 'It is quite a coup for us to have Simone on our committee. She brings so much enthusiasm, and has built up such an enviable reputation in Millom, that we are fortunate to have her on board. I didn't think there was any chance of her joining us when she has so many official commitments as Mayor, but she really wanted to get involved and we are all looking forward to working with her to continue the progress of the Society'.
Mayor of Millom, Cllr Simone Faulkner, opens the 2023 Norman Nicholson Festival. Photo: CHARLIE LAMBERT
posted 6/7/23
Festival 2023 brings inspiration and creates memories
Thank you to everyone who played a part in making the Norman Nicholson Festival 2023 such a success! Speakers, presenters, performers, workshop and walk leaders, the venues and their staff, our funders Millom Town Council, Dobies Charitable Trust, and Millom CGP Trust, our hard-working committee, and most of everyone who came to the events. Full report and pictures can be seen HERE.
posted 3/7/23, updated 6/7/23
posted 3/7/23, updated 6/7/23
Great news from Millom CGP Trust
Millom CGP Trust has announced £500 in funding towards our 2023 Festival which opens in Millom tomorrow. This is a wonderful gesture by the Trust, which has now supported all three of our festivals since they resumed in this longer format in 2019. Their support, along with that of our other funders Millom Town Council and Dobies Charitable Trust, vindicates our decision to run all bar one of this year's events free of charge, to ensure they are as accessible as possible. The only event for which there's an admission fee of £5 cash is 'Our North Country', a celebration in words and music of our own special part of the world. That's at 7.30pm on Saturday at the Beggar's Theatre, Millom, with award-winning Northern writer Karen Lloyd, some of Cumbria's top poets, and the unique singer/songwriter Steve Wharton who'll be making his farewell appearance before moving to China.
posted 29/6/23
posted 29/6/23
Cumbria Life magazine highlights Norman and our App
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Norman Nicholson and our Walking Trails App are featured prominently in a major article in the June edition of Cumbria Life magazine. The magazine's editor, Sarah French, made good use of our App to explore the town and surroundings of Millom, and catch up on a lot of the history which our app describes. As the headline suggests, the article is not rooted in the past but looks ahead to an uplifting future, given all the initiatives currently being seen in and around the town - and we continue to work hard to make Nicholson House part of that.
To find and download the app, simply search for 'Norman Nicholson's Millom'. posted 6/6/23 |
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Millom Town Council grant boosts our Festival
Millom Town Council has shown its support for this year's Norman Nicholson Festival by making us a grant of £200 towards the costs of putting on the event. This is further evidence of much-valued support from the Council which also backed our festivals in 2019 and 2021. This year's three-day event begins on Friday June 30th when Nicholson's house will be open for people to drop in between 2pm and 4pm (ground floor only), followed by a social gathering for members, supporters, partners and friends at the Clock Tower 1st floor bar, Market Square, from 7pm. Full details of the festival, which continues on Saturday July 1st and Sunday July 2nd, are HERE.
posted 1/6/23
posted 1/6/23
'Every spiky belfry humming with a peal of bees...'
Nicholson's fascination with, and intimate knowledge of, the less appreciated plants of our county were explored in depth at an online event hosted by Cumbria Arts & Culture Network last Wednesday (May 17th). The event, titled 'Norman Nicholson and the weeds and flora of West Cumbria', was part of the Arts Council-funded 'Deep Time' project and featured presentations by our committee member and editor of Comet Antoinette Fawcett and Rebecca Slack of Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre. The chair, Tom Speight, said afterwards: 'This was a very good session. Antoinette and Rebecca were top class. It was really, really interesting.'
And the event resulted in at least one more person finding out about the value of Nicholson's work. Rebecca Slack said: 'I have discovered Nicholson as a result which is a fantastic outcome! I'm also finding out more about the cultural events happening across Cumbria which is no bad thing!'
posted 22/5/23
And the event resulted in at least one more person finding out about the value of Nicholson's work. Rebecca Slack said: 'I have discovered Nicholson as a result which is a fantastic outcome! I'm also finding out more about the cultural events happening across Cumbria which is no bad thing!'
posted 22/5/23
Dobies Charitable Trust supports our Festival
Dobies Charitable Trust is supporting this year's Norman Nicholson Festival by making a grant of £500 towards the cost of staging the event. The trust, based in Workington, has distributed over £250,000 over the years, helping community groups across Cumbria. Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: 'This is a wonderful gesture by Dobies. It does cost money to put on a festival like this, and we are making it as accessible as possible by running everything free of charge with the exception of the Saturday night show at the Beggar's Theatre, so Dobies' support means a great deal'.
More information about the Trust and how other community organisations can apply for funding HERE.
posted 16/5/23
More information about the Trust and how other community organisations can apply for funding HERE.
posted 16/5/23
NORMAN NICHOLSON FESTIVAL 2023
We’re delighted to announce the line-up of our 2023 Festival, to take place in Millom and Haverigg from Friday June 30th to Sunday July 2nd.
The Festival will be headlined by the award-winning author and Writer in Residence at Lancaster University KAREN LLOYD, and also includes the director and cast of the Nicholson-inspired short film SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN, Cumbria’s outstanding folk singer and composer STEVE WHARTON, the poets KATE DAVIS and MIKE SMITH, and artist and designer ALAN ROPER.
There’ll also be the chance to visit Norman Nicholson’s lifelong home and take part in a study session in the building where he wrote many of his poems, plus a guided walk to Nicholson locations.
All events are free except for the Saturday evening event at the Beggar’s Theatre.
This is the full schedule:
Friday June 30th
2pm – 4pm Open house at Nicholson’s lifelong home, 14 St George’s Terrace, Millom LA18 4DB. Drop in, look around, and you might even hear the poet’s own voice (please note, only the ground floor will be open).
7pm – 10pm Social get-together at the Clock Tower, 1st floor bar, Market Square, Millom LA18 4HZ. For members of the Society, partners, friends and supporters.
Saturday July 1st
11am – 12.30pm Formal opening of the Festival and talk by KAREN LLOYD: Native; Landscape, Literature and Belonging.
Venue: The Higgins Room, Millom Community Hub, Salthouse Road. LA18 5AB. Doors open 10.30am. Admission free.
Karen is the editor of North Country, the new anthology of writing about the north of England published by Saraband. She has published two award-winning books with Saraband, The Gathering Tide: A Journey Around the Edgelands of Morecambe Bay (2015) and The Blackbird Diaries (2017). Her most recent book, Abundance: Nature in Recovery (Bloomsbury, 2021) was longlisted for the James Cropper Wainwright Prize for Writing on Conservation in 2022. She has been commissioned by the BBC and her poetry has been published by Wayleave Press and Corbel Stone Press. Her essays and poetry are published on Lit Hub and Ink Sweat and Tears among others.
2pm – 5pm ‘Short Films, Wide Horizons’ Screening of two short films which examine the inter-action of the Cumbrian landscape with human emotions, health, and psychology. The afternoon is divided into two sessions; you may attend either or both.
Venue: The Beggar’s Theatre, Market Square, Millom LA18 4HZ. Doors open 1.30pm. Admission free.
Session 1, 2pm -3.15pm Shadow of the Mountain
Winner of the Osprey Short Film Award at Keswick Film Festival. We will be joined by the director SIMON PHELPS and members of the cast to discuss the film with ANTOINETTE FAWCETT, who will explain how the production was inspired by a Nicholson poem.
Session 2, 4pm – 5pm The Girl Who Forgets How to Walk
The film (produced by Julia Parks) reinterprets a series of poems by KATE DAVIS telling a very personal story of illness, disability, challenge, and triumph. Screening to be followed by Kate in conversation with ANN THOMSON, whose MA from the University of Cumbria included a dissertation on how life-changing illness and disability contributed to the poetry of both Kate and Norman Nicholson.
7.30pm – 10pm ‘Our North Country’
Venue: The Beggar’s Theatre, Market Square, Millom LA18 4HZ. Doors open 7pm. Admission £5 CASH ONLY on the door. Under-18s free.
Words and music to celebrate our part of the world, featuring KAREN LLOYD and writers whose work is included in her new book North Country, and the ground-breaking Cumbrian singer and composer STEVE WHARTON. An uplifting experience to celebrate the roots and culture that we share with each other – and with Norman Nicholson.
Sunday July 2nd
11am – 12.30pm Joe Nicholson’s Walk
A guided walk led by JONATHAN POWELL following the regular route of Norman’s father Joe Nicholson when he took a break from work in the shop. The walk will take approximately one hour on good surfaces, pausing at a dozen locations around the town. No need to book, just turn up. Meet outside 14 St George’s Terrace.
11am – 1pm Hearing the Words. Two sessions, limited to six participants per session.
Venue: 14 St George’s Terrace, Millom LA18 4DB.
Join ANTOINETTE FAWCETT for a meditative deep listening session in Norman Nicholson's own home, where we will use one of his poems as the main source for the exercise. Put aside all your preconceptions and listen to the words. Bring yourselves and a notebook and writing implement for some reflections on what you sense, feel, think and experience.
Antoinette Fawcett is a literary translator. She edits Comet, the magazine of the Norman Nicholson Society.
Session 1: 11am – 11.45am. Session 2: 1200 – 12.45pm. Places are limited to six participants for
each session. Please book in advance by emailing [email protected] by 5pm on Friday June 30th (note, this deadline has been extended from the original of June 26th). First come first served. Please note, the sessions will take place on the ground floor and not the attic bedroom as previously published.
11am – 12.30pm and 1pm – 2.30pm Art Workshops for children with ALAN ROPER
Venue: Haverigg Primary School, Atkinson Street, Haverigg LA18 4HA
A chance to learn from the expert. This is a workshop for children aged 7 to 11, accompanied by an adult. Led by artist ALAN ROPER whose work ranges from graphic design for the Norman Nicholson Society to murals in his home town of Maryport. Alan’s work has also been featured on the BBC TV programme Countryfile. We will use Nicholson’s poem ‘Weeds’ as our inspiration for this workshop. Have a go at art or develop the skills you already possess. There’s no charge and all materials will be provided. Numbers are limited to 10 children per workshop and you must book in advance by emailing [email protected], stating how many people (children and adults) will attend, and which of the two workshops you want, by 5pm on Friday June 30th (note, this deadline has been extended from the original of June 26th). First come first served.
2pm - 3pm ‘I would make a poem…’ Nicholson’s poetry, Nicholson’s voice.
Venue: Haverigg Primary School, Atkinson Street, Haverigg LA18 4HA
The poet MIKE SMITH talks about the day, forty years ago, when he recorded Nicholson reading his own work in Norman’s home. A chance to hear first-hand from someone who knew Nicholson and also to listen to those recordings. In conversation with CHARLIE LAMBERT. No need to book.
3pm – 3.30pm Conclusion
Venue: Haverigg Primary School, Atkinson Street, Haverigg LA18 4HA
Reflections and more. LAURA DAY, our committee member and PhD student researching the poetry and prose of Norman Nicholson, looks back over the festival, picks up loose ends, and ties threads together.
ALL EVENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE EXCEPT FOR THE SATURDAY EVENING ‘OUR NORTH COUNTRY’ EVENT AT THE BEGGAR’S THEATRE WHICH IS £5 CASH ON THE DOOR (UNDER 18s FREE). PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST RESERVE YOUR PLACES IN ADVANCE FOR ‘HEARING THE WORDS’ AND ALAN ROPER’S ART WORKSHOPS BY EMAIL TO [email protected] BY 1200 ON MONDAY JUNE 26th.
All enquiries to [email protected]
posted 15/5/23
We’re delighted to announce the line-up of our 2023 Festival, to take place in Millom and Haverigg from Friday June 30th to Sunday July 2nd.
The Festival will be headlined by the award-winning author and Writer in Residence at Lancaster University KAREN LLOYD, and also includes the director and cast of the Nicholson-inspired short film SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN, Cumbria’s outstanding folk singer and composer STEVE WHARTON, the poets KATE DAVIS and MIKE SMITH, and artist and designer ALAN ROPER.
There’ll also be the chance to visit Norman Nicholson’s lifelong home and take part in a study session in the building where he wrote many of his poems, plus a guided walk to Nicholson locations.
All events are free except for the Saturday evening event at the Beggar’s Theatre.
This is the full schedule:
Friday June 30th
2pm – 4pm Open house at Nicholson’s lifelong home, 14 St George’s Terrace, Millom LA18 4DB. Drop in, look around, and you might even hear the poet’s own voice (please note, only the ground floor will be open).
7pm – 10pm Social get-together at the Clock Tower, 1st floor bar, Market Square, Millom LA18 4HZ. For members of the Society, partners, friends and supporters.
Saturday July 1st
11am – 12.30pm Formal opening of the Festival and talk by KAREN LLOYD: Native; Landscape, Literature and Belonging.
Venue: The Higgins Room, Millom Community Hub, Salthouse Road. LA18 5AB. Doors open 10.30am. Admission free.
Karen is the editor of North Country, the new anthology of writing about the north of England published by Saraband. She has published two award-winning books with Saraband, The Gathering Tide: A Journey Around the Edgelands of Morecambe Bay (2015) and The Blackbird Diaries (2017). Her most recent book, Abundance: Nature in Recovery (Bloomsbury, 2021) was longlisted for the James Cropper Wainwright Prize for Writing on Conservation in 2022. She has been commissioned by the BBC and her poetry has been published by Wayleave Press and Corbel Stone Press. Her essays and poetry are published on Lit Hub and Ink Sweat and Tears among others.
2pm – 5pm ‘Short Films, Wide Horizons’ Screening of two short films which examine the inter-action of the Cumbrian landscape with human emotions, health, and psychology. The afternoon is divided into two sessions; you may attend either or both.
Venue: The Beggar’s Theatre, Market Square, Millom LA18 4HZ. Doors open 1.30pm. Admission free.
Session 1, 2pm -3.15pm Shadow of the Mountain
Winner of the Osprey Short Film Award at Keswick Film Festival. We will be joined by the director SIMON PHELPS and members of the cast to discuss the film with ANTOINETTE FAWCETT, who will explain how the production was inspired by a Nicholson poem.
Session 2, 4pm – 5pm The Girl Who Forgets How to Walk
The film (produced by Julia Parks) reinterprets a series of poems by KATE DAVIS telling a very personal story of illness, disability, challenge, and triumph. Screening to be followed by Kate in conversation with ANN THOMSON, whose MA from the University of Cumbria included a dissertation on how life-changing illness and disability contributed to the poetry of both Kate and Norman Nicholson.
7.30pm – 10pm ‘Our North Country’
Venue: The Beggar’s Theatre, Market Square, Millom LA18 4HZ. Doors open 7pm. Admission £5 CASH ONLY on the door. Under-18s free.
Words and music to celebrate our part of the world, featuring KAREN LLOYD and writers whose work is included in her new book North Country, and the ground-breaking Cumbrian singer and composer STEVE WHARTON. An uplifting experience to celebrate the roots and culture that we share with each other – and with Norman Nicholson.
Sunday July 2nd
11am – 12.30pm Joe Nicholson’s Walk
A guided walk led by JONATHAN POWELL following the regular route of Norman’s father Joe Nicholson when he took a break from work in the shop. The walk will take approximately one hour on good surfaces, pausing at a dozen locations around the town. No need to book, just turn up. Meet outside 14 St George’s Terrace.
11am – 1pm Hearing the Words. Two sessions, limited to six participants per session.
Venue: 14 St George’s Terrace, Millom LA18 4DB.
Join ANTOINETTE FAWCETT for a meditative deep listening session in Norman Nicholson's own home, where we will use one of his poems as the main source for the exercise. Put aside all your preconceptions and listen to the words. Bring yourselves and a notebook and writing implement for some reflections on what you sense, feel, think and experience.
Antoinette Fawcett is a literary translator. She edits Comet, the magazine of the Norman Nicholson Society.
Session 1: 11am – 11.45am. Session 2: 1200 – 12.45pm. Places are limited to six participants for
each session. Please book in advance by emailing [email protected] by 5pm on Friday June 30th (note, this deadline has been extended from the original of June 26th). First come first served. Please note, the sessions will take place on the ground floor and not the attic bedroom as previously published.
11am – 12.30pm and 1pm – 2.30pm Art Workshops for children with ALAN ROPER
Venue: Haverigg Primary School, Atkinson Street, Haverigg LA18 4HA
A chance to learn from the expert. This is a workshop for children aged 7 to 11, accompanied by an adult. Led by artist ALAN ROPER whose work ranges from graphic design for the Norman Nicholson Society to murals in his home town of Maryport. Alan’s work has also been featured on the BBC TV programme Countryfile. We will use Nicholson’s poem ‘Weeds’ as our inspiration for this workshop. Have a go at art or develop the skills you already possess. There’s no charge and all materials will be provided. Numbers are limited to 10 children per workshop and you must book in advance by emailing [email protected], stating how many people (children and adults) will attend, and which of the two workshops you want, by 5pm on Friday June 30th (note, this deadline has been extended from the original of June 26th). First come first served.
2pm - 3pm ‘I would make a poem…’ Nicholson’s poetry, Nicholson’s voice.
Venue: Haverigg Primary School, Atkinson Street, Haverigg LA18 4HA
The poet MIKE SMITH talks about the day, forty years ago, when he recorded Nicholson reading his own work in Norman’s home. A chance to hear first-hand from someone who knew Nicholson and also to listen to those recordings. In conversation with CHARLIE LAMBERT. No need to book.
3pm – 3.30pm Conclusion
Venue: Haverigg Primary School, Atkinson Street, Haverigg LA18 4HA
Reflections and more. LAURA DAY, our committee member and PhD student researching the poetry and prose of Norman Nicholson, looks back over the festival, picks up loose ends, and ties threads together.
ALL EVENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE EXCEPT FOR THE SATURDAY EVENING ‘OUR NORTH COUNTRY’ EVENT AT THE BEGGAR’S THEATRE WHICH IS £5 CASH ON THE DOOR (UNDER 18s FREE). PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST RESERVE YOUR PLACES IN ADVANCE FOR ‘HEARING THE WORDS’ AND ALAN ROPER’S ART WORKSHOPS BY EMAIL TO [email protected] BY 1200 ON MONDAY JUNE 26th.
All enquiries to [email protected]
posted 15/5/23
Discussing Nicholson online
Two recent instances of writers discussing Norman Nicholson's work have appeared online. Jill Segger, on the Ekklesia website, writes about Nicholson's ability to combine the local with the ubiquitous, the now with the eternal. You can read it HERE. Jill is a freelance writer and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Nicholson also features in work funded by the Irish Research Council, investigating cultural influences on the Irish Sea coasts. The outcome of that research is HERE - click through to the Scenic Appreciation section to find references to Nicholson's work.
posted 10/5/23
posted 10/5/23
In pride of place
The bust of Norman Nicholson which for nearly 40 years watched over readers and students at the former Millom Library was unveiled in its new home yesterday. Deputy Mayor of Millom Cllr Simone Faulkner did the honours to mark the relocation of the bust to the new library within Millom Community Hub on Salthouse Road. Cllr Faulkner recalled learning about Nicholson's poetry as a schoolgirl in Surrey and the instant impact it had on her. The Society's chair Charlie Lambert read a short extract from Nicholson's verse play 'The Old Man of the Mountains' to demonstrate how relevant the poet's work remains to this day, our Schools & Community Liaison Officer Sue Dawson spoke about the importance of the former library to Nicholson, and students from the neighbouring Millom School, Violet and Nina, gave readings from Nicholson's prose and poetry.
We are very grateful to Cllr Faulkner; her attendance underlines the continuing importance of Nicholson to the town. Our thanks also to Tom, Rachel, Natalie and Fiona from the library staff for their enthusiastic support and making everyone so welcome.
We are very grateful to Cllr Faulkner; her attendance underlines the continuing importance of Nicholson to the town. Our thanks also to Tom, Rachel, Natalie and Fiona from the library staff for their enthusiastic support and making everyone so welcome.
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posted 27/4/23
Norman to be 'unveiled' all over again
A short ceremony will take place at Millom Library next week to mark the installation of the Norman Nicholson bust in its new location, following the library’s move from St George’s Road to its current home at Millom Community Centre on Salthouse Road. The bust, by the sculptor Joan Palmer, was originally placed at the former library in 1984, when the unveiling was attended by Norman himself.
To mark the move to new premises the bust will be unveiled again, to take place on Wednesday April 26th at 12 noon, attended by the Deputy Mayor of Millom Councillor Simone Faulkner, the Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert, Millom Library’s Outreach Officer Rachel Haroulis, and pupils from Millom School, one of whom will read a Nicholson poem.
Charlie Lambert said: ‘The old library was very important to Nicholson; in fact part of his schooling took place in that building. The library’s location has changed but Nicholson’s legacy is stronger than ever and I’m delighted that he is being celebrated in this way.’
All are welcome to attend.
posted 20/4/23
To mark the move to new premises the bust will be unveiled again, to take place on Wednesday April 26th at 12 noon, attended by the Deputy Mayor of Millom Councillor Simone Faulkner, the Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert, Millom Library’s Outreach Officer Rachel Haroulis, and pupils from Millom School, one of whom will read a Nicholson poem.
Charlie Lambert said: ‘The old library was very important to Nicholson; in fact part of his schooling took place in that building. The library’s location has changed but Nicholson’s legacy is stronger than ever and I’m delighted that he is being celebrated in this way.’
All are welcome to attend.
posted 20/4/23
May 8th deadline for Nicholson poetry offer
Society members wishing to buy a copy of the new selection of Nicholson poems, 'Changeless Map of Stars', have until May 8th to order before the pamphlet goes on general sale. The publishers, Greville Press, are kindly retaining a number of copies of this short-run edition to cater for our members. The 12-poem collection, with a preface by our chair Charlie Lambert, is available for £7.50 plus £1.50 p&p, obtainable by cheque payable to Anthony Astbury, posted to The Greville Press, 6 Mellors Court, The Butts, Warwick CV34 4ST.
posted 13/4/23
posted 13/4/23
Antoinette to speak at 'Deep Time' event on Nicholson's nature
Our committee member and editor of 'Comet' Antoinette Fawcett will join up with Rebecca Slack of Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre to present an online event, 'Norman Nicholson and the weeds and flora of West Cumbria', part of the Arts Council-funded 'Deep Time' project. Nicholson was fascinated by the natural and industrial landscapes of his native region, particularly around the iron ore mines of Hodbarrow and the nearby Millom ironworks. After the closure of the iron industries these areas were slowly reclaimed by nature and have become rich pockets of ecology. Nicholson’s interest in the regenerative force of nature is reflected in his writing, which often features plants such as the bloody cranesbill, pearlwort, and bee orchid. This online talk, on Wednesday May 17th, 6pm-7.30pm, will focus on Nicholson, the role of plant life in his writing, and the flora of the Cumbrian west coast. Antoinette will be in discussion with Rebecca who will delve into the particularities of the plant species, where they can be found, and names for plants that are particular to the Cumbria.This online talk is hosted by Cumbria Arts & Culture Network and chaired by Tom Speight and will be followed by questions from the audience.
The event is free but attendees should register in advance via Eventbrite.
posted 4/4/23
The event is free but attendees should register in advance via Eventbrite.
posted 4/4/23
Marie is the Society's new secretary
We are delighted to announce that Marie Hodgson has been co-opted to the Society's committee and will take over the position of secretary from Janice Brockbank in the near future. Marie, originally from Cumbria, now lives in Manchester where she works as a specialist in urban regeneration. Welcome to our committee Marie! And thank you Janice for doing a great job as secretary over the last three and a half years.
posted 28/3/23
posted 28/3/23
Join us this Saturday to reflect on 'A Local Habitation'
'Mr Nicholson's reputation is by now secure; and 'A Local Habitation' will enhance it notably.' So states the flyleaf of the poet's 1972 collection. Over the last 12 months we've been discussing the collection and its place within Nicholson's output and this Saturday we will round it off with an online discussion: 'The Scope and Scape of A Local Habitation: An Assessment of its
Fiftieth Year', led by Antoinette Fawcett. After Antoinette's opening presentation we will invite further contributions and discussion. The focus will be points arising from the presentation, plus a look back at our celebration of this collection.
Many of our 2022 activities were centred on 'A Local Habitation' (the GeoWeek event, the pop-up exhibition, the Zoom event in November, and the Birthday Celebration in January this year). The 50th anniversary of the book was also celebrated in Comet, with a range of excellent contributions by members and non-members in our Autumn issue. Comments are invited on these activities and articles, as well as on any aspects of the book that may not have been considered.
This discussion will follow our online AGM this Saturday. While the AGM is for members only (and if you haven't yet renewed your membership please do so now!) the discussion is open to all and will start at around 12 noon following the AGM which starts at 11am. To register and receive the Zoom link please email [email protected].
posted 23/3/23
Fiftieth Year', led by Antoinette Fawcett. After Antoinette's opening presentation we will invite further contributions and discussion. The focus will be points arising from the presentation, plus a look back at our celebration of this collection.
Many of our 2022 activities were centred on 'A Local Habitation' (the GeoWeek event, the pop-up exhibition, the Zoom event in November, and the Birthday Celebration in January this year). The 50th anniversary of the book was also celebrated in Comet, with a range of excellent contributions by members and non-members in our Autumn issue. Comments are invited on these activities and articles, as well as on any aspects of the book that may not have been considered.
This discussion will follow our online AGM this Saturday. While the AGM is for members only (and if you haven't yet renewed your membership please do so now!) the discussion is open to all and will start at around 12 noon following the AGM which starts at 11am. To register and receive the Zoom link please email [email protected].
posted 23/3/23
South Cumbria Musical Festival winners
The Norman Nicholson Society this year continued our sponsorship of the South Cumbria Musical Festival, in memory of Peggy Troll, former Chair of the Society and an inspirational English teacher. The poem set for the Junior Poetry Class (Norman Nicholson) was 'In a Word', described by the adjudicator, Carol Schroder, as a surprising and clever poem and as one she was not previously familiar with. She did, however, know many of Nicholson's poems written for adults. The gentle word-play of this poem is difficult to convey, even for adults, but the three primary school entrants made a very good job of showing how well they had understood it. All three entrants paced their performances well, although the grand size of Ulverston's Coronation Hall can make it difficult for younger performers to project their voices in this space. Florence Tyson, of Millom, was the worthy winner of this Class and carried away the SCMF Buttermere Shield as well as a generous book token from the Society. The second place went to Florence's younger brother Xavier Tyson, while the third place went to Felix Alloway from Ulverston. Next year we hope there will be many more contenders for this prestigious prize!
posted 22/3/23
posted 22/3/23
'Changeless Map of Stars'
A new collection of Nicholson poems has appeared! 'Changeless Map of Stars' has just been published by The Greville Press and is available to buy by post. The pamphlet consists of 12 Nicholson poems selected by the Norman Nicholson Society's chair Charlie Lambert, who has also written a preface. This is a very limited print run, so if you'd like to buy a copy, don't leave it too long! The pamphlet is available for £7.50 plus £1.50 p&p, obtainable by cheque payable to Anthony Astbury, posted to The Greville Press, 6 Mellors Court, The Butts, Warwick CV34 4ST.
The Greville Press has a distinguished history, set up by Anthony Astbury with the support of Harold Pinter in 1979, subsequently gaining an enviable reputation for publishing new writers, rediscovering poets from the past, and simply delighting in the enjoyment of the poetic form.
Charlie writes: "It was a real honour to be asked by Anthony Astbury to select the poems and write a preface. I knew about the Greville Press and its illustrious history, dating back to Harold Pinter. Reality soon kicked in though. How on earth could I pick a mere 12 poems from everything that Nicholson wrote? It seemed not just an impossible task but also a thankless one because every Nicholson aficionado will have their own top 12 picks and I'm pretty sure that none of them will correspond to mine! After the panic subsided I decided that I would come up with a format and then make the choices that appealed to me. That, after all, was what Anthony wanted. So I decided to select poems which represent Norman in different stages of his writing career, from For the New Year from his first full collection 'Five Rivers' to Comet Come, published in 1986. I wanted to include different styles and different moods, and to make sure that some of the best-known poems were included, such as Wall and Sea to the West. I hope I've come up with a selection which will not only please those who know their Nicholson, but also readers who may be relatively new to his work, and will understand why we find him not just a great poet for his time, but a prescient poet for our time as well. Composing the preface was a great opportunity for me to expand on that theme and underline why Norman Nicholson matters - as well as getting one or two things off my chest!"
posted 7/3/23
The Greville Press has a distinguished history, set up by Anthony Astbury with the support of Harold Pinter in 1979, subsequently gaining an enviable reputation for publishing new writers, rediscovering poets from the past, and simply delighting in the enjoyment of the poetic form.
Charlie writes: "It was a real honour to be asked by Anthony Astbury to select the poems and write a preface. I knew about the Greville Press and its illustrious history, dating back to Harold Pinter. Reality soon kicked in though. How on earth could I pick a mere 12 poems from everything that Nicholson wrote? It seemed not just an impossible task but also a thankless one because every Nicholson aficionado will have their own top 12 picks and I'm pretty sure that none of them will correspond to mine! After the panic subsided I decided that I would come up with a format and then make the choices that appealed to me. That, after all, was what Anthony wanted. So I decided to select poems which represent Norman in different stages of his writing career, from For the New Year from his first full collection 'Five Rivers' to Comet Come, published in 1986. I wanted to include different styles and different moods, and to make sure that some of the best-known poems were included, such as Wall and Sea to the West. I hope I've come up with a selection which will not only please those who know their Nicholson, but also readers who may be relatively new to his work, and will understand why we find him not just a great poet for his time, but a prescient poet for our time as well. Composing the preface was a great opportunity for me to expand on that theme and underline why Norman Nicholson matters - as well as getting one or two things off my chest!"
posted 7/3/23
Our AGM - and reflections on A Local Habitation
The Society's AGM will take place on Saturday March 25th at 11am, on Zoom. A reminder to members - you must have renewed your membership for this year to be eligible to attend. Details will be circulated by email shortly. The AGM will be followed by a discussion and reflections on the year in which we celebrated Nicholson's 1972 collection A Local Habitation, to be led by Antoinette Fawcett.
posted 2/3/23
posted 2/3/23
We hit our target!
The Norman Nicholson House project team has pulled off a remarkable success by raising £20,000 towards the overall cost of the scheme, hours ahead of a deadline set by the Architectural Heritage Fund to double their money. The result of their online crowdfunder means the House project will benefit to the tune of £40,000, thanks to the AHF’s pledge to match all funds raised to a maximum of £20,000 by the end of today, January 31st 2023.
Chair of the Norman Nicholson House project Charlie Lambert said: ‘I can’t quite believe it but people have been incredibly generous and really got behind our crowdfunder in this last week as the AHF’s deadline closed in. It’s been humbling to see the donations coming in from a wide range of people. Whether the amount has been small or large we know that it’s a tough time for people economically and we really appreciate every single donation’.
The crowdfunder, hosted on www.GoFundMe.com, is titled ‘Breathe New Life into Norman Nicholson’s house’ and raises money towards the cost of buying and renovating the lifelong home of the Millom poet who died in 1987. Charlie said: ‘This fundraising achievement makes a massive statement and will show major funding organisations how much support we have as we approach them for the significant additional funds we need in order to realise our ambitions’.
The project intends to turn the ground floor of the three-storey Victorian terraced house into a café and community hub, with the two upper floors becoming home to a lively museum interpreting Nicholson’s work for a modern audience.
posted 31/1/23
Chair of the Norman Nicholson House project Charlie Lambert said: ‘I can’t quite believe it but people have been incredibly generous and really got behind our crowdfunder in this last week as the AHF’s deadline closed in. It’s been humbling to see the donations coming in from a wide range of people. Whether the amount has been small or large we know that it’s a tough time for people economically and we really appreciate every single donation’.
The crowdfunder, hosted on www.GoFundMe.com, is titled ‘Breathe New Life into Norman Nicholson’s house’ and raises money towards the cost of buying and renovating the lifelong home of the Millom poet who died in 1987. Charlie said: ‘This fundraising achievement makes a massive statement and will show major funding organisations how much support we have as we approach them for the significant additional funds we need in order to realise our ambitions’.
The project intends to turn the ground floor of the three-storey Victorian terraced house into a café and community hub, with the two upper floors becoming home to a lively museum interpreting Nicholson’s work for a modern audience.
posted 31/1/23
TLS reports on our campaign
The Times Literary Supplement has picked up on our crowdfunding campaign in support of the Nicholson House project. This week's edition, in the 'Farmed Out' column, encourages its readers to donate and emphasises that the deadline for matchfunding from the Architectural Heritage Fund, January 31st, is rapidly approaching.
posted 21/1/23
posted 21/1/23
Poetry and cake
Members of the Norman Nicholson Society held a poetic party on Sunday January 8th to mark the 109th anniversary of the birth of their favourite poet. The event featured a series of readings of Nicholson's poetry, chosen for their striking relevance to the global crises of today despite the writer having died in 1987. The party began in the living room of Nicholson's lifetime home, 14 St George's Terrace, where an online audience joined in via Zoom. This first session ended with an audio recording of Nicholson reading one of his poems, The Whisperer. The in-person group then walked the short distance to St George's Church (pictured) where Nicholson was once a regular member of the congregation, for more readings, tea, coffee, biscuits, and, of course, cake.
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: 'It was a really cheerful and enjoyable event, and very moving to hear Norman's voice once again in his own environment'.
posted 17/1/23
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: 'It was a really cheerful and enjoyable event, and very moving to hear Norman's voice once again in his own environment'.
posted 17/1/23
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We're featured in the latest podcast from Cumbria Arts & Culture Network. Producer Tom Speight has been talking to our chair Charlie Lambert about Nicholson the poet, as well as finding out about Nicholson's house in Millom and the Society's plans for the coming year. Listen to the podcast and view accompanying pictures HERE.
posted 17/1/23 |
Nicholson on Radio 3
Nicholson's poem For the New Year was read on BBC Radio 3 this morning, as their selected Poem of the Day. You can hear it via BBC Sounds at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001ghfh
at 1 hr 21 mins 30 secs along the timeline. The poem appeared in Nicholson's first major collection 'Five Rivers' published in 1944.
The stars wheel past the windows
Like flocks of winter sparrows...
Well worth a listen.
posted 6/1/23
at 1 hr 21 mins 30 secs along the timeline. The poem appeared in Nicholson's first major collection 'Five Rivers' published in 1944.
The stars wheel past the windows
Like flocks of winter sparrows...
Well worth a listen.
posted 6/1/23
Happy New Year from all of us at the Norman Nicholson Society
We're pleased to announce that next Sunday's birthday event will be available for everyone to join live via Zoom. As previously posted here, we will celebrate Norman's 109th birthday with a poetry-reading event starting at 14 St George's Terrace and then moving on to St George's Church. We hope you can join us in person for this, but if you can't, then do link up using Zoom. We've held plenty of Zoom events already, but this will be our first 'hybrid' event, meaning that there will be a live, in-person audience as well as those joining online. We're treating it as a trial run with a view to making more events available on a hybrid basis in future. For this one, the online audience will be able to see and hear all the proceedings in the first part of the event, at No 14, but won't be able to speak to the meeting. They will be welcome to use the Chat facility to comment or ask questions. For logistical reasons the Zoom element will only apply to the first part of the afternoon, at No 14, and not the subsequent session at the church. If you'd like to join us online, please register by 5pm on Saturday January 7th by emailing [email protected]. The link will be sent out later that evening. The event starts at 2pm on Sunday 8th.
posted 1/1/23
posted 1/1/23
Celebrate Nicholson's birthday with us!
Each year the Society does something to mark Norman Nicholson's birthday on January 8th and we can now announce our plans for the big day in 2023. On Sunday January 8th there will be a series of readings of Nicholson's poems which still hit the spot today, whether on the subject of war in Europe, climate change, or living with difficult circumstances. We'll meet at Norman's house, 14 St George's Terrace, for the first few readings and then make our way via the Scutcher in Market Square to St George's Church where the main part of the event will take place and refreshments will be available. There's no admission charge and everyone is welcome to join us. Our thanks to Rev Carl Carter for permission to meet at St George's.
posted 23/12/22
posted 23/12/22
Our Christmas 'Poet Tree'!
The Society is again taking part in the annual Christmas Tree Festival at St George's Church in Millom. Our tree this year is a departure from the usual evergreen variety. Instead our imaginative committee members Sue Dawson and Janice Brockbank have designed a very inventive and cleverly-named 'Poet Tree' which uses Nicholson books to form the shape of a traditional Christmas tree. Instead of a star on the top there's a representation of a comet, a homage to our former committee member Peggy Troll, and visitors will also see a bright red geranium crafted from felt which is a tribute to another of our much-missed friends Dot Richardson, who was part of our Christmas tree team for many years. The festival is open 11am to 5pm Wednesday to Sunday.
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posted 10/12/22 photos: SUE DAWSON
In the members' area: a theologian's view of Nicholson
Fr Jerry Walsh. Photo: Steven Springsdorf
Nicholson's early reputation was built largely on his religious poetry; indeed, at the age of 27, in 1941, he was commissioned by Penguin to edit 'An Anthology of Religious Verse, Designed for the Times', published the following year. This aspect of his work is largely undiscussed these days, leaving a gap which the Society's honorary vice-president David Boyd now fills in an article exclusive to members of the Society. David, author of the 2015 biography 'Norman Nicholson, A Literary Life', has been reviewing his correspondence with the late Father Jerry Walsh, Professor of Old Testament Studies at the University of Dallas, Texas. The fascinating outcome is now available in the Members' Area of this website. If you're a member of the Society and haven't yet registered for access to this exclusive area, the details are HERE.
posted 5/12/22
posted 5/12/22
On display at the Archive Anniversary Fair
The Society was pleased to put on a display at the Cumbria Archive Service 60th Anniversary History Fair in Carlisle last Saturday (November 12). The Cumbria archivist, Kelda Roe, kindly provided surrogates of some of the Christine Boyce materials deposited there, all preparatory work for her masterpiece, the Norman Nicholson Memorial Window at St George's Church in Millom. They were very striking, particularly the three alternative sketches for the window, which gave visitors the chance to compare them to each other and to the final version. Thank you to Cumbria Archive for the opportunity and to everyone who came to our stall.
posted 14/11/22 photo: GLENN LANG
posted 14/11/22 photo: GLENN LANG
Cumbria Archive Service
A compilation of the catalogue entries for all the Nicholson materials listed in Cumbria Archive Service online catalogue,
as kept in archive centres in Cumbria, is now available in the Members' Area of this website. The list, put together by our committee member and editor of Comet Antoinette Fawcett, contains a surprisingly large number of items - gold dust for anyone engaged in Nicholson research. Access to the Members' Area is free to all members of the Society but you must register in order to access it. Details HERE.
posted 11/11/22
as kept in archive centres in Cumbria, is now available in the Members' Area of this website. The list, put together by our committee member and editor of Comet Antoinette Fawcett, contains a surprisingly large number of items - gold dust for anyone engaged in Nicholson research. Access to the Members' Area is free to all members of the Society but you must register in order to access it. Details HERE.
posted 11/11/22
Christmas lunch details announced
Details of the Society's Christmas lunch have been released and can be found on our Events page, along with booking arrangements. The date is Saturday December 17th and we are very pleased to confirm that we'll be returning to the Netherwood Hotel in Grange-over-Sands.
posted 10/11/22
posted 10/11/22
Online event to celebrate A Local Habitation
This event will take place via Zoom.
posted 5/11/22
posted 5/11/22
Doreen Cornthwaite remembers...
There's a new addition to the Norman Nicholson Audio Archive. Nicholson's second cousin, Doreen Cornthwaite, has shared her memories of Norman, from her youth in South Africa where she first learned from her father that she had a relative who was 'a poet of sorts' to moving to Cumbria and getting to know Norman and his wife Yvonne very well. She recalls how she discovered that Nicholson's work was being taught in schools in South Africa and also how Norman once said to her, 'When I die no-one will remember me'! You can listen to the audio HERE.
posted 31/10/22
Wandering by the heave of the town park...
Ruth Sutton's play 'The Day the Ironworks Closed' will have its premiere at the Beggar's Theatre in Millom next week. The Friday performance (November 4th, 7pm) is virtually sold out but there are still some tickets available for Saturday, also 7pm. The play explores the events surrounding the still-controversial decision to close the Ironworks, something which inspired some of Norman Nicholson's most memorable and hard-hitting poems.
And what's the good of knowing
Which way the wind is blowing
When whichever way it blows it's a cold wind now.
(On the Closing of Millom Ironworks)
Tickets are £5, bookable HERE.
posted 28/10/22
And what's the good of knowing
Which way the wind is blowing
When whichever way it blows it's a cold wind now.
(On the Closing of Millom Ironworks)
Tickets are £5, bookable HERE.
posted 28/10/22
David Scott
We're sorry to pass on the sad that news David Scott, a long-standing member of the Society, has died, aged 75. David, a priest by calling, served in the ministry in Cumbria, Middlesex and Winchester. He was also a successful poet and became a friend of Norman Nicholson. He was a strong supporter of our activities and events. We send our condolences to his wife Miggy and to all David's family and friends.
There's an excellent tribute to David here: https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/news?articleid=1253&fbclid=IwAR2E1sdQy4aoswfJKkL5HRaghdTosEIXyaFO3OjRuXveiwn-lUu39xHSgqY
posted 24/10/22
There's an excellent tribute to David here: https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/news?articleid=1253&fbclid=IwAR2E1sdQy4aoswfJKkL5HRaghdTosEIXyaFO3OjRuXveiwn-lUu39xHSgqY
posted 24/10/22
Support from Copeland Community Fund
peland Community Fund is to provide two grants to cover important work on the Norman Nicholson House project. The CCF Enabling Fund has agreed to meet the cost of upgrading the plans for the new-look house by John Coward Architects of Cartmel, and also a complete reassessment of the project's budget which has to be revised in view of rapidly escalating costs across the board. This support is worth a total of £1,718 and is a further sign of support for the project which is part of Millom Town Deal's application to the Government for a multi-million pound grant under the levelling up strategy.
The Nicholson House project was launched by the Society in 2016 and is now being led by the Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company, set up by the Society in 2020. The project aims to buy and renovate 14 St George's Terrace, and locate in the house a lively museum to celebrate Nicholson's work, en-suite accommodation for a writer-in-residence as well as general tourists, and a good-quality cafe to become a focal point for local people and community groups.
It has received financial support so far from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Architectural Heritage Fund, Millom Stronger Towns Fund, and a host of individuals who continue to donate to the project's GoFundMe crowdfunding page. The next big landmark will be the Government's decision on the Millom application which is due before the end of the year.
posted 15/10/22
The Nicholson House project was launched by the Society in 2016 and is now being led by the Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company, set up by the Society in 2020. The project aims to buy and renovate 14 St George's Terrace, and locate in the house a lively museum to celebrate Nicholson's work, en-suite accommodation for a writer-in-residence as well as general tourists, and a good-quality cafe to become a focal point for local people and community groups.
It has received financial support so far from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Architectural Heritage Fund, Millom Stronger Towns Fund, and a host of individuals who continue to donate to the project's GoFundMe crowdfunding page. The next big landmark will be the Government's decision on the Millom application which is due before the end of the year.
posted 15/10/22
Nicholson's Christianity to be examined
The Society's committee member Laura Day will give a talk on Norman Nicholson's Christian thinking in his poetry at St Michael's Church, Workington CA14 2EZ, on Sunday November 20th at 3pm. The event, organised by St Michael's Church, is free to attend. Refreshments will be available before Evensong begins at 5pm. All welcome.
posted 13/10/22
posted 13/10/22
Millom Library closes
photo: SUE DAWSON
It's a landmark day tomorrow when Millom Library closes in readiness for its move to the former Network Centre adjoining Millom School. The library in St George's Road was an important place throughout Norman Nicholson's life. The secondary school he attended was located within the building; he frequently used it for study and reference; he opened the Folk Museum when it was created in 1974; and a bust of Nicholson by the sculptor Joan Palmer remains in the library to this day. We're pleased to hear that the bust will have a prominent position in the new library which is due to be formally opened next month.
posted 11/10/22
Nicholson and wartime: Newcastle University event
Dr Andrew Frayn, who spoke at our Festival in 2019, will deliver a paper on Norman Nicholson at Newcastle University's School of English this Saturday. This is part of the university's 'Gardens in the Gorse' symposium, in collaboration with the Leverhulme Foundation and the Northern Modernism Seminar. The symposium will focus on poets, artists, conservationists and others working in rural and especially northern areas of the country, and how this rural modernity impacted national institutions, systems, and values. It runs on Saturday October 15, 10.30-4.30, in Percy Building, School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics, Room G.05. Andrew's paper is entitled 'On the perimeter and fringe of war: Norman Nicholson, rural modernity and wartime'. Unfortunately we were not alerted to this until today and registration closed last Friday, but the contact is Melanie Birch who may be able to advise on late bookings: [email protected]
posted 10/10/22
posted 10/10/22
A look at our Heritage Week exhibition
posted 25/9/22
A face, a place, a root
Norman Nicholson's house in St George's Terrace, Millom, came to vibrant life yesterday as we threw the front door open to welcome visitors to our one-off exhibition to celebrate both Nicholson and National Heritage Week. It was wonderful to see people arriving from all over Cumbria and beyond. They included the Acting Mayor of Millom Simone Faulkner, Councillor Emma Ormesher, the Chair of Millom & Haverigg Civic Society Irene Rogan, and also Kate Parry and Tom Speight from Cumbria Heritage and Arts Network. A big thank you to everyone who came and supported the event, and also to those who kindly loaned items for display. Exhibits ranged from Josefina de Vasconcellos' bust of Nicholson to poems published in poster format by the Mid Northumberland Arts Group (MidNAG), to Norman's whisky flask, typewriter and even his favourite recipe! Thanks also to Jonathan Powell for leading a guided walk and our committee members who put it all together.
Bust of Norman Nicholson by Josefina de Vasconcellos, below a black and white photo from Norman's school days.
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There was plenty for visitors to see on the ground floor of the Nicholson family home
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Exhibits included the deeds to No 14, with the signature of Joseph Nicholson, Norman's father.
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posted 18/9/22
ALS Newsletter
The Autumn 2022 Newsletter of the Alliance of Literary Societies has been released and is available to all members of the Norman Nicholson Society. It can be found on the Members' Page (login required). If you're a member of the Society and haven't yet registered for access to this exclusive area, the details are HERE.
posted 15/9/22
posted 15/9/22
Dot Richardson
We are very sad to report that our wonderful friend and former committee member Dot Richardson has passed away. Dot was a founding member of the Norman Nicholson Society and served as our treasurer from 2011 to 2017, continuing as a committee member until last year. A lifelong Millom resident she was the daughter of the Millom harbourmaster in the days when Millom had a busy port alongside the mines and the Ironworks. She witnessed all the changes that the town experienced over the decades and knew Norman Nicholson personally. Her cheerfulness and optimism made her a much-loved member of the Society as well as the wider community and she will be hugely missed.
posted 9/9/22
posted 9/9/22
Fund to assist Nicholson students
Millom Town Council has re-launched the Norman Nicholson Memorial Fund after an interruption caused by the Covid pandemic. The Fund is now open to applications for grants to assist anyone from Copeland who is engaged in literary studies or a literary career; or anyone nationwide who is studying Nicholson's work. The deadline is September 30th.
Contact the Town Council direct for further information.
posted 8/9/22
Contact the Town Council direct for further information.
posted 8/9/22
'A face, a place, a root' - celebrating 50 Years of Norman Nicholson's
A Local Habitation
Arrangements are coming along nicely for our exhibition at 14 St George's Terrace on Saturday September 17th. There'll be the chance to see some of Norman's personal possessions, posters illustrating his poems from the celebrated Mid Northumberland Arts Group (MidNAG), and a unique opportunity to view busts of the poet by both Josefina de Vasconcellos and Joan Palmer. And a lot more.
This year is the 50th anniversary of Nicholson's 1972 collection A Local Habitation, the volume which marked his emphatic return to frontline poetry. This is the collection that includes some of his most celebrated poems such as Bee Orchid at Hodbarrow, On the Closing of Millom Ironworks, The Cock's Nest, and The Seventeenth of the Name, this last supplying the title of our exhibition, A face, a place, a root. The collection also includes Windscale, written some 15 years earlier.
The exhibition will be open from 11am to 4pm and runs for one day only so don't miss it. And you can retrace Nicholson's steps by joining a guided walk at 1pm, following the route taken by Norman, his father and his uncle every Sunday. St George's Church will be open to enable visitors to view the late Christine Boyce's spectacular memorial window to Nicholson.
Admission is free and there's no need to book. Look forward to seeing you!
posted 2/9/22
This year is the 50th anniversary of Nicholson's 1972 collection A Local Habitation, the volume which marked his emphatic return to frontline poetry. This is the collection that includes some of his most celebrated poems such as Bee Orchid at Hodbarrow, On the Closing of Millom Ironworks, The Cock's Nest, and The Seventeenth of the Name, this last supplying the title of our exhibition, A face, a place, a root. The collection also includes Windscale, written some 15 years earlier.
The exhibition will be open from 11am to 4pm and runs for one day only so don't miss it. And you can retrace Nicholson's steps by joining a guided walk at 1pm, following the route taken by Norman, his father and his uncle every Sunday. St George's Church will be open to enable visitors to view the late Christine Boyce's spectacular memorial window to Nicholson.
Admission is free and there's no need to book. Look forward to seeing you!
posted 2/9/22
Nicholson exhibition in Millom
The Society is to stage a one-off Norman Nicholson exhibition in the poet's old home to coincide with National Heritage Week in September. It will take place for one day only, Saturday September 17th, from 11am to 4pm. It will give visitors the chance to see many of Nicholson's possessions which are not generally on view to the public, as well as setting foot inside his lifelong home and hearing audio recordings of Norman reading his own poems in the place where he wrote them. There's no admission charge and no need to book. The event will coincide with a guided walk retracing the route to Hodbarrow that Nicholson would take with his father on their regular Sunday walks. More details HERE.
posted 4/8/22
posted 4/8/22
Ironworks drama will live long after the final curtain
Ruth Sutton's new play, 'The Day The Ironworks Closed', based on the closure of Millom Ironworks in 1968, will have a further lease of life long after the final curtain at the Beggar's Theatre. Speaking to our members in a Zoom event last night, novelist and now dramatist Ruth said that a film version of the stage play will be produced to be shown around the county and beyond. This will be based on the stage play which will be performed at the Beggar's Theatre in Millom on November 4th and 5th 2022, but with some additional filming to take place after the show.
We are very grateful to Ruth for taking part in 'An Evening with Ruth Sutton' and giving our members so many insights into both the play and her two series of novels, also set in West Cumbria. The event was held online via Zoom and a full video recording is available on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/g5Uq1v0O-D8
posted 28/7/22
We are very grateful to Ruth for taking part in 'An Evening with Ruth Sutton' and giving our members so many insights into both the play and her two series of novels, also set in West Cumbria. The event was held online via Zoom and a full video recording is available on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/g5Uq1v0O-D8
posted 28/7/22
Very pleasing to see our Norman Nicholson Walking Trails app highlighted in the Guardian! The mention comes in an excellent travel feature written by Phoebe Taplin, describing a visit to the wonderful coastal scenery of West Cumbria and including reference to the app - and, gratefully noted, a link to this website. Read the article HERE. The app launched in March 2021 with funding from Millom Town Deal. Find out how to download the (free) app HERE and explore the locations that inspired Nicholson.
posted 28/7/22
posted 28/7/22
The Day the Ironworks Closed: an evening with Ruth Sutton
The Norman Nicholson Society is delighted to announce 'An Evening with Ruth Sutton', to be held online via Zoom on Wednesday July 27th 2022.
Ruth Sutton is one of Cumbria's most successful contemporary novelists, having published seven crime stories set in West Cumbria since 2012. She is now turning her talents to drama. Her debut play, 'The Day the Ironworks Closed', set at the time Millom ironworks shut down in 1968 with such devastating consequences for the town, will be premiered at the Beggar's Theatre on November 4th and 5th. Ruth will be joining us on Zoom from 7.30pm to 8.30pm to talk about the play and how it reflects the legacy of Norman Nicholson, and also to answer any questions about her novels and her writing career in general.
The event is free and open to all, but you must register in advance. Please email [email protected] to register by 4pm on the day, July 27th. The link will be sent out on the day. Look forward to seeing you!
posted 19/7/22
Ruth Sutton is one of Cumbria's most successful contemporary novelists, having published seven crime stories set in West Cumbria since 2012. She is now turning her talents to drama. Her debut play, 'The Day the Ironworks Closed', set at the time Millom ironworks shut down in 1968 with such devastating consequences for the town, will be premiered at the Beggar's Theatre on November 4th and 5th. Ruth will be joining us on Zoom from 7.30pm to 8.30pm to talk about the play and how it reflects the legacy of Norman Nicholson, and also to answer any questions about her novels and her writing career in general.
The event is free and open to all, but you must register in advance. Please email [email protected] to register by 4pm on the day, July 27th. The link will be sent out on the day. Look forward to seeing you!
posted 19/7/22
Nicholson documents deposited in Cambridge archive
A priceless collection of Nicholson documents has been deposited in the Archive Centre at King's College, Cambridge, by the man who wrote the first full-length study of Nicholson's work, Philip Gardner. The collection consists predominantly of letters written by Nicholson to Philip Gardner and typescript copies of 12 of Nicholson's poems, some of which are unpublished. The 12 poems by Nicholson, with annotations by Gardner, are: 'Diatoms' 'Birthday Card' 'Christmas Present' 'Scree' 'Christmas Carol for the First Man in the Moon' 'The Seventeenth of the Name' 'The Borehole' 'The Searcher' 'Tromso' 'A Local Preacher's Goodbye' and 'Hard of Hearing'.
There's more information and contact details for anyone wishing to make an appointment to examine these manuscripts via these links supplied by the Archive Centre:
https://arcspace-pub.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/7/archival_objects/860971
https://arcspace-pub.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/7/archival_objects/860981
https://arcspace-pub.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/7/archival_objects/860983
Philip Gardner was born in Liverpool and was a school friend of Matt Simpson who himself went on to become a published poet and had a close friendship with Nicholson. Gardner studied at King's College, Cambridge, before gaining a PhD at Liverpool University. In 1964 he joined the English Department at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, where he was Associate Professor of English at the time his book on Nicholson was published in 1973. He retired in 2001.
posted 18/7/22
There's more information and contact details for anyone wishing to make an appointment to examine these manuscripts via these links supplied by the Archive Centre:
https://arcspace-pub.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/7/archival_objects/860971
https://arcspace-pub.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/7/archival_objects/860981
https://arcspace-pub.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/7/archival_objects/860983
Philip Gardner was born in Liverpool and was a school friend of Matt Simpson who himself went on to become a published poet and had a close friendship with Nicholson. Gardner studied at King's College, Cambridge, before gaining a PhD at Liverpool University. In 1964 he joined the English Department at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, where he was Associate Professor of English at the time his book on Nicholson was published in 1973. He retired in 2001.
posted 18/7/22
ALS Journal is available to all our members
The summer edition of ALSo, the journal of the Alliance of Literary Societies, is now available for our members to read. As a member of the Norman Nicholson Society you are entitled to free receipt of the journal which can be found in the Members' Area of this website. If you're not sure how to find it, the details are HERE.
posted 11/7/22
posted 11/7/22
New in the Members' Area
New addition to the Members' Area of this website: a letter written by Norman to a Millom woman who had congratulated him on his appearance in the BBC documentary series Look Stranger in 1973. If you are a member of the Norman Nicholson Society and haven't yet registered for access to the members-only pages, please do so. Details can be found HERE.
posted 15/6/22
posted 15/6/22
'Sea to the West' featured
Nicholson's 1981 poem 'Sea to the West' is featured this week by the charity The Reader, which aims to promote the reading of great literature to people of all ages and backgrounds. The poem has been chosen because the Reader's theme this year is 'Light and Darkness'. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQmhUhOCbZQ
posted 15/6/22
posted 15/6/22
Norman and the Queen
Congratulations to Her Majesty on her Jubilee! Which among many other uplifting spin-offs gives us the chance to remember the day in 1977 (another Royal Jubilee year) when Norman visited Buckingham Palace to receive the Queen's Medal for Poetry.
'The day was described by Peggy Troll, writing in Comet in 2016 and drawing on a letter sent by Norman's wife Yvonne to his cousin Doreen Cornthwaite. The Queen's 90th birthday that year had been marked by an event at St George's Church, when Peggy spoke about Norman's award. She wrote in Comet: 'I was able to quote some of Yvonne's description of the day. Sir John Betjeman, then Poet Laureate, escorted Norman and Yvonne with their two nieces, Liz and Sarah, to the Palace. The ceremony, which only Norman and Sir John attended, lasted about fifteen minutes. Yvonne writes, It went marvellously. He (Norman) was very good indeed, Sir John reported. He also told us that before Norman went in, the Queen had read aloud several lines from 'On the Closing of Millom Ironworks', saying she liked them. The Queen kept the copy of 'Stitch and Stone' "to read when I have some time. This has been such a busy year but I have found it encouraging." '
Norman and Yvonne at Buckingham Palace, 1977
posted 4/6/22
'Comet' edition 36
The Spring edition of the Society's newsletter 'Comet' is now available to members who can find it by logging on to the Members' Area of this website. If you're a member and you haven't registered for your exclusive section of the website it's easy to do - click HERE.
posted 27/5/22
posted 27/5/22
Walking and talking in Millom - this Saturday, May 14th
A reminder that this Saturday, May 14th, the Society will hold an event in Millom as part of Cumbria GeoWeek.
Saturday Morning Geology will be led by Brian Whalley of the University of Sheffield and the Norman Nicholson Society.
This will consist of a Talk and Walk introduction to the local geology in collaboration with the Millom Heritage and Arts Centre (with a repeat at 12.00).
11.00 An introduction to the geology of the Millom area (20-25 minutes).
11.30 A walk around central Millom to look at the geology in and around the town (20-25 minutes).
Repeated at 12.00 (talk) and 12.30 (walk).
Meet at the Heritage and Arts Centre (Millom Railway Station, LA18 5AA). No booking necessary.
We are pleased to confirm that we will also hold an afternoon session (14.00 to 15.30) discussing Nicholson's 1972 collection A Local Habitation, led by Antoinette Fawcett, Glenn Lang and Brian Whalley. This will be at St George's Church, Millom LA18 4HX, admission free, all welcome.
A Local Habitation includes poems linking geology and Millom, such as Great Day, The Borehole, Bee Orchid at Hodbarrow, Scree, Hodbarrow Flooded, On the Closing of Millom Ironworks etc.
posted 12/5/22
Saturday Morning Geology will be led by Brian Whalley of the University of Sheffield and the Norman Nicholson Society.
This will consist of a Talk and Walk introduction to the local geology in collaboration with the Millom Heritage and Arts Centre (with a repeat at 12.00).
11.00 An introduction to the geology of the Millom area (20-25 minutes).
11.30 A walk around central Millom to look at the geology in and around the town (20-25 minutes).
Repeated at 12.00 (talk) and 12.30 (walk).
Meet at the Heritage and Arts Centre (Millom Railway Station, LA18 5AA). No booking necessary.
We are pleased to confirm that we will also hold an afternoon session (14.00 to 15.30) discussing Nicholson's 1972 collection A Local Habitation, led by Antoinette Fawcett, Glenn Lang and Brian Whalley. This will be at St George's Church, Millom LA18 4HX, admission free, all welcome.
A Local Habitation includes poems linking geology and Millom, such as Great Day, The Borehole, Bee Orchid at Hodbarrow, Scree, Hodbarrow Flooded, On the Closing of Millom Ironworks etc.
posted 12/5/22
Nicholson talk online tomorrow
We're looking forward to the talk tomorrow evening by our own committee member Laura Day on 'Millom and the Ironworks in Nicholson's 1954 collection The Pot Geranium'. It's part of Cumbria University's excellent Cultural Landscapes series, 6.30pm to 7.30pm, introduced by Dr Penny Bradshaw. The talk is online using the Teams platform. Anyone can join using this link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_Y2Q3NzJjZTgtMDBlZi00MmIxLTk3MTUtMTQxZmViNjI4Yzdk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22b627db1d-9958-4fd1-8ea4-8ac3b27cf00f%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%225778a52f-1608-481c-adb8-23a9430166b5%22%7d Laura's talk will be followed by a brief update on our walking trails app by the Society's chair, Charlie Lambert.
posted 8/5/22
posted 8/5/22
Meeting at Wordsworth Grasmere
The Society's three committee members who also sit on the board of Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company had a very valuable and informative meeting last Friday with Jeff Cowton, principal curator at Wordsworth Grasmere. Charlie Lambert, Janice Brockbank and Sue Dawson had the chance to tap into Jeff's own experience of running a literary house, as well as enjoying a tour of Dove Cottage. We're really grateful to Jeff for giving us his time and passing on a lot of advice on a range of topics. The project to buy and renovate Nicholson's lifelong home continues to make steady progress.
posted 3/5/22
Millom 41 Club explore Nicholson locations
We were delighted to host a tour of Nicholson locations and poetry readings for members of Millom 41 Club yesterday. It was particularly atmospheric reading Sea to the West by Norman's grave as the sun set. Thank you to Mark Duckworth on behalf of the 41 Club for a very kind donation to our GoFundMe page which now totals £11,319. All money raised through GoFundMe will be matched by the Architectural Heritage Fund, up to a maximum of £20,000.
posted 28/4/22
posted 28/4/22
GeoWeek Event - May 14th 2022
We're pleased to announce that on Saturday May 14th the Society will hold an event in Millom as part of Cumbria GeoWeek.
Saturday Morning Geology will be led by Brian Whalley of the University of Sheffield and the Norman Nicholson Society.
This will consist of a Talk and Walk introduction to the local geology in collaboration with the Millom Heritage and Arts Centre (with a repeat at 12.00).
11.00 An introduction to the geology of the Millom area (20-25 minutes).
11.30 A walk around central Millom to look at the geology in and around the town (20-25 minutes).
Repeated at 12.00 (talk) and 12.30 (walk).
Meet at the Heritage and Arts Centre (Millom Railway Station, LA18 5AA). No booking necessary.
We are pleased to confirm that we will also hold an afternoon session (14.00 to 15.30) discussing Nicholson's 1972 collection A Local Habitation, led by Antoinette Fawcett, Glenn Lang and Brian Whalley. This will be at St George's Church, Millom LA18 4HX, admission free, all welcome.
A Local Habitation includes poems linking geology and Millom, such as Great Day, The Borehole, Bee Orchid at Hodbarrow, Scree, Hodbarrow Flooded, On the Closing of Millom Ironworks etc.
posted 25/4/22, updated 26/4/22
Saturday Morning Geology will be led by Brian Whalley of the University of Sheffield and the Norman Nicholson Society.
This will consist of a Talk and Walk introduction to the local geology in collaboration with the Millom Heritage and Arts Centre (with a repeat at 12.00).
11.00 An introduction to the geology of the Millom area (20-25 minutes).
11.30 A walk around central Millom to look at the geology in and around the town (20-25 minutes).
Repeated at 12.00 (talk) and 12.30 (walk).
Meet at the Heritage and Arts Centre (Millom Railway Station, LA18 5AA). No booking necessary.
We are pleased to confirm that we will also hold an afternoon session (14.00 to 15.30) discussing Nicholson's 1972 collection A Local Habitation, led by Antoinette Fawcett, Glenn Lang and Brian Whalley. This will be at St George's Church, Millom LA18 4HX, admission free, all welcome.
A Local Habitation includes poems linking geology and Millom, such as Great Day, The Borehole, Bee Orchid at Hodbarrow, Scree, Hodbarrow Flooded, On the Closing of Millom Ironworks etc.
posted 25/4/22, updated 26/4/22
AGM takes place on Zoom
The AGM of the Society took place via Zoom yesterday. Our thanks to all members who attended and especially to Laura Day who presented a superbly researched and constructed talk on Nicholson's 1948 collection Rock Face after the formalities were over.
Introducing the AGM, our chair, Charlie Lambert, said: 'Looking back over the year, I think we can fairly claim to have notched up another triumph against the odds. Despite all the continuing restrictions, all those moments when we thought Covid was about to be consigned to history only to find it was as virulent as ever, our Society has really flourished. We held our second two-day festival last June, online, with first class speakers in the poet Ken Cockburn and Jeff Cowton from Wordsworth Grasmere, we put on a live online evening of poetry readings from our own publication The Unpredicted Spring, we worked closely with Wordsworth Grasmere to contribute to their high-profile exhibition Still Glides the Stream. We’ve been involved with a range of other activities, and we held an in-person event in December when our Christmas lunch took place in Grange, and I thank Brian Whalley for hosting that event on behalf of the Society. Now, of course, we hope that the outlook will improve dramatically over the coming months. We hope to run an event in Millom on May 14th as part of the national GeoWeek, exploring Nicholson’s expertise in the field of geology; this will largely be an outdoor event. We’re just waiting to confirm some final details and as soon as everything is finalised there’ll be announcements on our website and social media.'
Charlie announced that our former Chair, Dr Ian Davidson, has been offered honorary life membership of the Society in recognition of his long-standing support and contribution.
Over the past 12 months our membership has increased and we are in a sound position financially. Society members can find detailed reports from our officers in the Members' Area on this website. The minutes will be uploaded there shortly. If you're a member and you haven't yet registered for this area, the details are HERE.
Four committee members whose three-year terms had expired were re-elected: Antoinette Fawcett, Charlie Lambert, Glenn Lang and Sue Dawson.
posted 24/4/22
Introducing the AGM, our chair, Charlie Lambert, said: 'Looking back over the year, I think we can fairly claim to have notched up another triumph against the odds. Despite all the continuing restrictions, all those moments when we thought Covid was about to be consigned to history only to find it was as virulent as ever, our Society has really flourished. We held our second two-day festival last June, online, with first class speakers in the poet Ken Cockburn and Jeff Cowton from Wordsworth Grasmere, we put on a live online evening of poetry readings from our own publication The Unpredicted Spring, we worked closely with Wordsworth Grasmere to contribute to their high-profile exhibition Still Glides the Stream. We’ve been involved with a range of other activities, and we held an in-person event in December when our Christmas lunch took place in Grange, and I thank Brian Whalley for hosting that event on behalf of the Society. Now, of course, we hope that the outlook will improve dramatically over the coming months. We hope to run an event in Millom on May 14th as part of the national GeoWeek, exploring Nicholson’s expertise in the field of geology; this will largely be an outdoor event. We’re just waiting to confirm some final details and as soon as everything is finalised there’ll be announcements on our website and social media.'
Charlie announced that our former Chair, Dr Ian Davidson, has been offered honorary life membership of the Society in recognition of his long-standing support and contribution.
Over the past 12 months our membership has increased and we are in a sound position financially. Society members can find detailed reports from our officers in the Members' Area on this website. The minutes will be uploaded there shortly. If you're a member and you haven't yet registered for this area, the details are HERE.
Four committee members whose three-year terms had expired were re-elected: Antoinette Fawcett, Charlie Lambert, Glenn Lang and Sue Dawson.
posted 24/4/22
posted 20/4/22 please note this talk is organised by the University, not the Society.
Books for sale
David Boyd, honorary life vice-president of the Society and author of 'Norman Nicholson - a Literary Life', is offering a number of Nicholson books for sale. David says that all the books are used but would be described in the book trade 'very good or better' condition. He is also offering new hardback copies of his own book on Nicholson.
Anyone interested should contact David direct at [email protected].
posted 19/4/22
Anyone interested should contact David direct at [email protected].
posted 19/4/22
MA students visit Millom
Our committee members turned out to welcome MA students from the University of Cumbria on a field trip to Millom on Friday (April 8th). Antoinette Fawcett, Sue Dawson, Glenn Lang, Janice Brockbank and Brian Charnley teamed up to greet the students and their programme leader Dr Penny Bradshaw, and introduce them to locations of particular interest - 14 St George's Terrace, St George's Church, Hodbarrow, and the slagbank. Blessed with fine weather, it was a wonderful day and lovely to be able to share the students' enthusiasm for Nicholson's work.
posted 11/4/22
posted 11/4/22
South Cumbria Musical Festival Winners
Congratulations to BEN CHEN, winner of the poetry recital class for primary school children up to Year 6 at the South Cumbria Musical Festival in Ulverston today. There were seven entrants listed in the programme, six from Millom and one from Barrow-in-Furness. One contestant, from Millom, had withdrawn before the start of the day, so there were six competitors, all reciting Norman Nicholson's poem 'Road Up', from his 1984 children's collection 'The Candy-Floss Tree'.
The following children were the winners:
1. Ben Chen, with a mark of 87 (Distinction). He was awarded a South Cumbria Musical Festival Cup + a £20.00 book token from the Norman Nicholson Society.
2. Florence Tyson, with a mark of 86 (Commended).
3. Max Milburn, with a mark of 85 (Commended).
The Society as sponsors was represented by committee members Antoinette Fawcett and Glenn Lang. Antoinette said: 'I thought all three children performed the poem extremely well. Ben's performance was really excellent. He conveyed a very good sense of the poem's meaning, which he brought out very naturally, with excellent vocal and facial expression. His communication with the audience was bright, cheerful and warm and really suited the light-hearted nature of the poem. Florence Tyson did outstandingly well across a number of different speech classes. She performed in five classes in total, including in the 'Write and Recite' class, which she won. Max Milburn was also a very good, clear performer'.
Unfortunately the second category, for children in Years 7 to 9 featuring Nicholson's poem 'Wall', was cancelled when the two entrants withdrew.
The adjudicator was Chris Marlow BA, MA, PGCE, PGDip, LLCM, FVCM.
posted 22/3/22
The following children were the winners:
1. Ben Chen, with a mark of 87 (Distinction). He was awarded a South Cumbria Musical Festival Cup + a £20.00 book token from the Norman Nicholson Society.
2. Florence Tyson, with a mark of 86 (Commended).
3. Max Milburn, with a mark of 85 (Commended).
The Society as sponsors was represented by committee members Antoinette Fawcett and Glenn Lang. Antoinette said: 'I thought all three children performed the poem extremely well. Ben's performance was really excellent. He conveyed a very good sense of the poem's meaning, which he brought out very naturally, with excellent vocal and facial expression. His communication with the audience was bright, cheerful and warm and really suited the light-hearted nature of the poem. Florence Tyson did outstandingly well across a number of different speech classes. She performed in five classes in total, including in the 'Write and Recite' class, which she won. Max Milburn was also a very good, clear performer'.
Unfortunately the second category, for children in Years 7 to 9 featuring Nicholson's poem 'Wall', was cancelled when the two entrants withdrew.
The adjudicator was Chris Marlow BA, MA, PGCE, PGDip, LLCM, FVCM.
posted 22/3/22
South Cumbria Musical Festival
The Society is very pleased to sponsor two poetry-reading prizes at the South Cumbria Musical Festival which starts today in Ulverston and runs till Saturday. The two classes are class 206 (up to school year 6) and class 212 (school years 7-9). Both categories feature poems by Norman Nicholson, the first 'Road Up' and the second 'Wall'. The Society is providing book tokens to the total value of £50 for the the winners in memory of our inaugural chair and inspirational friend Peggy Troll who was a great supporter of the Festival. In an article written in 2014, Peggy recalled how Norman, as a schoolboy, gave recitations at the Millom Musical Festival. She recorded in the article how the event in Ulverston began in 1977 after the demise of its forerunner in Millom in 1974. You can read the article here:
posted 21/3/22
AGM 2022
The Society's AGM will take place on Saturday April 23rd 2022 at 11am, using the Zoom platform, and will be followed by a talk on Nicholson's 1948 collection 'Rock Face' by Durham University PhD student and our own committee member Laura Day. We very much regret that the risks which continue to be posed by Covid mean that we still consider it inadvisable to meet in person, and hope that this will be the last year in which this is the case. Details of the AGM will be circulated to members shortly.
posted 21/3/22
posted 21/3/22
'An exemplary rural modernism'
Dr Andrew Frayn, a member of the Society and a speaker at our festival in 2019, will present a paper on Norman Nicholson at the forthcoming Raymond Williams centenary conference in Manchester. Andrew, who leads the BA English course at Edinburgh Napier University and is also chair of the British Association for Modernist Studies, will present on Friday April 22nd as part of a panel session entitled The Country (and the City): Rural Modernity in Britain.
In his abstract Andrew writes: 'This paper reads the Cumbrian poet Norman Nicholson’s writings about the impact of deindustrialisation on rural communities through the lens of Raymond Williams’s theorisation of the rural in modernity – notably The Country and the City (1973), but also taking into account his work on D.H. Lawrence, William Cobbett and John Clare, and Williams’s own creative work such as Border Country (1960) and the play A Letter from the Country (1966). Born in 1914 and 1921 respectively, Nicholson and Williams are men of essentially the same generation: their formative years came in the interwar period; their adulthood was shaped by the impact of the Second World War; both grew up far from the metropolis and maintained a critical relationship with the metropolitan centre.
'Here, I take Williams’s The Country and the City as a foundational text for recent work on rural modernity, connecting it with recent work on the ‘edgelands’ and deindustrialisation. I argue that Nicholson’s writing constitutes an exemplary rural modernism, particularly his poems that chart the rise and fall of extractive industries in western Cumbria, notably the ironworks in his home town of Millom which closed in 1968. I conclude by reflecting on the enduring impact of rural deindustrialisation in the twenty-first century, both in a Cumbria beyond the Lake District, and a south Wales beyond the Brecon Beacons.'
The conference takes place on April 22/23 at the Friends Meeting House, 6.Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS. Details and registration HERE. More on Raymond Williams HERE.
posted 13/3/22
In his abstract Andrew writes: 'This paper reads the Cumbrian poet Norman Nicholson’s writings about the impact of deindustrialisation on rural communities through the lens of Raymond Williams’s theorisation of the rural in modernity – notably The Country and the City (1973), but also taking into account his work on D.H. Lawrence, William Cobbett and John Clare, and Williams’s own creative work such as Border Country (1960) and the play A Letter from the Country (1966). Born in 1914 and 1921 respectively, Nicholson and Williams are men of essentially the same generation: their formative years came in the interwar period; their adulthood was shaped by the impact of the Second World War; both grew up far from the metropolis and maintained a critical relationship with the metropolitan centre.
'Here, I take Williams’s The Country and the City as a foundational text for recent work on rural modernity, connecting it with recent work on the ‘edgelands’ and deindustrialisation. I argue that Nicholson’s writing constitutes an exemplary rural modernism, particularly his poems that chart the rise and fall of extractive industries in western Cumbria, notably the ironworks in his home town of Millom which closed in 1968. I conclude by reflecting on the enduring impact of rural deindustrialisation in the twenty-first century, both in a Cumbria beyond the Lake District, and a south Wales beyond the Brecon Beacons.'
The conference takes place on April 22/23 at the Friends Meeting House, 6.Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS. Details and registration HERE. More on Raymond Williams HERE.
posted 13/3/22
Recordings of Nicholson reading his poems
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Audio recordings of the Cumbrian poet Norman Nicholson reading his own work are now available to anyone who downloads the walking trails app which was launched by Norman Nicholson House last year. This new addition to the app features two of Nicholson’s most loved poems, The Shadow of Black Combe and On the Dismantling of Millom Ironworks. The recordings were originally made in the 1980s by another Cumbria poet Mike Smith, who has generously given permission for their use.
Chair of Norman Nicholson House Charlie Lambert said: ‘Nicholson’s poetry strikes so many chords and to hear it being read by the man himself in his own environment is a wonderful experience. We are grateful to Mike for allowing us to use his recordings’. The walking trails app features two routes around Nicholson’s home town of Millom, taking participants to significant landmarks and places of interest, accompanied by text, photographs and audio, all available on a smartphone. The app was launched in March 2021 thanks to funding from Millom Towns Fund. It is free to download and can be accessed through Google Play or the App Store. Search for ‘Norman Nicholson’s Millom’. posted 10/2/22 |
Geoweek 2022 Symposium: Call for papers
The Society is supporting the national GeoWeek which is taking place from May 7th to 15th and aims to introduce geoscience to a wider audience. This is of course a subject which is particularly relevant in Cumbria and one which was important to Nicholson, featuring prominently in his writing.
As part of the week's events, University of Cumbria Institute of Arts, Arts Research Initiative (ARI), will partner with Tullie House Museum to offer a free public symposium in which to explore themes of cultural engagement with the geologic, particularly through the interpretations of artists and cultural practitioners. The Cumbrian region has a rich history of such investigations from Norman Nicholson and others such as Wordsworth, Turner, West, Martineau, Southey, Atkinson, Graves, Harrison and Fell. This Symposium will offer a range of responses to GeoWeek, focusing on themes such as the Anthropocene, Deep time, Strata, Underworlds, Crystals and Landforms, seen through the lens of contemporary arts interventions and artists’ responses. Whilst Cumbrian geology is foregrounded, the symposium will also consider a much broader range of contexts and geologies. In encouraging provocative, divergent, and critical artists’ engagement, the aim is also to prompt interdisciplinary and public-facing discourse between scholars, artists and cultural practitioners.
The papers, presentations and films called for will be invited to consider the following themes (the list is not exhaustive):
The organisers also welcome panel proposals, ideas for screenings of short films, or workshop proposals. Presentations should be of 20 minutes duration, with 10 minutes for questions.
Anyone wishing to contribute should email max. 250-word abstracts plus a short bio with photograph of both the author and (where appropriate) recent work to Professor Robert Williams: [email protected]. Submission Deadline: 16:00 Monday April 4th 2022.
posted 5/3/22
As part of the week's events, University of Cumbria Institute of Arts, Arts Research Initiative (ARI), will partner with Tullie House Museum to offer a free public symposium in which to explore themes of cultural engagement with the geologic, particularly through the interpretations of artists and cultural practitioners. The Cumbrian region has a rich history of such investigations from Norman Nicholson and others such as Wordsworth, Turner, West, Martineau, Southey, Atkinson, Graves, Harrison and Fell. This Symposium will offer a range of responses to GeoWeek, focusing on themes such as the Anthropocene, Deep time, Strata, Underworlds, Crystals and Landforms, seen through the lens of contemporary arts interventions and artists’ responses. Whilst Cumbrian geology is foregrounded, the symposium will also consider a much broader range of contexts and geologies. In encouraging provocative, divergent, and critical artists’ engagement, the aim is also to prompt interdisciplinary and public-facing discourse between scholars, artists and cultural practitioners.
The papers, presentations and films called for will be invited to consider the following themes (the list is not exhaustive):
- The Cumbrian Anthropocene.
- Relationships to Deeptime.
- Underworlds and strata, the structures of a rocky planet.
- Crystals, geodes and geologic formations.
- Mountains, Glaciers, Rivers, landforms and geologic processes.
- Erosions and depositions.
- Geologic collections and collectors.
- Geology and Archaeology.
- Geology and Folklore.
- Geologic economics – energies, mineral extractions, materials removed and stored; tourism and visitor economies; farming and industry.
- Cultural relationships to the geologic – artists, writers, folklorists, historians, musicians, performers.
- Environmental uncertainties and anxieties of the geologic.
The organisers also welcome panel proposals, ideas for screenings of short films, or workshop proposals. Presentations should be of 20 minutes duration, with 10 minutes for questions.
Anyone wishing to contribute should email max. 250-word abstracts plus a short bio with photograph of both the author and (where appropriate) recent work to Professor Robert Williams: [email protected]. Submission Deadline: 16:00 Monday April 4th 2022.
posted 5/3/22
Exhibition at Holy Trinity Church, Millom
An exhibition celebrating Wordsworth's Duddon Sonnets, and including a section devoted to Norman Nicholson, has opened at Holy Trinity Church in Millom and runs till January 30th. The exhibition is by the Cumbria textile and mixed media group FLAX. The River Duddon was important to Wordsworth, just as it was to Nicholson over a hundred years later, and has a prominent place in the writings of both poets. The exhibition is open on January 16th, 22nd, 23rd, 29th and 30th, from 12 - 3.00pm. There's no entry charge but donations to the upkeep of the church are welcome. Refreshments are available.
posted 16/1/22
posted 16/1/22
Architectural Heritage Fund doubles our money!
Our project to buy and renovate Norman Nicholson's home in Millom has chalked up a major success thanks to the Architectural Heritage Fund.
The AHF, which works to promote the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK, has awarded the project Crowdfunder Challenge status. This means they will match pound-for-pound all money raised by Nicholson House’s online crowdfunding campaign.
Chair of Norman Nicholson House Charlie Lambert said: ‘This is wonderful news, especially because the AHF are backdating this award so that all the money we’ve raised so far has doubled overnight. Our GoFundMe campaign has just hit its initial target of £10,000 and we will now extend that target, knowing that every donation immediately becomes worth twice as much’.
It means that the project has now secured over £126,000 from a range of sources towards its aim to turn the house in St George’s Terrace into a place that will make a lively contribution to the community, as well as celebrating the life and work of the poet. Charlie said: ‘We are well on our way, but we are still talking to funding organisations because this is a sizeable and ambitious project.’
Donate through the Crowdfunder campaign – and your money will immediately be doubled by the Architectural Heritage Fund. Find out more about project to buy and renovate the house at www.normannicholsonhouse.co.uk
posted 19/1/22
The AHF, which works to promote the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK, has awarded the project Crowdfunder Challenge status. This means they will match pound-for-pound all money raised by Nicholson House’s online crowdfunding campaign.
Chair of Norman Nicholson House Charlie Lambert said: ‘This is wonderful news, especially because the AHF are backdating this award so that all the money we’ve raised so far has doubled overnight. Our GoFundMe campaign has just hit its initial target of £10,000 and we will now extend that target, knowing that every donation immediately becomes worth twice as much’.
It means that the project has now secured over £126,000 from a range of sources towards its aim to turn the house in St George’s Terrace into a place that will make a lively contribution to the community, as well as celebrating the life and work of the poet. Charlie said: ‘We are well on our way, but we are still talking to funding organisations because this is a sizeable and ambitious project.’
Donate through the Crowdfunder campaign – and your money will immediately be doubled by the Architectural Heritage Fund. Find out more about project to buy and renovate the house at www.normannicholsonhouse.co.uk
posted 19/1/22
Nicholson birthday celebration on January 8th
The Society will celebrate the birthday of Norman Nicholson (1914-1987) this Saturday, January 8th 2022, at 12 noon via Zoom. 2022 marks Norman’s 108th birthday and is also the 50th anniversary of his fourth poetry collection, A Local Habitation, published by Faber & Faber in 1972. Locality and ecology were of immense importance to Norman Nicholson. As the impact of human beings on our climate and habitat have become ever more apparent, it is good to remember his prophetic voice and vision. There will be a selection of readings from Nicholson’s work, one for every month of the year, and you will get the chance to hear about our plans for 2022. Do join us for this special FREE Zoom event, and do pass the word on to your friends and family. Register by sending an email to [email protected]. The deadline for registration is 12 noon on 7th January, 2022. A Zoom invitation with further instructions will be sent to all registered participants.
posted 3/1/22
posted 3/1/22
Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2022
HAPPY CHRISTMAS to all our friends, members and supporters. We hope you are able to enjoy the celebrations of the coming days. We can look back on a year in which we managed to hold a good variety of activities, starting with our first virtual event, a celebration of Nicholson's birthday on January 8th via Zoom. Encouraged by that, we went on to use Zoom for our AGM including a talk by Dr Penny Bradshaw, for a seminar on 'To The River Duddon' led by Antoinette Fawcett, and also for our biennial two-day festival in June. Physical events also made a reappearance with our Christmas lunch last week and also our participation in 'Still Glides the Stream', Wordsworth Grasmere's outstanding celebration of the 250th anniversary of Wordsworth's birth and the 200th anniversary of the Duddon Sonnets, held over from 2020. In conjunction with The Book Mill we also published our anthology of lockdown poems, 'The Unpredicted Spring', demonstrating that creativity flourishes even in the most restricted circumstances, something Nicholson himself would recognise.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us in any way this year, especially Millom Town Council and Millom CGP Trust for providing funding towards our festival.
It's been another significant year for the Norman Nicholson House project, with much-appreciated support from the Architectural Heritage Fund, Copeland Borough Council, Jennie Pitceathly of Museum Matters, Millom Towns Fund, and all contributors to the project's crowdfunding page.
Very best wishes for 2022.
posted 24/12/21
Thank you to everyone who has supported us in any way this year, especially Millom Town Council and Millom CGP Trust for providing funding towards our festival.
It's been another significant year for the Norman Nicholson House project, with much-appreciated support from the Architectural Heritage Fund, Copeland Borough Council, Jennie Pitceathly of Museum Matters, Millom Towns Fund, and all contributors to the project's crowdfunding page.
Very best wishes for 2022.
posted 24/12/21
Millom art project makes Nicholson connections
Norman Nicholson's work and the environment of his home town are celebrated in a new project by Millom artist Irene Rogan. Unpublished Tour features photographs, memories and interpretation by a number of contributors who were invited to focus on the usually inaccessible edges of the Duddon Estuary and the restoration of Haverigg Dunes. The project had a physical launch at Millom Palladium on November 27th and also has an online presence at https://www.unpublishedtour.uk/ Contributors include Jonathan Powell, who retraces the route of Nicholson's regular Sunday walks with his father and Uncle Jim, Simone Faulkner, who has assembled a striking series of 'then and now' photographs, and Chris Powell, who recalls his personal connection with the sculptor Josefina de Vasconcellos and tracks down the surviving physical evidence of Millom Pier.
posted 5/12/21
posted 5/12/21
'I must illumine my own silence...'
A new academic paper, focusing on Norman Nicholson's poem 'Hard of Hearing' in the context of ambience, was published yesterday. The paper, by our own committee member Laura Day, explores how Nicholson's own partial deafness shaped his experience of the Cumbrian landscape. As Laura writes, 'for those of us with perfect hearing, Nicholson’s poem provides us with an opportunity to try to comprehend what it would be like to live in a world without sound'. It is published in Moveable Type, the graduate journal of University College London, and is available online HERE. 'Hard of Hearing' appeared in Nicholson's final collection, Sea to the West, 1981.
posted 19/11/21
posted 19/11/21
Christmas lunch is back on the menu!
Our annual Christmas get-together is back! After last year's enforced break we are delighted to be returning to the Netherwood Hotel at Grange-over-Sands on Saturday December 18, for a festive lunch at 12.30 for 1pm. This is open to members of the Society and their partner/guest. Cost is £29.95 per person for a three-course meal plus tea/coffee/mince pies (excludes cost of drinks). Pay the hotel on the day. Places are limited so please reserve yours in advance by emailing [email protected] by 5pm on Friday December 3rd. Please write 'Christmas' in the subject box.
See you there! (please note the deadline has been advanced from Dec 13th at the request of the hotel).
posted 21/10/21, updated 10/11/21
See you there! (please note the deadline has been advanced from Dec 13th at the request of the hotel).
posted 21/10/21, updated 10/11/21
Challenging responses to poetry of the 1940s
Norman Nicholson is highlighted as an example of the regionalist movement against Oxbridge/metropolitan dominance of literature in the 1940s,in a call for papers for a symposium on Apocalypse Poetry to be held next year. Nicholson is named in publicity for the two-part symposium which will be organised by Sheffield Hallam University and Huddersfield University, taking place on March 19 2022 at Sheffield Hallam, organised by Professor John Goodby, and on November 12 2022 at Huddersfield, organised by Dr Steve Ely. The call for papers appears below. Booking details and deadlines for proposals have yet to be published.
The conference arises from James Keery's ground-breaking Apocalypse anthology, which the organisers believe has the potential to challenge the dominant critical responses to the poetry of the 1940s - and perhaps provoke a reassessment of received accounts of the narrative of 20th century English-language poetry. Click on the 'fullscreen' icon, bottom right:
The conference arises from James Keery's ground-breaking Apocalypse anthology, which the organisers believe has the potential to challenge the dominant critical responses to the poetry of the 1940s - and perhaps provoke a reassessment of received accounts of the narrative of 20th century English-language poetry. Click on the 'fullscreen' icon, bottom right:
posted 14/10/21
South Cumbria Musical Festival
The Norman Nicholson Society is delighted to continue our sponsorship of two classes at the South Cumbria Musical Festival, to take place in Ulverston in March. Both classes are in the Speech section and will feature recitations of two poems by Nicholson – ‘Road Up’ for ages up to and including school year 6, and ‘Wall’ for school years 7 – 9 inclusive. The classes sponsored by the Society are in memory of our late friend and former chair of the Society Peggy Troll. The winning performances will receive book tokens of £20.00 (Class 206 ‘Road Up’ ) and £30.00 (Class 212 ‘Wall’). Entries for all classes are now open, deadline December 31st. The festival runs from March 21st to March 26th 2022. Full details here: http://southcumbriamusicalfestival.co.uk/entry/ The syllabus can also been downloaded from the website.
posted 5/11/21
posted 5/11/21
'Fossils' performance available to watch until end of November
Jess Dandy. photo: CLARE PARK
A new musical setting by Joel Rust of Nicholson’s poem ‘Fossils’, performed by contralto Jess Dandy at the Oxford Lieder Festival on October 8th, is available to watch on demand until the end of November in the festival’s Digital Concert Hall. For more information, visit oxfordlieder.co.uk. J
Joel Rust says of the piece: 'Fossils, our very distant cousins, remind us that there have been, and will be, more ways of living on this planet than we can possibly know. Nicholson’s poem treats these creatures with respect, admiration and warmth; I wanted my setting to do the same — and to reflect the gently undulating landscape unfolding around it'. Other works include songs by Vaughan Williams, Henry Purcell, Edvard Grieg, Arnold Bax, and a new commission by Cumbrian composer, Ella Jarman-Pinto.
The event, ‘A Cumbrian Idyll’, also features the best-selling author and Cumbrian shepherd James Rebanks and pianist Martin Roscoe.
posted 10/10/21
Joel Rust says of the piece: 'Fossils, our very distant cousins, remind us that there have been, and will be, more ways of living on this planet than we can possibly know. Nicholson’s poem treats these creatures with respect, admiration and warmth; I wanted my setting to do the same — and to reflect the gently undulating landscape unfolding around it'. Other works include songs by Vaughan Williams, Henry Purcell, Edvard Grieg, Arnold Bax, and a new commission by Cumbrian composer, Ella Jarman-Pinto.
The event, ‘A Cumbrian Idyll’, also features the best-selling author and Cumbrian shepherd James Rebanks and pianist Martin Roscoe.
posted 10/10/21
I wonder, Duddon...
This event, originally scheduled for October 27, has been rearranged for November 3 to avoid a clash with an online celebration of Dorothy Wordsworth's 250th birthday, hosted by Wordsworth Grasmere. The celebration will be an online event which we thoroughly recommend - details HERE.
posted 6/10/21
Comet - autumn edition
The autumn edition of Comet has been published and is available to members in the Members' Area of this website. If you're a member of the Society and haven't yet registered for access to this exclusive section, go to the Membership page for the details as to how to do so. Among the features in this latest Comet are Ken Cockburn's talk from our online festival this summer, the latest in Brian Whalley's series on the rocks of Cumbria, and an article by Jack Threlfall Hartley on his involvement with Nicholson's work and with the people and places of Iceland. And a lot more!
posted 1/10/21
posted 1/10/21
'A profoundly political writer'
There's an excellent appreciation of Nicholson on the website of the Morning Star, written by Nick Matthews who has recently joined the Society. Nick's article also mentions his visit to the exhibition celebrating the Duddon Sonnets at Wordsworth Grasmere and how impressed he was with our own contribution to it. Read his piece HERE.
posted 27/9/21
posted 27/9/21
Nicholson books for sale
A splendid selection of Nicholson books, many of them first editions and some of them signed, are available to purchase from Tony Pointer who has contacted us via this website. They are:
The Lakers (June 1956) £10
The Lakers (1972) £7
HG Wells (1950, 1st edition) £10
Portrait of the Lakes (1st edition) £20
Portrait of the Lakes (2nd edition) £5
Greater Lakeland (1969, 1st edition) £10
Greater Lakeland (1975 edition) £7
Man and Literature (1943, 1st edition) £!5
The Candy Floss Tree (1st edition) £15
William Cowper (1960, 1st edition) £5
The Old Man of the Mountains (1st edition) £15
Sea to the West (1st edition) £18
The Lake District, an anthology (1st edition) £15
The Green Shore (1st edition) best offer
Cumberland and Westmorland (1st edition) £15
Five Rivers (1st edition) £20
The Fire of the Lord (1st edition) £20
The Garden of the Innocent £30
To buy any of the above, or any queries, please contact Tony direct at [email protected]
posted 16/9/21
The Lakers (June 1956) £10
The Lakers (1972) £7
HG Wells (1950, 1st edition) £10
Portrait of the Lakes (1st edition) £20
Portrait of the Lakes (2nd edition) £5
Greater Lakeland (1969, 1st edition) £10
Greater Lakeland (1975 edition) £7
Man and Literature (1943, 1st edition) £!5
The Candy Floss Tree (1st edition) £15
William Cowper (1960, 1st edition) £5
The Old Man of the Mountains (1st edition) £15
Sea to the West (1st edition) £18
The Lake District, an anthology (1st edition) £15
The Green Shore (1st edition) best offer
Cumberland and Westmorland (1st edition) £15
Five Rivers (1st edition) £20
The Fire of the Lord (1st edition) £20
The Garden of the Innocent £30
To buy any of the above, or any queries, please contact Tony direct at [email protected]
posted 16/9/21
'Fossils' set to music and to premiere in Oxford
Contralto Jess Dandy, born and bred in Barrow-in-Furness and a huge admirer of Norman Nicholson, will sing a new musical setting by Joel Rust of Nicholson’s poem ‘Fossils’ at the opening event of Oxford Lieder Festival 2021 on Friday October 8th. This was originally intended to be performed on Cumbria’s Birkrigg Common with its myriad microfossils and extensive limestone pavement, but will now receive its world premiere at the Festival.
Joel Rust says of the piece: 'Fossils, our very distant cousins, remind us that there have been, and will be, more ways of living on this planet than we can possibly know. Nicholson’s poem treats these creatures with respect, admiration and warmth; I wanted my setting to do the same — and to reflect the gently undulating landscape unfolding around it'. Other works include songs by Vaughan Williams, Henry Purcell, Edvard Grieg, Arnold Bax, and a new commission by Cumbrian composer, Ella Jarman-Pinto.
The event, ‘A Cumbrian Idyll’, also features the best-selling author and Cumbrian shepherd James Rebanks and pianist Martin Roscoe. It runs from 11am to 12 noon at the Jacqueline Du Pré Building at St Hilda’s College, Oxford. This event will also be live-streamed and will be available to watch on demand until the end of November in the festival’s Digital Concert Hall. For more information, visit oxfordlieder.co.uk
Joel Rust says of the piece: 'Fossils, our very distant cousins, remind us that there have been, and will be, more ways of living on this planet than we can possibly know. Nicholson’s poem treats these creatures with respect, admiration and warmth; I wanted my setting to do the same — and to reflect the gently undulating landscape unfolding around it'. Other works include songs by Vaughan Williams, Henry Purcell, Edvard Grieg, Arnold Bax, and a new commission by Cumbrian composer, Ella Jarman-Pinto.
The event, ‘A Cumbrian Idyll’, also features the best-selling author and Cumbrian shepherd James Rebanks and pianist Martin Roscoe. It runs from 11am to 12 noon at the Jacqueline Du Pré Building at St Hilda’s College, Oxford. This event will also be live-streamed and will be available to watch on demand until the end of November in the festival’s Digital Concert Hall. For more information, visit oxfordlieder.co.uk
Laura to examine Sea to the West
Laura Day, MA student at the University of Durham and a member of the Norman Nicholson Society committee, will give a lecture exploring how the poems in Nicholson's 1981 collection Sea to the West address issues which resonated throughout his adult life. This is part of the university's Late Summer Lecture Series and takes place at 5.30pm on Wednesday September 22nd. Book for this free online event via Eventbrite HERE.
posted 11/8/21
posted 11/8/21
Countrystride podcast explores Nicholson territory
The latest edition of the excellent podcast series Countrystride features Norman Nicholson and Millom, as our former chair Dr David Cooper takes host Mark Richards and producer Dave Felton on a tour through Norman's life, his work, and his locality. This audio production provides an impressive introduction to Nicholson's writing, showing how it was influenced by his life experiences, his home town, and his views on issues which are very pertinent today - especially at a time when the sustainability of the planet is top of the political agenda. Listen to the podcast HERE. Our thanks to Dave Felton for giving Nicholson's story such expert treatment, and it is lovely to hear David Cooper talking about Norman with such knowledge and commitment.
posted 9/8/21
posted 9/8/21
Watch our poetry evening online
A video of the poetry evening held as part of this year's Norman Nicholson Festival is now available on our YouTube channel. The video includes readings by many of the poets featured in our anthology of lockdown poetry The Unpredicted Spring, including the two winners Martyn Halsall and Katie Deutsch. Click HERE to view it.
posted 25/7/21
posted 25/7/21
£20.6 million to transform Millom
Congratulations to Copeland Borough Council and the Millom Town Deal Board on securing £20.6 million from the Government's Towns Fund! This is a marvellous news for the town. The Norman Nicholson Society is listed as a key stakeholder in the Millom Town Improvement Plan and we are looking forward to hearing further details. Read the official announcement from Copeland BC HERE.
posted 17/7/21
posted 17/7/21
'Still Glides the Stream'
We are looking forward to being part of the formal launch of a new exhibition at Wordsworth Grasmere, Still Glides the Stream' to celebrate the bicentenary of William Wordsworth's Duddon Sonnets. Please join us for an evening of stories and music from the artists, musicians and specialist groups who came together to bring the Duddon Sonnets to life. This will be an online event, free of charge, on Wednesday July 28th from 7.30pm to 9pm. You must register in advance at: https://bit.ly/2VChNUF.
The Norman Nicholson Society was invited to take part in the exhibition because of Nicholson's own writings about the River Duddon and also his own literary relationship with Wordsworth - something to which he often referred in both poetry and prose.
posted 14/7/21
The Norman Nicholson Society was invited to take part in the exhibition because of Nicholson's own writings about the River Duddon and also his own literary relationship with Wordsworth - something to which he often referred in both poetry and prose.
posted 14/7/21
Festival 2021: perspectives on poets and poetry
The Society's second biennial two-day festival took place over the weekend and was a resounding success. Taking place on Zoom because of continuing risks posed by the Covid pandemic, the festival attracted attendees from all over the UK as well as the USA, Canada, India and New Zealand.
The opening session on Saturday afternoon featured the Scottish poet Ken Cockburn who compared his home town of Kirkcaldy with Nicholson's Millom and demonstrated the influence of Nicholson in his own writing. Our second speaker was Jeff Cowton, Curator and Head of Learning at Wordsworth Grasmere, who gave us a wonderful visual tour of the recent developments at Dove Cottage which include a display centred on Nicholson, provided by the Society, within the Still Glides the Stream exhibition, celebrating Wordsworth's Duddon Sonnets. Between the two talks, our chair Charlie Lambert gave an update on the Norman Nicholson's Millom trails app, launched at the end of March (Android users click HERE for Google Play. iPhone users click HERE for the Apple Store).
Saturday evening consisted of a delightful evening of poetry, as 14 poets who contributed to our recent anthology The Unpredicted Spring came together via Zoom to read and discuss their work. On Sunday we enjoyed two impeccably-researched and well-presented talks by two of the Society's younger members - Laura Day, who is studying for her PhD at Durham University, and Jack Threlfall Hartley who is working towards his PhD at Oxford University. Laura examined Nicholson's poem Hard of Hearing while Jack - currently based in Iceland - explored the influence of Norse language and locations in Nicholson's work. Charlie Lambert unveiled the Norman Nicholson Audio Archive, a collection of audio recordings with people who knew Nicholson personally, plus recordings of the poet himself generously made available by permission of BBC Radio Cumbria. The festival concluded with an appreciation of the two days by Kathleen Jones, vice-president of the Society and Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund.
All events were free but attendees were invited to make a donation to the Nicholson House Project. This raised a very impressive £594 through our GoFundMe campaign - thank you to everyone who contributed.
Our thanks also go to Millom Town Council and Millom CGP Trust for supporting the festival financially.
posted 28/6/21
The opening session on Saturday afternoon featured the Scottish poet Ken Cockburn who compared his home town of Kirkcaldy with Nicholson's Millom and demonstrated the influence of Nicholson in his own writing. Our second speaker was Jeff Cowton, Curator and Head of Learning at Wordsworth Grasmere, who gave us a wonderful visual tour of the recent developments at Dove Cottage which include a display centred on Nicholson, provided by the Society, within the Still Glides the Stream exhibition, celebrating Wordsworth's Duddon Sonnets. Between the two talks, our chair Charlie Lambert gave an update on the Norman Nicholson's Millom trails app, launched at the end of March (Android users click HERE for Google Play. iPhone users click HERE for the Apple Store).
Saturday evening consisted of a delightful evening of poetry, as 14 poets who contributed to our recent anthology The Unpredicted Spring came together via Zoom to read and discuss their work. On Sunday we enjoyed two impeccably-researched and well-presented talks by two of the Society's younger members - Laura Day, who is studying for her PhD at Durham University, and Jack Threlfall Hartley who is working towards his PhD at Oxford University. Laura examined Nicholson's poem Hard of Hearing while Jack - currently based in Iceland - explored the influence of Norse language and locations in Nicholson's work. Charlie Lambert unveiled the Norman Nicholson Audio Archive, a collection of audio recordings with people who knew Nicholson personally, plus recordings of the poet himself generously made available by permission of BBC Radio Cumbria. The festival concluded with an appreciation of the two days by Kathleen Jones, vice-president of the Society and Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund.
All events were free but attendees were invited to make a donation to the Nicholson House Project. This raised a very impressive £594 through our GoFundMe campaign - thank you to everyone who contributed.
Our thanks also go to Millom Town Council and Millom CGP Trust for supporting the festival financially.
posted 28/6/21
Focus on Nicholson at Wordsworth Grasmere
photo courtesy Wordsworth Grasmere
An exhibition to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Wordsworth's Duddon Sonnets has opened at Wordsworth Grasmere. It includes a display illustrating Nicholson's literary relationship with his poetic predecessor, demonstrating how poetry from one century can inspire the work and indeed the lives of those from another. The Society is delighted to have been involved in developing this display, which will be on view until the wider exhibition closes at the end of August. The Duddon Sonnets were published in 1820. The exhibition, 'Still Glides the Stream', was originally scheduled to open last summer but was delayed by the pandemic. It runs until September 12th 2021
posted 12/6/21, updated 21/7/21
posted 12/6/21, updated 21/7/21
Programme announced for Norman Nicholson Festival 2021
The Norman Nicholson Society is delighted to announce the line-up for its second two-day festival, to take place on the weekend of June 26th and 27th 2021. In view of the current health situation, the festival will be entirely online this year regardless of any further relaxation of lockdown between now and the end of the month. FULL SCHEDULE HERE.
The Edinburgh-based poet Ken Cockburn will open the festival on the Saturday afternoon with a reading of some of his own poems, and some of Nicholson’s, leading to a consideration of themes familiar from Nicholson’s work. Ken will be followed by Jeff Cowton, Curator at Wordsworth Grasmere, who will talk about the best way to keep faith with the original author when presenting their work for future generations.
On the Saturday evening, poets whose work was featured in the Society’s anthology of lockdown poems, The Unpredicted Spring, will come together virtually to read their poems, along with the editor of the anthology and Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund Kathleen Jones.
Sunday June 27th will feature two of the Society’s younger members, both of whom are studying Nicholson’s work for PhD qualifications, Laura Day of Durham University and Jack Threlfall Hartley of Oxford University. The afternoon will also see the launch of the Norman Nicholson Audio Archive before the festival closes at around 4.30pm.
The Festival is supported by funding from Millom Town Council and Millom CGP Trust. FULL SCHEDULE HERE.
All events will take place using the Zoom platform. Anyone wishing to attend should contact the Society by email to [email protected] stating which sessions they want to attend (Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening, Sunday afternoon) and the Zoom links will be sent closer to the weekend. All sessions are free but the Society suggests a one-off donation of a minimum of £5 per person could be made to the crowdfunding campaign for the project to buy and renovate Norman Nicholson’s home in Millom. Donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/breathe-new-life-into-norman-nicholsons-house?qid=cfe8af3298aa4a503039e323577dbfb6
Charlie Lambert, Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society, said: ‘This is going to be a wonderful event and how lovely it is to have something like this to look forward to. Normally we would have based everything in Millom itself, Norman’s lifelong home, but circumstances have forced our hand this year. The upside of streaming everything online is that Nicholson enthusiasts can join us from around the world and we are very much looking forward to that.’
He added: ‘We are incredibly grateful to Millom Town Council and Millom CGP Trust for supporting the festival, as they did last time in 2019. To make funding available even when we are not able to organise events in the town itself is a terrific statement of support’. FULL SCHEDULE HERE.
The Edinburgh-based poet Ken Cockburn will open the festival on the Saturday afternoon with a reading of some of his own poems, and some of Nicholson’s, leading to a consideration of themes familiar from Nicholson’s work. Ken will be followed by Jeff Cowton, Curator at Wordsworth Grasmere, who will talk about the best way to keep faith with the original author when presenting their work for future generations.
On the Saturday evening, poets whose work was featured in the Society’s anthology of lockdown poems, The Unpredicted Spring, will come together virtually to read their poems, along with the editor of the anthology and Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund Kathleen Jones.
Sunday June 27th will feature two of the Society’s younger members, both of whom are studying Nicholson’s work for PhD qualifications, Laura Day of Durham University and Jack Threlfall Hartley of Oxford University. The afternoon will also see the launch of the Norman Nicholson Audio Archive before the festival closes at around 4.30pm.
The Festival is supported by funding from Millom Town Council and Millom CGP Trust. FULL SCHEDULE HERE.
All events will take place using the Zoom platform. Anyone wishing to attend should contact the Society by email to [email protected] stating which sessions they want to attend (Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening, Sunday afternoon) and the Zoom links will be sent closer to the weekend. All sessions are free but the Society suggests a one-off donation of a minimum of £5 per person could be made to the crowdfunding campaign for the project to buy and renovate Norman Nicholson’s home in Millom. Donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/breathe-new-life-into-norman-nicholsons-house?qid=cfe8af3298aa4a503039e323577dbfb6
Charlie Lambert, Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society, said: ‘This is going to be a wonderful event and how lovely it is to have something like this to look forward to. Normally we would have based everything in Millom itself, Norman’s lifelong home, but circumstances have forced our hand this year. The upside of streaming everything online is that Nicholson enthusiasts can join us from around the world and we are very much looking forward to that.’
He added: ‘We are incredibly grateful to Millom Town Council and Millom CGP Trust for supporting the festival, as they did last time in 2019. To make funding available even when we are not able to organise events in the town itself is a terrific statement of support’. FULL SCHEDULE HERE.
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posted 2/6/21
Anthony Thwaite, influential champion of Nicholson
The poet, editor and producer Anthony Thwaite, who was an influential champion of Norman Nicholson, has died at the age of 90. In the 1960s he produced a series of BBC radio programmes in which Nicholson read from Wordsworth's The Prelude, and also produced a TV programme about Nicholson for the BBC's Viewpoint series. When Norman died, Anthony wrote his obituary in The Independent and also Norman's entry in the Dictionary of National Biography. Anthony Thwaites' own obituary in the Guardian can be found HERE.
posted 20/5/21
posted 20/5/21
Donation in memory of 'inspirational' Wilf Kimber
Karen Seward
Former English teacher at Barrow Grammar School and Barrow Sixth Form College Wilf Kimber has been commemorated by a wonderfully generous donation of £5,000 to the crowdfunding campaign which is raising money towards the purchase of Nicholson's old home in Millom.
The donation to the GoFundMe project comes from Karen Seward, who attended the Sixth Form College from 1981 to 1983 and remembers Mr Kimber as 'an inspirational teacher who gave me a lifelong love of the the wonderful work of Norman Nicholson'. Mr Kimber passed away last year at the age of 97.
Karen is now global head of litigation at the London law firm Allen and Overy. She said: 'The Nicholson House project will, I am sure, go a long way towards cementing for Nicholson the reputation that should be his by right, as one of the greatest of British poets'.
Charlie Lambert, who chairs both the Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company and the Norman Nicholson Society, said: 'This is a stunning piece of generosity by Karen, and a wonderful way to celebrate the memory of Mr Kimber. It shows what a huge impact the work of teachers has on individua pupils, lasting a lifetime'.
The Nicholson House project is currently approaching major funders for the substantial six-figure sum needed to buy the house and turn it into a worthy tribute to Nicholson as well as a meaningful community facility in Millom. The GoFundMe project has a target of £10,000 which gives individuals the chance to contribute as well as demonstrating that Nicholson admirers are prepared to put their own money into the scheme. Contributions of whatever size are very welcome and can be made HERE.
posted 17/5/21
The donation to the GoFundMe project comes from Karen Seward, who attended the Sixth Form College from 1981 to 1983 and remembers Mr Kimber as 'an inspirational teacher who gave me a lifelong love of the the wonderful work of Norman Nicholson'. Mr Kimber passed away last year at the age of 97.
Karen is now global head of litigation at the London law firm Allen and Overy. She said: 'The Nicholson House project will, I am sure, go a long way towards cementing for Nicholson the reputation that should be his by right, as one of the greatest of British poets'.
Charlie Lambert, who chairs both the Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company and the Norman Nicholson Society, said: 'This is a stunning piece of generosity by Karen, and a wonderful way to celebrate the memory of Mr Kimber. It shows what a huge impact the work of teachers has on individua pupils, lasting a lifetime'.
The Nicholson House project is currently approaching major funders for the substantial six-figure sum needed to buy the house and turn it into a worthy tribute to Nicholson as well as a meaningful community facility in Millom. The GoFundMe project has a target of £10,000 which gives individuals the chance to contribute as well as demonstrating that Nicholson admirers are prepared to put their own money into the scheme. Contributions of whatever size are very welcome and can be made HERE.
posted 17/5/21
Nicholson's 'poetry of hope'
A talk by the Rev Canon Dr Edmund Newey, inspired by Nicholson's poetry of hope and presented online in March, is available in audio form on the website of Engaging Theology in Cumbria HERE. The talk draws largely on one of Nicholson's early poems The Burning Bush. Dr Newey is Rector of St Andrew's Church, Rugby.
posted 5/5/21
posted 5/5/21
Latest edition of Comet
The Spring edition of Comet, the Society's regular newsletter, is now available for members to read or download in the Members' Area of this website. To find out how to access this area, click HERE.
posted 4/5/21
posted 4/5/21
Words of appreciation
Two comments from our recent AGM:
"I'm a member of a number of literary societies and the Norman Nicholson Society has outstripped most, if not all, in terms of being so dynamic under conditions of such adversity, and going from strength - not only last year but this year - to further strength' - Dr Chris Donaldson, University of Lancaster.
'Comet has been a brilliant resource and I'd like to thank the editor Antoinette Fawcett and everyone who has written for it because it has been absolutely astonishing. Many other societies don't manage to achieve anything of that standard. I think the Norman Nicholson Society should be proud of that achievement' - Andrew F. Wilson.
posted 2/5/21
"I'm a member of a number of literary societies and the Norman Nicholson Society has outstripped most, if not all, in terms of being so dynamic under conditions of such adversity, and going from strength - not only last year but this year - to further strength' - Dr Chris Donaldson, University of Lancaster.
'Comet has been a brilliant resource and I'd like to thank the editor Antoinette Fawcett and everyone who has written for it because it has been absolutely astonishing. Many other societies don't manage to achieve anything of that standard. I think the Norman Nicholson Society should be proud of that achievement' - Andrew F. Wilson.
posted 2/5/21
Two join committee at our AGM
Thank you to our members who attended our AGM via Zoom on Saturday. Congratulations on being elected to the committee go to two of our younger members, Laura Day and Jack Threlfall Hartley - it's great to have you on board. Our treasurer Brian Charnley was re-elected for another three years. Brian Whalley was confirmed as a committee member having been co-opted in 2019. Members also approved Brian's appointment as Membership Secretary, and Janice Brockbank's appointment to the role of Secretary was likewise approved. Despite the social distance we were able to arrange a small presentation to Glenn Lang as a sign of appreciation of his many years as Secretary. Thank you also to Dr Penny Bradshaw for delivering an illuminating talk on Nicholson's studies of Wordsworth. It was good to see a number of non-members joining us for that part of the event.
posted 26/4/21
posted 26/4/21
Royal Society of Literature
The Royal Society of Literature has remedied an omission on its website, whereby Norman Nicholson was not included in a page dedicated to past Fellows of the RSL. Nicholson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1945, shortly after having been awarded the inaugural Heinemann Award for his first full collection of poetry, Five Rivers (Faber and Faber, 1944). He was then only 31 years old, an unusually young age for such an honour. The RSL has now put this right, following an approach by our committee member and editor of Comet, Antoinette Fawcett. There's more on the RSL's website HERE.
posted 19/4/21
posted 19/4/21
'Norman Nicholson's Millom' - walking trails app is live!
An app which will guide people on two walking trails around the Millom area has been launched. The app can be downloaded free of charge to the user’s smartphone and uses GPS technology to navigate the two routes.
It has been produced by Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company, working in tandem with the Norman Nicholson Society.
The two trails are a 1.5 mile walk around Millom town centre and a 6.5 mile route from the town to the Duddon estuary, the site of the town’s former Ironworks, and Hodbarrow RSPB nature reserve. Users of the app will find information and photographs for each location along the way, along with an audio description, and extracts from Norman Nicholson’s writings.
They can also hear a welcome from Lord Melvyn Bragg, president of the Norman Nicholson Society, and personal memories of Millom’s past from lifelong local residents Brian Maggs, a former employee at the Ironworks, and Dorothy Richardson, whose father was the harbourmaster in the days when Millom was a busy port.
Funding for the app has come from Copeland Borough Council through the Government’s Towns Fund strategy.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE APP AND THE TRAILS - WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
Chair of Norman Nicholson House CIC Charlie Lambert said: ‘The app is brilliant. It’s free to download, easy to use, and it takes users on a journey through time as well as along two fascinating and uplifting routes. I’m very grateful to Copeland Borough Council for funding this and to everyone who has contributed towards making it happen.’
The trails can be found by downloading the Situate app from either the Apple Store or Google Play and searching for Norman Nicholson’s Millom.
At the same time Norman Nicholson House is unveiling a Crowdfunder campaign to raise some of the money needed for its project to buy Nicholson’s old home. Charlie Lambert said: ‘All contributions are really welcome. You can chip in by going to GoFundMe.com and search for Norman Nicholson House.’
Digital development of the app is by Agnes Control of Workington and Llama Digital of Sheffield. Graphic design by AR Graphic Design of Maryport. Content created by Norman Nicholson House CIC. Heritage consultant Marshall Mossop.
READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY COPELAND BOROUGH COUNCIL HERE
MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE LAUNCH OF THE APP:
posted 29/3/21
It has been produced by Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company, working in tandem with the Norman Nicholson Society.
The two trails are a 1.5 mile walk around Millom town centre and a 6.5 mile route from the town to the Duddon estuary, the site of the town’s former Ironworks, and Hodbarrow RSPB nature reserve. Users of the app will find information and photographs for each location along the way, along with an audio description, and extracts from Norman Nicholson’s writings.
They can also hear a welcome from Lord Melvyn Bragg, president of the Norman Nicholson Society, and personal memories of Millom’s past from lifelong local residents Brian Maggs, a former employee at the Ironworks, and Dorothy Richardson, whose father was the harbourmaster in the days when Millom was a busy port.
Funding for the app has come from Copeland Borough Council through the Government’s Towns Fund strategy.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE APP AND THE TRAILS - WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
Chair of Norman Nicholson House CIC Charlie Lambert said: ‘The app is brilliant. It’s free to download, easy to use, and it takes users on a journey through time as well as along two fascinating and uplifting routes. I’m very grateful to Copeland Borough Council for funding this and to everyone who has contributed towards making it happen.’
The trails can be found by downloading the Situate app from either the Apple Store or Google Play and searching for Norman Nicholson’s Millom.
At the same time Norman Nicholson House is unveiling a Crowdfunder campaign to raise some of the money needed for its project to buy Nicholson’s old home. Charlie Lambert said: ‘All contributions are really welcome. You can chip in by going to GoFundMe.com and search for Norman Nicholson House.’
Digital development of the app is by Agnes Control of Workington and Llama Digital of Sheffield. Graphic design by AR Graphic Design of Maryport. Content created by Norman Nicholson House CIC. Heritage consultant Marshall Mossop.
READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY COPELAND BOROUGH COUNCIL HERE
MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE LAUNCH OF THE APP:
- BBC TV NW report in breakfast bulletins on Friday April 2nd.
- Radio Cumbria reported the launch and used a clip from our chair Charlie Lambert in news bulletins also on Friday April 2nd.
- Radio Cumbria have scheduled a longer piece in the breakfast show at 0845 next Tuesday (April 6th).
- Whitehaven News report: https://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/news/19197001.new-app-launch-celebrates-millom-nicholson/
- News & Star report: https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/19195214.new-app-launch-celebrates-millom-nicholson/
- Cumbria Crack report: https://cumbriacrack.com/2021/03/31/norman-nicholson-walking-app-launches-for-millom/
posted 29/3/21
Our Lockdown Poetry event on YouTube
We are pleased to announce that the recording of our Lockdown Poetry evening, 'Poets of the Unpredicted Spring', is now posted on YouTube. Search on YouTube for Norman Nicholson Society, or go straight to the recordings using these links:
Part 1 https://youtu.be/feVdZY-VD6Y Duration 37 mins.
Part 2 https://youtu.be/SpBt1tqGLis Duration 35 mins.
posted 18/3/21
Part 1 https://youtu.be/feVdZY-VD6Y Duration 37 mins.
Part 2 https://youtu.be/SpBt1tqGLis Duration 35 mins.
posted 18/3/21
Poets join our book celebration
Eighteen of the poets who contributed to our lockdown anthology The Unpredicted Spring read their work in a live Zoom session last night, to celebrate the official launch of the book. It was wonderful to see and hear them, especially 14-year-old Mehak Vijay Chawla who joined from her home in Delhi to read her poem Saviours Burning the Midnight Oil, a compelling insight into the personal exepriences and sacrifices of people dealing with coronavirus in India. The two winning poets from our competition last year also read their work, Martyn Halsall with Learning Whimbrel, and another 14-year-old, Katie Deutsch, with Silently Ignoring the World. The event was hosted by the editor of The Unpredicted Spring, Kathleen Jones. Thank you to all those who read, and all who joined to listen.
We apologise to a number of attendees who had difficulty connecting to the event due to technical problems with the Zoom link.
posted 4/3/21
We apologise to a number of attendees who had difficulty connecting to the event due to technical problems with the Zoom link.
posted 4/3/21
BBC Radio Cumbria highlights our work
Radio Cumbria has turned the spotlight on the Society's work twice in the last few days. On Saturday (February 27th) our chair Charlie Lambert was interviewed by Helen Millican about our current activities, including our £7,800 grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund, the Norman Nicholson House Trails App, our Lockdown Poetry book, and the Norman Nicholson Festival 2021. Hear the latest from the chair on the BBC iPlayer HERE, starting 2 hours 47 minutes along the timeline. Yesterday (March 1st) Kathleen Jones discussed our poetry anthology The Unpredicted Spring with Matt Bailey in the evening show on the iPlayer HERE, starting 2 hours 20 minutes along the timeline. Thanks to both Helen and Matt for giving us the airtime!
posted 2/3/21
posted 2/3/21
Our Lockdown Poetry book is launched today!
The Norman Nicholson Society and The Book Mill are proud to announce the launch of The Unpredicted Spring, a unique anthology of poems written as the world struggled to cope with the Covid pandemic.
This collection of 42 poems represents the best of more than 200 worldwide entries to a Lockdown Poetry Competition organised by the Society in 2020. It includes the two winning poems – Learning Whimbrel by Martyn Halsall, former Poet in Residence at Carlisle Cathedral, and Silently Ignoring the World by 14-year-old Californian-born, Cambridgeshire-based Katie Deutsch.
This latest addition to the literature of the pandemic is published by The Book Mill and available from Amazon at £10.99 or at a discounted rate from the publishers who should be contacted by email in the first instance, [email protected].
Editor of the anthology Kathleen Jones, who also judged the competition, said: ‘What I like about the book is the diversity; that we’ve got people from all over the world with very different experiences of lockdown; people of all age groups, and they are all writing about how they are coping and the new things they are observing.
‘Being put in situations like this does inspire amazing poetry. People can often put into words in poems things that they can’t talk about, deeply internalised things. Some people who had never written poetry before began writing.
‘Some of the poems I liked best were written by the under-18 age group. It thrilled me to see so many writing poetry – and writing good poetry, which has a fresh quality of looking at the world. That for me was one of the best things that’s come out of this book’.
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: ‘What the combined forces of Government laws, peer pressure and infections can never do is to keep in check the human spirit. Imagination will not be quarantined, and we can see this in this very moving yet uplifting anthology’.
The title, The Unpredicted Spring, is taken from a poem by Norman Nicholson himself which is also printed in the book. The poem, Early March, was written during another time of national emergency, the Second World War. ‘We did not expect this,’ it begins, ‘we were not ready for this…’
He could have been writing about the coronavirus in 2020.
VIEW THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH VIDEO:
This collection of 42 poems represents the best of more than 200 worldwide entries to a Lockdown Poetry Competition organised by the Society in 2020. It includes the two winning poems – Learning Whimbrel by Martyn Halsall, former Poet in Residence at Carlisle Cathedral, and Silently Ignoring the World by 14-year-old Californian-born, Cambridgeshire-based Katie Deutsch.
This latest addition to the literature of the pandemic is published by The Book Mill and available from Amazon at £10.99 or at a discounted rate from the publishers who should be contacted by email in the first instance, [email protected].
Editor of the anthology Kathleen Jones, who also judged the competition, said: ‘What I like about the book is the diversity; that we’ve got people from all over the world with very different experiences of lockdown; people of all age groups, and they are all writing about how they are coping and the new things they are observing.
‘Being put in situations like this does inspire amazing poetry. People can often put into words in poems things that they can’t talk about, deeply internalised things. Some people who had never written poetry before began writing.
‘Some of the poems I liked best were written by the under-18 age group. It thrilled me to see so many writing poetry – and writing good poetry, which has a fresh quality of looking at the world. That for me was one of the best things that’s come out of this book’.
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: ‘What the combined forces of Government laws, peer pressure and infections can never do is to keep in check the human spirit. Imagination will not be quarantined, and we can see this in this very moving yet uplifting anthology’.
The title, The Unpredicted Spring, is taken from a poem by Norman Nicholson himself which is also printed in the book. The poem, Early March, was written during another time of national emergency, the Second World War. ‘We did not expect this,’ it begins, ‘we were not ready for this…’
He could have been writing about the coronavirus in 2020.
VIEW THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH VIDEO:
posted 1/3/21
New in the Members' Area
As the launch of the Norman Nicholson Trails app comes ever nearer, members of the Society can hear a special welcome recorded by our President, Lord Melvyn Bragg. You'll find it in the exclusive members' area of this website, along with some of the images from the app, including an outline of the two trails. If you're a member and you haven't yet registered for the members' area, you can find out how to do so HERE.
posted 23/2/12
posted 23/2/12
New translation by Antoinette
Antoinette Fawcett's latest translation from Dutch has recently been published.
Antoinette, our long-serving committee member and editor of Comet, has translated The Limits of My Language: Meditations on Depression by Eva Meijer, the author of Bird Cottage, which was also translated by Antoinette.
The book was published last month and is available from Pushkin Press at £9.99 or from Amazon. It is described as 'a poignant, stimulating search for the things, great and small – from philosophy and art to sitting quietly with a cat – that make our lives worth living.'
posted 20/2/21
Antoinette, our long-serving committee member and editor of Comet, has translated The Limits of My Language: Meditations on Depression by Eva Meijer, the author of Bird Cottage, which was also translated by Antoinette.
The book was published last month and is available from Pushkin Press at £9.99 or from Amazon. It is described as 'a poignant, stimulating search for the things, great and small – from philosophy and art to sitting quietly with a cat – that make our lives worth living.'
posted 20/2/21
Grant awarded by Architectural Heritage Fund
We're delighted to announce that the Architectural Heritage Fund has awarded a grant of £7,800 to the Norman Nicholson House Project. The money is earmarked for consultancy work from specialists in museum design and business planning.
Charlie Lambert, Chair of the Project and also Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society, said: ‘We are very grateful to the Architectural Heritage Fund – not just for the money, which of course is very welcome, but also for showing such faith in a project which is quite different from the majority of schemes which they support. This shows that a Victorian terraced house in a street in Cumbria has a value and a story which are well worth preserving and celebrating.’
The AHF is a registered charity which promotes the conservation and sustainable re-use of heritage buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK.
posted 18/2/21
Charlie Lambert, Chair of the Project and also Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society, said: ‘We are very grateful to the Architectural Heritage Fund – not just for the money, which of course is very welcome, but also for showing such faith in a project which is quite different from the majority of schemes which they support. This shows that a Victorian terraced house in a street in Cumbria has a value and a story which are well worth preserving and celebrating.’
The AHF is a registered charity which promotes the conservation and sustainable re-use of heritage buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK.
posted 18/2/21
Poetry of hope
The Rev Canon Dr Edmund Newey, Rector of Rugby, is to lead an online seminar on Monday March 8th entitled: ‘This metaphor is no way out’: Some Poetry of Hope, Drawing on Norman Nicholson and Others. The seminar is the second in a series of monthly events organised by Engaging Theology in Cumbria. It will take place on the Zoom platform, 7.30pm to 9pm. More details here.
posted 8/2/21
posted 8/2/21
In orbit on Radio 4
Nicholson's poem The Undiscovered Planet, from the 1954 collection The Pot Geranium, was heard on Sunday morning when presenter Samira Ahmed selected it for the Radio 4 programme Something Understood. This isn't the first time Samira has revealed an interest in Nicholson - in Apri 2014 she read Rising Five in a programme in the same series. Sunday's show also originated in 2014 and was rebroadcast at the weekend. It is available on BBC Sounds till March 8th.
posted 8/2/21
posted 8/2/21
2021 AGM will be online
This year's AGM of the Norman Nicholson Society will be an online event using the Zoom platform, on Saturday April 24th starting at 11am. The formal proceedings will be followed at 12 noon by a talk by Dr Penny Bradshaw, Head of English at the University of Cumbria. The AGM is for members only but all are welcome to join us for Dr Bradshaw's talk. Details will be posted nearer the time.
posted 1/2/21
posted 1/2/21
Zoom event celebrates Nicholson's birthday
The Society held its first virtual event today when committee member Brian Whalley hosted a gathering on Zoom to mark Norman Nicholson's birthday. The event featured a reading of three Nicholson poems, Christmas Carol for the First Man in the Moon, read by Antoinette Fawcett, Winter Song, read by Charlie Lambert, and The Unpredicted Spring, read by Kathleen Jones. Christmas Carol for the First Man in the Moon has never been published in book form and was recently uncovered by Antoinette who published it in the latest edition of Comet. Kathleen gave an update on the book of poems from our Lockdown Poetry Competition which the Society is publishing, taking as its title The Unpredicted Spring. She then read the two winning poems, Learning Whimbrel by Martyn Halsall, and Silently Ignoring the World by Katie Deutsch. Charlie Lambert gave an update on Project 14, our project to buy and renovate Nicholson's lifelong home in Millom.
It was a successful event which was especially valuable for enabling members who live far from Cumbria to join in. We will build on this to present online events in the future.
posted 8/1/21
It was a successful event which was especially valuable for enabling members who live far from Cumbria to join in. We will build on this to present online events in the future.
posted 8/1/21
'Plankton' please!
Norman Nicholson's poem 'Plankton' was featured on the Radio 4 programme Poetry Please on December 27th, when Roger McGough's guest Ian McMillan selected it while discussing the notion of 'the universal in the local'. 'An extreme example of that, is the fantastic Cumbrian poet Norman Nicholson...a fantastic poet of locality and locale, and also a kind of spiritualism'. The programme is on the BBC I-Player HERE, available till January 23rd.
posted 4/1/21
posted 4/1/21
'That same flower / Still grows today'
Nicholson's ability to inspire contemporary art has been demonstrated again in a striking series of photographic images available on the website of Millom artist Irene Rogan. Exploring the theme of place and how our view of locations change over time, Irene and photographer Philip Green draw on extracts from two Nicholson poems, 'The Bloody Cranesbill' and 'Plankton', both from Nicholson's 1981 collection 'Sea to the West'. Their work, photographed at Hodbarrow, also includes a forceful visual statement highighting the distressingly low value placed on wool and the challenges faced by sheep farmers.
The work, titled 'Restoration - Interpreting Place' is available HERE.
posted 16/12/20
The work, titled 'Restoration - Interpreting Place' is available HERE.
posted 16/12/20
Nicholson featured in War Poetry Review
The latest edition of War Poetry Review, edited by Merryn Williams, includes a discussion of Norman Nicholson's war poetry by Dr Andrew Frayn, one of the speakers at the Society's festival in Millom last year. The Review is published by the War Poets Association.
posted 12/12/20
posted 12/12/20
Lockdown Poetry trophies
The trophies awarded to the winners of our Lockdown Poetry competition are made from Cumbrian slate and supplied by the Stone Workshop of Ulverston. Congratulations again to our two winners, Martyn Halsall and Katie Deutsch.
posted 1/12/20
posted 1/12/20
'An exciting and important project'
The Mayor of Copeland Mike Starkie has described our Nicholson Trails App as 'an exciting and important project for the Millom community.' Mike's very encouraging comment came as Copeland Borough Council issued a news release today, confirming funding for the project. Construction of the app is well under way and we expect to launch it in the New Year. See full statement here.
posted 17/11/20
posted 17/11/20
'I cannot imagine a more important cultural step'
Our project to buy Norman Nicholson's house and turn it into a genuine community asset has received a wonderful endorsement from the director of the Brantwood Trust, the organisation which looks after John Ruskin's house overlooking Coniston. Howard Hull has contacted us to say: 'I cannot imagine a more important cultural step for Cumbria or a greater joy for Millom than that Nicholson’s legacy should be fully celebrated in the very building which was so much a part of his life. As the Director of the home of one of Cumbria’s other great cultural figures, John Ruskin, I know how powerful and important is the influence of the actual dwelling of a great writer'. Thank you Howard, your backing means a lot.
You can read more about the project at www.normannicholsonhouse.co.uk
posted 9/11/20
You can read more about the project at www.normannicholsonhouse.co.uk
posted 9/11/20
'When the Sea's to the West...'
Norman's poem 'Sea to the West' was celebrated in unusual style yesterday on Haverigg beach. The Re Drift local artists' collective, led by Irene Rogan, set out to mark Nicholson's environmental poetry while exploring tidal flows and rhythms of the sea. The project, supported by the Arts Council, involved writing lines from the poem in the sand before the natural motion of the tide reclaimed the words. Picture by Stephen Leece.
posted 24/10/20
Our Lockdown Poetry winners: Martyn Halsall and Katie Deutsch
The winners of the Society's Lockdown Poetry Competition have been announced by the judge, Kathleen Jones.
Winner of the Adult competition is Martyn Halsall with his poem Learning Whimbrel. Kathleen said: 'This was such a beautiful poem about identifying birds from their song after the ‘he’ of the poem can no longer see. It rose to the top of the pile from the first reading. There is such a wonderful evocation of the invisible landscapes and the way sounds run together in his head; ‘the burn/that flowed among the words she read to him’. Sound is very important, using words to bring us the ‘voices’ of the individual birds. It is very much a ‘Nicholson’ poem. Norman loved the natural world and himself lived with physical limitations that restricted his interaction with it'.
Winner of the Under-18 competition is Katie Deutsch with her poem Silently Ignoring the World. Kathleen said: 'I like this because it summed up what living under lockdown felt like, on your own, with your mobile phone the only point of contact with the outside world. It identified that feeling of normality ‘Everything is normal/Everything is good’ while also knowing that ‘the world is in shambles’. It had a nice form and I loved the way the repetition framed the poem'.
Kathleen awards second place in the Adult section to What to Wear in Lockdown by Marion Leeper, and third place to Wildwood by Martin Rieser. Commended are Violet Carpenter Bee by Deborah Maccoby, He She It by Flo Au, and The
Goats of Llandudno by Isobel Thrilling. Runner-up in the Under-18 section is Hidden by Rukshitha Arasakone.
All poems were submitted anonymously to the judge who was not aware of the identity of the poets until the results were decided.
Martyn Halsall is a former Poet in Residence at Carlisle Cathedral who lives In Cumbria. Katie Deutsch is from Cambridgeshire.
You can read all the winning, runner-up and commended poems from both Adult and Under-18 categories HERE, along with detailed comments from Kathleen Jones.
The competition is due to be featured by Helen Millican on BBC Radio Cumbria next Monday (October 5th) between 7pm and 8pm. The Society intends to publish a book of selected poems from the competition. Details will be posted here when available.
UPDATE: BBC Radio Cumbria presenter Helen Millican introduced a celebration of the winners of our Lockdown Poetry Competition with the judge, Kathleen Jones, and the winning poets Martyn Halsall and Katie Deutsch on Monday Ocrtober 5th at 7pm. Available on the i-Player HERE till 3/11/20. Starts approx 1 hour 18 mins along timeline.
posted 30/9/20, updated 8/10/20, updated 15/10/20
Winner of the Adult competition is Martyn Halsall with his poem Learning Whimbrel. Kathleen said: 'This was such a beautiful poem about identifying birds from their song after the ‘he’ of the poem can no longer see. It rose to the top of the pile from the first reading. There is such a wonderful evocation of the invisible landscapes and the way sounds run together in his head; ‘the burn/that flowed among the words she read to him’. Sound is very important, using words to bring us the ‘voices’ of the individual birds. It is very much a ‘Nicholson’ poem. Norman loved the natural world and himself lived with physical limitations that restricted his interaction with it'.
Winner of the Under-18 competition is Katie Deutsch with her poem Silently Ignoring the World. Kathleen said: 'I like this because it summed up what living under lockdown felt like, on your own, with your mobile phone the only point of contact with the outside world. It identified that feeling of normality ‘Everything is normal/Everything is good’ while also knowing that ‘the world is in shambles’. It had a nice form and I loved the way the repetition framed the poem'.
Kathleen awards second place in the Adult section to What to Wear in Lockdown by Marion Leeper, and third place to Wildwood by Martin Rieser. Commended are Violet Carpenter Bee by Deborah Maccoby, He She It by Flo Au, and The
Goats of Llandudno by Isobel Thrilling. Runner-up in the Under-18 section is Hidden by Rukshitha Arasakone.
All poems were submitted anonymously to the judge who was not aware of the identity of the poets until the results were decided.
Martyn Halsall is a former Poet in Residence at Carlisle Cathedral who lives In Cumbria. Katie Deutsch is from Cambridgeshire.
You can read all the winning, runner-up and commended poems from both Adult and Under-18 categories HERE, along with detailed comments from Kathleen Jones.
The competition is due to be featured by Helen Millican on BBC Radio Cumbria next Monday (October 5th) between 7pm and 8pm. The Society intends to publish a book of selected poems from the competition. Details will be posted here when available.
UPDATE: BBC Radio Cumbria presenter Helen Millican introduced a celebration of the winners of our Lockdown Poetry Competition with the judge, Kathleen Jones, and the winning poets Martyn Halsall and Katie Deutsch on Monday Ocrtober 5th at 7pm. Available on the i-Player HERE till 3/11/20. Starts approx 1 hour 18 mins along timeline.
posted 30/9/20, updated 8/10/20, updated 15/10/20
Homage to Cumbria in the New York Times
In 1984 the New York Times published an article by Norman Nicholson introducing the Lake District to its readers. It is a lovely piece, down to earth and uplifting at the same time as Norman takes the reader by the hand and guides them around the spokes of the Lakeland wheel. 'The trouble with the Lake District, as with Niagara Falls, is that everbody thinks he knows what it looks like,' he begins. The article, thankfully on the outer side of the NYT's paywall, can be accessed HERE. Thanks to David Boyd for spotting this.
posted 13/10/20
posted 13/10/20
Funding secured for Nicholson Trails app
The Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company, set up by the Society earlier this year, has been awarded funding to create and run an app which will guide visitors on walking and cycling tours of Nicholson's favourite locations and other points of interest in and around Millom. The announcement was made this morning by Mike Starkie, elected mayor of Copeland. It follows a successful bid by Copeland Borough Council to the Government's Towns Fund, which has now seen £500,000 of funding allocated to a number of projects in both Millom and Cleator Moor. This is wonderful news! Congratulations to the NN House CIC and thank you to Copeland Council and everyone on the Millom Towns Fund team.
UPDATE: The Architectural Heritage Fund is backing the project by funding Project Advisor support over the coming weeks. Many thanks to the AHF.
posted 25/9/20, updated 8/10/20
UPDATE: The Architectural Heritage Fund is backing the project by funding Project Advisor support over the coming weeks. Many thanks to the AHF.
posted 25/9/20, updated 8/10/20
Lockdown Poetry Competition - shortlisted poems and poets
Here is the shortlist of poems, and poets, who are in the running to win top prize in the Society's Lockdown Poetry Competition. All poems were forwarded, without the poets being identified, to our judge, Kathleen Jones. Kathleen has already decided on the winners and her verdict will be posted here on Wednesday September 30th at 12 noon. Congratulations to all poets who are on the two shortlists - with well over 200 entries from across the globe, the standard was exceptionally high. Thank you to everyone who entered; your poems present a unique and moving insight into the emotions and practical challenges of the last few months.
posted 24/9/20
Lockdown Poetry Competition - the long and the short of it
The judge of our Lockdown Poetry Competition Kathleen Jones has released the longlist of poems which are in the running to win the adult prize, and also a shortlist of four poems in the under-18 section. We received a very impressive 234 poems from 131 poets, including 10 under the age of 18, from all over the UK and beyond. Thank you to everyone who entered. The shortlist for the adult section will be published here in due course. The final results will be announced at the beginning of October.
posted 18/9/20
Sheila Fell paintings
Do you own a painting by Sheila Fell? The Society has been approached by Eleanor Bradley of Cambridge University who is keen to track down as many Sheila Fell works as possible with a view to photographing them. Here's Eleanor's message: "We have become aware, through contact with a member of the society, that Norman Nicholson corresponded with the Cumberland artist Sheila Fell RA (1931-1979). Together with my husband we are writing a catalogue raisonné of the oil paintings of Sheila Fell and we are working to photograph as many of her paintings as possible for inclusion in the catalogue. We are wondering if any members of the society have in their possession a painting by Sheila Fell, or know of anyone who owns such a painting. We would be very keen to include it (them) in the catalogue and would be grateful if you could contact us to make arrangements for photographing the painting(s). For more details please see: www.sheilafell.com". Contact Eleanor via the Contact Form on the Sheila Fell website.
Sheila Fell was born in Aspatria in 1931, the daughter of a coal miner and a seamstress. She developed her talent as an artist at Carlisle School of Art and then St Martin's School of Art in London. She was then based mostly in London but her art focused on bold oil paintings of her native Cumbria. She died in London in 1979, aged 48.
posted September 2020
Sheila Fell was born in Aspatria in 1931, the daughter of a coal miner and a seamstress. She developed her talent as an artist at Carlisle School of Art and then St Martin's School of Art in London. She was then based mostly in London but her art focused on bold oil paintings of her native Cumbria. She died in London in 1979, aged 48.
posted September 2020
ALS newsletters
Members of the Society are entitled to receive the newsletter of the Alliance of Literary Societies. These are now being posted in the members-only area of the website.
posted September 2020
posted September 2020
Our Lockdown competition on Radio Cumbria
The Society's Lockdown Poetry Competition was featured on BBC Radio Cumbria last Monday (July 20th) at 7pm. The competition judge Kathleen Jones, along with poets and Society members Phil Houghton and Martyn Halsall, and our chair Charlie Lambert, were all guest on the evening show presented by Helen Millican. Listen again on the BBC i-Player here. The chat starts approx 1 hour 10 minutes along the timeline.
The Society's competition has also attracted plenty of media attention, with coverage in the NW Mail, the Whitehaven News, and the Cumberland News & Star.
posted 24/7/20
The Society's competition has also attracted plenty of media attention, with coverage in the NW Mail, the Whitehaven News, and the Cumberland News & Star.
posted 24/7/20
Launching the Norman Nicholson Lockdown Poetry Competition
Has the coronavirus lockdown moved you to write some poetry? Do you have heartfelt experiences of inspirational moments from these last few months that are itching to get out there? Here's your chance. The Norman Nicholson Society today launches a competition for the best lockdown poems, inspired by Nicholson's own experience of being 'locked down' for health reasons - in his case, it was the long, isolated recovery from tuberculosis which caused him to be 'confined as a limpet' as he put it, in his 1954 poem The Pot Geranium'.
The Society is now inviting anyone with the urge to compose a suitable poem to submit their work by September 1st 2020, and be in with a chance of winning a specially engraved trophy, the official biography of Nicholson, and a copy of Nicholson's 'Selected Poems 1940-1982', plus publication of your work on this website. There are two categories, for adults and under-18s.
We are delighted that Kathleen Jones, Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund and Nicholson's biographer, has kindly agreed to judge the entries. Kathleen will read all the submissions.
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: 'These last few weeks have been a unique period in the lives of all of us. Many have suffered terrible distress, all have seen uplifting examples of heroism and determination. We have been reassessing old values and priorities. Some of us now have a closer understanding of what life was like for Norman Nicholson, stuck in his solitary room in a sanatorium for over a year. Whatever the lockdown has done for you, if you have a poem please share it with us. We will publish not just the winning entries but all commended poems, and we may go on to produce a book of these lockdown poems as well’.
For full details and Conditions of Entry click HERE.
posted 8/7/20
The Society is now inviting anyone with the urge to compose a suitable poem to submit their work by September 1st 2020, and be in with a chance of winning a specially engraved trophy, the official biography of Nicholson, and a copy of Nicholson's 'Selected Poems 1940-1982', plus publication of your work on this website. There are two categories, for adults and under-18s.
We are delighted that Kathleen Jones, Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund and Nicholson's biographer, has kindly agreed to judge the entries. Kathleen will read all the submissions.
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: 'These last few weeks have been a unique period in the lives of all of us. Many have suffered terrible distress, all have seen uplifting examples of heroism and determination. We have been reassessing old values and priorities. Some of us now have a closer understanding of what life was like for Norman Nicholson, stuck in his solitary room in a sanatorium for over a year. Whatever the lockdown has done for you, if you have a poem please share it with us. We will publish not just the winning entries but all commended poems, and we may go on to produce a book of these lockdown poems as well’.
For full details and Conditions of Entry click HERE.
posted 8/7/20
'See the bee orchid...'
'A metaphysical conceit of a flower' was how Nicholson described this remarkable flower in his poem Bee Orchid at Hodbarrow published in A Local Habitation in 1972. The bee orchid still blooms in summer at Hodbarrow as this photo taken last week by Sue Dawson shows. Also to be found at Hodbarrow are other flowers familiar to Norman, the bloody cranesbill and sea thrift, also captured by Sue.
Bee orchid
Bloody cranesbill
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Bloody cranesbill
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Sea thrift
posted 10/7/20 photos by SUE DAWSON
Nicholson, Norseness and the Lake District
The influence of Scandinavia on Nicholson's writing is the subject of a PhD being undertaken by Jack Threlfall Hartley, a student member of the Society, who is proceeding to full doctoral candidate status at Oxford University.
Jack told us: 'The first chapter of my PhD is provisionally titled Language, Memory and Place: Norman Nicholson, Norseness and the Lake District, and focuses on Nicholson’s use and understanding of the Norse element in the history, culture and language of the Lake District and how it contributes towards his assertion of provincialism and regional identity. In the thesis more generally, I situate Nicholson’s work among the parallel phenomena of literary regionalism and Norse medievalism, and use this to talk about the ongoing legacy of Scandinavian settlement in the UK, and how it is regionally oriented. Scandinavian settlers saw things in terms of regional communities and local identity too! The other writers I look at are Seamus Heaney, Margaret Elphinstone, George Mackay Brown, Kathleen Jamie, WH Auden and Louis MacNeice'.
If anyone wants to find out more about Jack's research, he is happy to be contacted on Twitter (@northerlynotes) or by email. There's more information about his thesis/research interests on his Oxford page: https://www.english.ox.ac.uk/people/jack-threlfall-hartley and his website: http://notesfromthenorth.mystrikingly.com/. Jack's email address can be found on his Oxford page.
posted 17/6/20
Jack told us: 'The first chapter of my PhD is provisionally titled Language, Memory and Place: Norman Nicholson, Norseness and the Lake District, and focuses on Nicholson’s use and understanding of the Norse element in the history, culture and language of the Lake District and how it contributes towards his assertion of provincialism and regional identity. In the thesis more generally, I situate Nicholson’s work among the parallel phenomena of literary regionalism and Norse medievalism, and use this to talk about the ongoing legacy of Scandinavian settlement in the UK, and how it is regionally oriented. Scandinavian settlers saw things in terms of regional communities and local identity too! The other writers I look at are Seamus Heaney, Margaret Elphinstone, George Mackay Brown, Kathleen Jamie, WH Auden and Louis MacNeice'.
If anyone wants to find out more about Jack's research, he is happy to be contacted on Twitter (@northerlynotes) or by email. There's more information about his thesis/research interests on his Oxford page: https://www.english.ox.ac.uk/people/jack-threlfall-hartley and his website: http://notesfromthenorth.mystrikingly.com/. Jack's email address can be found on his Oxford page.
posted 17/6/20
Valerie Rickerby
We are very sorry to hear of the death of Valerie Rickerby OBE, a long-standing member of the Society. Valerie passed away at home in Thursby, Carlisle, on March 8th, aged 95. She was awarded the OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 1989 for her services as chair of the Cumbria Family Practitioner Committee. We send our condolences to Valerie's family and her friends.
posted 13/4/20
posted 13/4/20
Chair's letter to members
Today our AGM was scheduled to take place. Unfortunately the coronavirus pandemic has put paid to that. The AGM will be rearranged when it is safe. Our chair, Charlie Lambert, has written a letter to members which can be accessed in the Members section of this website.
If you are a member, this is how you can gain access. Go to Log In/Register tab at the top-right of the Home page. Select ‘Register’ (‘Register’ turns black). Add your name (the name by which the Society knows you) and your email. Choose a password (we won’t know what it is, the password is private to yourself). Please check the box stating that you agree to receive promotional and marketing information, or the registration won’t activate. You will only receive the usual communications from the Society. We will not pass on your details to anyone else. Click ‘Register’ and you will receive an email from us as soon as your registration has been accepted. You will then be clear to access our exclusive members-only area on the website.
After your registration is accepted, you can access the Members’ area by clicking on the Log In/Register tab. Then, select ‘Log In’ (‘Log In’ turns black), and enter your details. You will then be able to click through to the Members’ Area.
If you have any difficulty accessing the Members’ Area, please notify us using the Contact form, or email [email protected]
posted 28/3/20
If you are a member, this is how you can gain access. Go to Log In/Register tab at the top-right of the Home page. Select ‘Register’ (‘Register’ turns black). Add your name (the name by which the Society knows you) and your email. Choose a password (we won’t know what it is, the password is private to yourself). Please check the box stating that you agree to receive promotional and marketing information, or the registration won’t activate. You will only receive the usual communications from the Society. We will not pass on your details to anyone else. Click ‘Register’ and you will receive an email from us as soon as your registration has been accepted. You will then be clear to access our exclusive members-only area on the website.
After your registration is accepted, you can access the Members’ area by clicking on the Log In/Register tab. Then, select ‘Log In’ (‘Log In’ turns black), and enter your details. You will then be able to click through to the Members’ Area.
If you have any difficulty accessing the Members’ Area, please notify us using the Contact form, or email [email protected]
posted 28/3/20
Community Interest Company is formally established
We are pleased to announce that the Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company has been formally registered at Companies House. This follows a decision by the committee of the Society last year to set up a separate organisation to focus on our project to buy and develop 14 St George's Terrace. The decision to adopt the structure and principles of a Community Interest Company was reached following advice from Cumbria CVS. We are grateful to Bridget Johns, Business Development Officer at Cumbria CVS, for her hard work on this, and to Copeland Council for providing the funding for Bridget's time. The company's aims are to acquire funding to buy the property, renovate and repair as necessary, create a worthy memorial to Nicholson which will attract visitors to Millom, and make a worthwhile and lasting contribution to the local community. News about the project will continue to be posted here.
posted 16/3/20
posted 16/3/20
AGM and Musical Festival are off due to health crisis
In view of the risks to health posed by the coronavirus the committee of the Norman Nicholson Society has decided to postpone the Society's AGM which was due to be held in Haverigg on March 28th. We apologise for the disappointment and any disruption to your plans. We will circulate key documents by email around the time that the AGM should have taken place; these will also be posted on the members' section of the Society website. A new date for the AGM will be announced when the situation stabilises.
We have also been informed that the South Cumbria Musical Festival, due to take place in Ulverston next week, has been cancelled. The Festival was due to include two poetry-reading categories sponsored by the Society in memory of Peggy Troll.
posted 13/3/20. updated 14/3/20
We have also been informed that the South Cumbria Musical Festival, due to take place in Ulverston next week, has been cancelled. The Festival was due to include two poetry-reading categories sponsored by the Society in memory of Peggy Troll.
posted 13/3/20. updated 14/3/20
MA students explore Millom
The Society hosted MA students from the University of Cumbria who visited Millom yesterday. They explored Nicholson's former home at 14 St George's Terrace as well as other significant locations in the town including St George's Church. The students are on the university's recently inaugurated course Literature, Romanticism and the English Lake District. They were accompanied by Dr Penny Bradshaw, course leader and head of English Literature.
posted 29/2/20
posted 29/2/20
Our project is highlighted in Heritage Lottery report
The Norman Nicholson Society's 'Resilient Heritage' project, carried out with the help of £10,000 in funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2017-18, is featured as a case study in a report on the effectiveness of the Resilient Heritage scheme. The grant paid for architect drawings, specialist reports, and concept development, led by John Coward Architects of Cartmel, in connection with our project to buy and develop Nicholson's house in Millom. The report finds that 'the Society now feel that they have fantastic knowledge about the property, alongside an improved confidence in both the specific project about the house as well as the Society more generally. The project also helped to engage the local community in the project, raising awareness about the plans and engendering local support'. Read the report in full HERE.
posted 23/2/20
posted 23/2/20
'The Author's Effects' - new book about
writer's house museums
A new book looking at the emergence of writer's house museums has just been published and is available to visitors to this website at a 30% discount. Details of how to purchase your copy and take advantage of the discount appear at the foot of the flier below. Our thanks to Dr Sally Blackburn-Daniels, Postdoctoral researcher in English at the Open University, for making this generous offer available to us.
posted 7/2/20
Visitors to Nicholson House
We were pleased to welcome a party from the U3A Questers group who visited 14 St George's Terrace last Thursday (February 20th). As part of their mission to find out more about Norman Nicholson they also visited Millom Discovery Centre and St George's Church. We are now looking forward to welcoming MA students from the University of Cumbria who will visit on February 28th.
posted 23/2/20
posted 23/2/20
'The Price of Land'
A play by Geoff Cox, poet, author and member of the Norman Nicholson Society, will have its premiere at the Brewery Arts Theatre in Kendal on Saturday February 22nd before going on tour around Cumbria. The verse drama tells the story of the region through its forgotten voices - quarrymen, miners, charcoal-burners, farmers and more. The play sets out to remind us that the experience of living and working in the rural north today has its roots in a shared and often uncompromising history. It will be performed in Millom on Friday February 28th at the Beggar's Theatre, 7.30pm.
posted 27/1/20
posted 27/1/20
Melvyn to speak in Ambleside
The Society's president, Lord Melvyn Bragg, is to speak on the subject of 'Writing in Cumbria' at the University of Cumbria's Ambleside campus on Sunday March 8th, 2.30pm. He is currently working on a new book which deals with his childhood experiences growing up in Wigton. The talk is open to the public; tickets are £5 available here.
posted 16/1/20
posted 16/1/20
'Your home, where your verse lives rooted like a tree'
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We marked the date of Nicholson's birth 106 years ago with a series of readings in different rooms of his lifelong home, 14 St George's Terrace - and on the pavement outside. We also heard audio recordings of Norman reading his poems 'Scafell Pike', 'Weeds', and 'The Pot Geranium'. It was quite an experience to hear his words - prose as well as poetry - coming to life through a variety of voices in his own environment. Many thanks to all who came and made this event a big success. Thanks also to BBC Radio Cumbria for publicising it, especially Caroline Robertson for a great feature in her morning show - hear it at 1 hour 50 mins along the timeline HERE, and also the NW Mail for their coverage HERE.
There are more pictures of the day on our Events page HERE.
posted 9/1/20 photos: Charlie Lambert, Janice Brockbank
There are more pictures of the day on our Events page HERE.
posted 9/1/20 photos: Charlie Lambert, Janice Brockbank
Nicholson's words in Exeter Cathedral
Our member Frankie Ward (aka the Very Rev Dr Frances Ward) has been in touch to report her delight, on attending Exeter Cathedral for worship on December 29th, to find that the Introit that opened the service, sung by the St David's Singers, was an arrangement by Bob Chilcott of Nicholson's words: 'Mary laid her Child among the bracken fronds of night'. 'It was so good to hear his words set to music,' said Frankie.
posted 6/1/20
posted 6/1/20
Christmas lunch with a bonus
photo: PHIL HOUGHTON
Members gathered at the Netherwood Hotel in Grange-over-Sands yesterday for our annual Christmas lunch. It was another enjoyable occasion, with an added bonus - the chance to view original designs for the Nicholson Memorial Window in St George's Church, Millom, generously gifted to us by Dan Boyce following the very sad passing recently of his wife Christine, designer of the window. Our thanks to the staff at the Netherwood, and also to our committee member Sue Dawson who organised the event.
posted 15/12/19
posted 15/12/19
Our sponsorship in memory of Peggy
The Norman Nicholson Society is delighted to announce that it will sponsor two poetry categories at the South Cumbria Musical Festival in March next year. Schoolchildren will have the chance to compete for a trophy and a book token in two age groups, Reception to Year 6, and Year 7 to Year 9. They will learn and recite a poem by Norman Nicholson. For the younger children, the selected poem is ‘Road Up’ and for the older ones it’s one of Nicholson’s most familiar poems, ‘Wall’.
The sponsorship by the Society is in memory of Peggy Troll, a personal friend of Norman Nicholson and his wife Yvonne, and a former chair of the Society.
The festival takes place at the Coronation Hall, Ulverston from March 15 to 20, with the poetry categories to be decided on Monday March 16. Entry forms can be obtained from the Entries Secretary, 5 Conyers Avenue, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 4JT, email [email protected]., or by downloading from the festival website http://southcumbriamusicalfestival.co.uk/entry/
The forms must be returned by December 31.
posted 8/12/19
The sponsorship by the Society is in memory of Peggy Troll, a personal friend of Norman Nicholson and his wife Yvonne, and a former chair of the Society.
The festival takes place at the Coronation Hall, Ulverston from March 15 to 20, with the poetry categories to be decided on Monday March 16. Entry forms can be obtained from the Entries Secretary, 5 Conyers Avenue, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 4JT, email [email protected]., or by downloading from the festival website http://southcumbriamusicalfestival.co.uk/entry/
The forms must be returned by December 31.
posted 8/12/19
Antoinette shortlisted for book prize
Antoinette Fawcett’s translation Bird Cottage (Pushkin Press 2018) has been shortlisted for the 2019 Vondel Prize. The prize is a biennial award of €5000 for the translation into English of full-length Dutch language works of literary merit and general interest. It is sponsored by the Dutch Literature Foundation and will be awarded at a ceremony in London in February next year.
Bird Cottage is a translation of Het Vogelhuis by Eva Meijer. Unusually for a Dutch novel, it is set in the UK, in a period stretching from the early 20th century through to the 1970s. It is a fictional re-imagining of the life of Gwendolen Howard (1894-1973), a gifted musician and amateur ornithologist. Howard’s studies of garden birds were very popular in the mid-20th century and were ground-breaking for her period, but until Bird Cottage was published her work had largely been forgotten. Meijer’s novel brings the work of this Englishwoman back to life in a lyrical and dramatic story that blurs the boundaries between fact and fiction. Bird Cottage is also the story of a woman who quietly defied the norms of her era, choosing to pursue her own individual path against societal expectations.
The judges said: ‘Antoinette Fawcett acquits herself beautifully of the difficult task of “bringing a book home in translation”, combining extensive research and great
sensitivity to give Eva Meijer’s English characters English voices and make the setting completely convincing in both class and era’.
Antoinette is editor of the Norman Nicholson Society's newsletter Comet and is also our membership secretary. Bird Cottage is her first published full-length translation. We'll be rooting for her in February!
posted 4/12/19
Bird Cottage is a translation of Het Vogelhuis by Eva Meijer. Unusually for a Dutch novel, it is set in the UK, in a period stretching from the early 20th century through to the 1970s. It is a fictional re-imagining of the life of Gwendolen Howard (1894-1973), a gifted musician and amateur ornithologist. Howard’s studies of garden birds were very popular in the mid-20th century and were ground-breaking for her period, but until Bird Cottage was published her work had largely been forgotten. Meijer’s novel brings the work of this Englishwoman back to life in a lyrical and dramatic story that blurs the boundaries between fact and fiction. Bird Cottage is also the story of a woman who quietly defied the norms of her era, choosing to pursue her own individual path against societal expectations.
The judges said: ‘Antoinette Fawcett acquits herself beautifully of the difficult task of “bringing a book home in translation”, combining extensive research and great
sensitivity to give Eva Meijer’s English characters English voices and make the setting completely convincing in both class and era’.
Antoinette is editor of the Norman Nicholson Society's newsletter Comet and is also our membership secretary. Bird Cottage is her first published full-length translation. We'll be rooting for her in February!
posted 4/12/19
Very sad news
We are shocked to learn that our great friend Christine Boyce has passed away. Christine designed the Nicholson memorial window at St George's Church in Millom and only last month discussed that design at our autumn event in Carlisle. She was a great advocate for Norman Nicholson and a valued member of our Society. We send our condolences to her husband Dan and all Christine's family and friends.
posted 19/11/19
posted 19/11/19
Lithouses conference
We are represented today at the annual conference of LitHouses, Literary Homes and Museums of Great Britain, which is taking place at Brantwood, Coniston. Our committee members Antoinette Fawcett and Sue Dawson are giving a presentation on our Society's project to buy and develop Norman Nicholson's lifelong home in Millom.
posted 15/11/19
posted 15/11/19
Successful Open Day
Our Open Day at 14 St George's Terrace today was a big success. Attendance exceeded expectations, and it was great to see the house buzzing with interested visitors who included one gentleman who travelled specially from Carlisle, a couple who booked overnight accommodation in Millom in order to attend, and youngsters from Haverigg Primary School. Very positive responses all round, and some fascinating insights. Thank you to all who came.
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photos: CHARLIE LAMBERT
poste 7/11/19
poste 7/11/19
Bursaries on offer
Applications are open to the Norman Nicholson Memorial Fund which offers bursaries to students studying literature.
The fund, which is administered by Millom Town Council and supported by the Norman Nicholson Society, is open to students and others following a literary career who are resident in Copeland, and those studying specifically the works of Norman Nicholson who live anywhere in the UK. The objective is to provide financial assistance to help with research or other education commitments.
Anyone interested can obtain details from Vicky Bradley, Millom Council Offices, St George’s Road, Millom, Cumbria LA18 4DD, tel 01229 772340, or email [email protected]
posted October 23 2019
The fund, which is administered by Millom Town Council and supported by the Norman Nicholson Society, is open to students and others following a literary career who are resident in Copeland, and those studying specifically the works of Norman Nicholson who live anywhere in the UK. The objective is to provide financial assistance to help with research or other education commitments.
Anyone interested can obtain details from Vicky Bradley, Millom Council Offices, St George’s Road, Millom, Cumbria LA18 4DD, tel 01229 772340, or email [email protected]
posted October 23 2019
Stained glass and poetry
Christine Boyce. photo: SUE DAWSON
Christine Boyce, designer of the wonderful stained glass window in memory of Nicholson at St George's Church, Millom, gave members an absorbing insight into her work at our Autumn event in Carlisle yesterday. During the morning session at Carlisle Archive Centre she showed us the ‘cartoons’ which she keeps at home - basically a full- size template of the window. She talked us through the background to the ideas and the making of the window itself. We also viewed a BBC TV report from 2000 on the unveiling of the window, complete with out-takes from the filming. In the afternoon, we read and discussed some of Nicholson's poems in the Prior's Room of Carlisle Cathedral, led by Helen Weston of the Cathedral Poetry Group and organised by NN Society member Martyn Halsall, former Poet in Residence at the cathedral. We also had a guided tour of the cathedral and found Norman’s sculpture in Poet's Corner, just by the door as you come in. Our thanks to staff at Carlisle Archive Centre and at the cathedral for making us so welcome.
SUE DAWSON
posted 20/10/19
SUE DAWSON
posted 20/10/19
'Birth by Drowning' remembered
Memories of Nicholson's verse play Birth by Drowning are evoked in an article in the latest edition of CR Quarterly, the magazine of the Community of the Resurrection at Mirfield in Yorkshire. The article, by Bill Hines of Aberystwyth University, recalls the world premiere of the play which took place at the open air theatre situated in a quarry at Mirfield 60 years ago, on July 9th 1959. Birth by Drowning, in which Nicholson transposed Biblical settings to Cumbria, was the last of his verse plays. It was always intended to be performed at the outdoor arena at Mirfield, with a large cast and an audience of several thousand people. Bill's article can be found in an online copy of the magazine HERE.
posted 8/10/19
posted 8/10/19
A musical treat
photo:Gildas Quartet
The Gildas Quartet have recently recorded two of the pieces from the Seven Rocks suite that they performed as part of Nicholson's centenary celebrations in 2014. They and the composer, Harry Whalley, have generously made the audio tracks available to members of the Norman Nicholson Society. Members can access these in the members-only section of the website.
posted 15/9/19
posted 15/9/19
Janice is new secretary of NN Society
The Society is pleased to announce that Janice Brockbank is the new secretary of the Norman Nicholson Society. Janice has been a member of the committee since August 2018 and is a key member of the sub-committee which has been working on the Nicholson House project. She takes over from Glenn Lang who indicated at this year's AGM that he intended to step down after nine years in the role.
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: 'Glenn has done a wonderful job as our secretary since 2010. He has been a firm hand on the tiller in this key role, as well as placing his literary knowledge and connections at the disposal of the Society. On behalf of all our members, I thank him for the immense amount of time and expertise that he has put in and I am pleased that he will continue as a member of the committee. The secretary's job is an important one in any society and I am delighted that Janice Brockbank has agreed to take over. Janice has outstanding organisational skills as well as wide experience of working with voluntary organisations and we are fortunate to have her on board.'
posted 6/9/19, updated 11/9/19
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: 'Glenn has done a wonderful job as our secretary since 2010. He has been a firm hand on the tiller in this key role, as well as placing his literary knowledge and connections at the disposal of the Society. On behalf of all our members, I thank him for the immense amount of time and expertise that he has put in and I am pleased that he will continue as a member of the committee. The secretary's job is an important one in any society and I am delighted that Janice Brockbank has agreed to take over. Janice has outstanding organisational skills as well as wide experience of working with voluntary organisations and we are fortunate to have her on board.'
posted 6/9/19, updated 11/9/19
'Beck' on BBC Radio Three
Nicholson's poem Beck was selected as the Friday Poem by BBC Radio Three's breakfast show last week (August 23rd). You can hear it being read on the programme's website at 1 hour 23 mins 49 secs along the timeline HERE.
posted 28/8/19
posted 28/8/19
Chris Pilling
We are very sorry to hear of the death of Chris Pilling, award-winning poet, author and translator. Chris was a long-serving member of the NN Society. He hosted the Cumbrian Poets group of which Norman was a member in his later years. It was through that group that Mike Smith first met Norman, a connection which led to Mike making some priceless audio recordings of Norman reading his poems at his home in Millom. We send our condolences to Chris's wife Sylvia and his family and friends.
posted 14/8/19
posted 14/8/19
Kansas 'Wall' continues to walk
Andy Goldsworthy's real-life vision of Norman Nicholson's Wall continues to 'put its foot gingerly' across the campus of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Modern Art in Kansas, USA. It has now 'walked' from land east of the complex onto the museum site itself. It is due to walk onward in the second week in September. Click HERE to see pictures and the latest news of this remarkable piece of art.
posed 3/8/19
posed 3/8/19
Brian Whalley joins our committee
The Society is delighted to announce that Brian Whalley has been co-opted to the committee. Brian was born in Manchester and now lives in Sheffield. Between, he spent most of his academic life at Queens University Belfast where he taught and researched in geomorphology, geology and physical geography. Student field trips were frequently in Cumbria, based in Grange, and from these trips and climbing/walking he knows Cumbria well. His interest in Norman Nicholson stems from the fieldwork and his geological work in 'retirement’. He has written articles on Nicholson and geology for Comet, Word of the Month and The Geological Society of London’s Geoscientist. He has been a member since 2007 and frequently arrives at meetings on his motorbike.
Who is on the Society's committee? See About us
posted 2/8/19
Who is on the Society's committee? See About us
posted 2/8/19
Award for 'This Place I Know'
Kim, Liz and Kerry celebrate. photo: Cumbria Tourism
The anthology of contemporary Cumbrian poetry, This Place I Know, published by Handstand Press last year, has won the Bookends Literature and Poetry Prize at the annual Lakeland Book Awards. It was also in the final four for the Hunter Davies Book of the Year, won by The Corpse Roads of Cumbria by Alan Cleaver and Lesley Park.
This is wonderful news, coming as a fitting reward for the enterprise of the editors, Kerry Darbishire, Kim Moore and Liz Nuttall, and the talent of the poets, many of whom read their work at our festival last month and many of whom are also members of the Norman Nicholson Society.
Congratulations to all!
posted 17/7/19
This is wonderful news, coming as a fitting reward for the enterprise of the editors, Kerry Darbishire, Kim Moore and Liz Nuttall, and the talent of the poets, many of whom read their work at our festival last month and many of whom are also members of the Norman Nicholson Society.
Congratulations to all!
posted 17/7/19
Converted not to poetry, but to a poet
photo: ANNIE WARWICK
Committee member Antoinette Fawcett received a surprise email on Friday 12th July with the subject line: NORMAN IS HERE.
It turned out that two of Norman’s poems, ‘Weeds’ and ‘Nobbut God’, were being featured at the Cartmel Fell Church Flower Festival, which took place from the 11th – 14th July 2019.
St. Anthony’s Church is a simple and beautiful ancient church on Cartmel Fell, Cumbria, which was built in 1504 as a Chapel-of-Ease, so that the fellside community would be spared from having to walk seven miles or more to Cartmel Priory for the Sunday services, and then seven miles back.
When Antoinette visited the Flower Festival, she discovered that the two poems were presented as large works of pyrographic art set amongst a beautiful natural display of fellside and woodland flowers, with guest appearances from a slowworm, a mole and an owl. Nicholson would have been delighted to find his work remembered so affectionately in this context.
The information from the artist, Sheila Jackson, who created the poker work, was as follows:
At Infant School I was introduced to William Wordsworth and Daffodils. In my twenties I read more by the Lakes Poets: Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, and even Thomas de Quincey. I visited Dove Cottage and went to exhibitions, but I decided I had no soul for poetry. Then a few years later I read ‘Sea to the West’ by Norman Nicholson of Millom. The language and places were familiar, and I was converted not to poetry, but a poet.
The email was right. Norman is still here, in his work, and that work is providing inspiration in unexpected places and forms of art.
posted 15/7/19
It turned out that two of Norman’s poems, ‘Weeds’ and ‘Nobbut God’, were being featured at the Cartmel Fell Church Flower Festival, which took place from the 11th – 14th July 2019.
St. Anthony’s Church is a simple and beautiful ancient church on Cartmel Fell, Cumbria, which was built in 1504 as a Chapel-of-Ease, so that the fellside community would be spared from having to walk seven miles or more to Cartmel Priory for the Sunday services, and then seven miles back.
When Antoinette visited the Flower Festival, she discovered that the two poems were presented as large works of pyrographic art set amongst a beautiful natural display of fellside and woodland flowers, with guest appearances from a slowworm, a mole and an owl. Nicholson would have been delighted to find his work remembered so affectionately in this context.
The information from the artist, Sheila Jackson, who created the poker work, was as follows:
At Infant School I was introduced to William Wordsworth and Daffodils. In my twenties I read more by the Lakes Poets: Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, and even Thomas de Quincey. I visited Dove Cottage and went to exhibitions, but I decided I had no soul for poetry. Then a few years later I read ‘Sea to the West’ by Norman Nicholson of Millom. The language and places were familiar, and I was converted not to poetry, but a poet.
The email was right. Norman is still here, in his work, and that work is providing inspiration in unexpected places and forms of art.
posted 15/7/19
Festival boosts Millom economy
The economy of Millom benefited by more than £4,000 as a direct result of the two-day Norman Nicholson Festival, held in the town at the end of June. Our analysis of information provided by attendees through feedback shows that well over £3,000 was spent on overnight accommodation and meals. Venue hire and bar takings at the Clock Tower and the Beggar’s Theatre take the estimated figure to more than £4,000. The figures don’t take into account expenditure by those who didn’t submit feedback forms, or expenditure on items apart from accommodation and meals. In reality, the economic impact will have been much higher than £4,000.
posted 13/7/19
posted 13/7/19
Tribute to Peggy Troll
Peggy was a personal friend of both Norman and Yvonne Nicholson. She was a founder member of the Norman Nicholson Society and our first chair, and remained an active member of the committee until she passed away in September 2017. As a tribute to Peggy, our current chair Charlie Lambert read her poem St George's Church at the Norman Nicholson Festival on June 29th 2019.
video by CHRIS LEA
posted 6/7/19
video by CHRIS LEA
posted 6/7/19
The trapdoor of memory
photo: MATTHEW TOWNEND
A new feature has appeared on the Millom landscape, highlighting a quotation from Norman Nicholson's poem Do You Remember Adlestrop?
A large slate stone has been positioned in Millom Park, inscribed with the words:
Yes,
Yes, yes! he shouted, as the happy accident
Unsnecked the trapdoor of his memory.
The stone is part of a landscaping project being conducted by Millom Town Council and St Mary's Hospice in Ulverston, which provides hospice care for the people of south Cumbria. The hospice is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The theme of the stone is the importance of memory. The reverse side displays the word 'minning', old Norse for memory and remembrance.
The stone was donated free by Burlington Stone and the carving was carried out by Ulverston stonemason Phil Atkinson, also free of charge.
'Unsnecked' was discussed by Kathleen Morris in Word of the Month HERE.
posted 3/7/19
A large slate stone has been positioned in Millom Park, inscribed with the words:
Yes,
Yes, yes! he shouted, as the happy accident
Unsnecked the trapdoor of his memory.
The stone is part of a landscaping project being conducted by Millom Town Council and St Mary's Hospice in Ulverston, which provides hospice care for the people of south Cumbria. The hospice is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The theme of the stone is the importance of memory. The reverse side displays the word 'minning', old Norse for memory and remembrance.
The stone was donated free by Burlington Stone and the carving was carried out by Ulverston stonemason Phil Atkinson, also free of charge.
'Unsnecked' was discussed by Kathleen Morris in Word of the Month HERE.
posted 3/7/19
Schoolchildren learn about Nicholson
Sue Dawson, the Society's Schools & Community Officer, has hosted four visits by schools to the Nicholson Room at Millom Discovery Centre. The children were from St Bega's, Eskdale; Haverigg School; and two separate groups from St James's, Millom. They studied Nicholson's poem In A Word, took part in some role play (involving Nicholson-style flat cap and whiskers) and learnt something about the way to make the ordinary extraordinary. Sue worked with our committee member Brian Charnley, and Jade Hughes and staff at the Discovery Centre, to make a great success of the visits which expanded on the Nicholson Resource Packs distributed by the Society to schools earlier this year.
posted 17/6/19
posted 17/6/19
A wonderful line-up of Cumbrian poets
We are delighted to announce a truly impressive line-up of contemporary Cumbrian poets who will be reading their work in the home town of one of the county’s greatest-ever poets, Norman Nicholson. Nicholson, who died in 1987, is respected to this day for his ability to identify with locations and the communities who live there, regardless of geography. Towns like his own home town of Millom, he once wrote, may be far from the centre of things, but they are close to the heart of things.
As part of the Norman Nicholson Festival, 16 poets who know all about the current state of Cumbria will come together to read their work at ‘This Place WE Know,’ an evening of music and poetry to pay tribute to Nicholson, at the Beggar’s Theatre, just around the corner from Nicholson’s lifelong home. The poets are all contributors to the anthology This Place I Know, published last year by Handstand Press.
They will be joined by guest poet Patrick Wright, contributing editor of Write Out Loud and co-leader with Antoinette Fawcett of a creative writing workshop at the Festival. Patrick has a new poetry collection, Shadows on the Ceiling, to be published by Eyewear this year.
‘This Place WE Know’ also features folk/blues duo The Demix and will be compered by Ross Baxter. The event is at the Beggar’s Theatre, Market Square, Millom, at 8pm on Saturday June 29th. Admission is £7, or £5 for members of the Norman Nicholson Society. Pay cash on the door. Poets and under-18s free.
The line-up is:
Mary Robinson – winner of the Second Light Poetry Prize and the Mirehouse Poetry Prize; collections include The Art of Gardening and Uist Waulking Song.
Kelly Davis – Maryport poet whose work has appeared in Mslexia and SpeakEasy magazines as well as a number of anthologies.
Kerry Darbishire – her latest collection Distance Sweet on my Tongue follows A Lift of Wings (2014) and Kay’s Ark (2014).
Josephine Dickinson – her first collection, Scarberry Hill, appeared 18 years ago. Three more collections have followed.
Geraldine Green – a poetry editor as well as a poet in her own right, Geraldine has produced three collections including Passing Through (2018).
Mike Smith – a playwright and essayist as well as a poet, Mike knew Norman Nicholson personally and produced a priceless CD, recording Nicholson reading his own work.
Gary Liggett – poet, writer and a film-maker whose work is held in permanent collections including the Wordsworth Trust and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Deborah Hobbs – her poems have been published in various anthologies. She has an MA in Creative Writing from the Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Kate Swann – born in the Lake District, Kate now lives in Yorkshire and writes about the countryside and the characters she finds there.
Ann Miller – an artist as well as a poet, Ann graduated from Hartlepool College of Art. She is a founding member of Mungrisdale Writers.
Charlie Lambert – former BBC sports correspondent who began writing poetry three years ago. He is chair of the Norman Nicholson Society.
Andy Hopkins – well-established poet who runs the Carlisle Poetry Symposium and is a past editor of SpeakEasy magazine.
Jonathan Humble – well-known to regulars at the Verbalise sessions at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal. Jonathan’s work has appeared in print, online and on the radio.
Kathleen Jones – Kathleen has published four collections of poetry as well as biographies of Norman Nicholson, Catherine Cookson and Katherine Mansfield. She is a vice-president of the Norman Nicholson Society.
Antoinette Fawcett – the editor of the Norman Nicholson Society’s ‘Comet’ newsletter and a literary translator from Dutch. Antoinette has seen her poetry published in Agenda, Poetry London and Poetry Review among many other outlets.
Phil Houghton – poet, writer and fell-walker who was featured in Terry Abraham’s 2017 film ‘Life of a Mountain – Blencathra’. His words and pictures elevate Twitter to a higher level.
Cathy Whittaker – shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and a poet whose work frequently appears in Quintet and a wide range of publications including the women’s anthology #Me Too.
Patrick Wright (guest poet & co-leader of the creative writing workshop at the festival). Patrick has been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize, and was included in The Best New British and Irish Poets 2018 anthology, judged by Maggie Smith. He also writes short stories, creative non-fiction, and place writing. His poems have appeared in several online and print journals, including Agenda, Wasafiri, The High Window, The Reader, Brittle Star, London Magazine, Iota, and Envoi. He teaches Arts and Humanities with the Open University.
posted 4/6/19, updated 16/6/19
As part of the Norman Nicholson Festival, 16 poets who know all about the current state of Cumbria will come together to read their work at ‘This Place WE Know,’ an evening of music and poetry to pay tribute to Nicholson, at the Beggar’s Theatre, just around the corner from Nicholson’s lifelong home. The poets are all contributors to the anthology This Place I Know, published last year by Handstand Press.
They will be joined by guest poet Patrick Wright, contributing editor of Write Out Loud and co-leader with Antoinette Fawcett of a creative writing workshop at the Festival. Patrick has a new poetry collection, Shadows on the Ceiling, to be published by Eyewear this year.
‘This Place WE Know’ also features folk/blues duo The Demix and will be compered by Ross Baxter. The event is at the Beggar’s Theatre, Market Square, Millom, at 8pm on Saturday June 29th. Admission is £7, or £5 for members of the Norman Nicholson Society. Pay cash on the door. Poets and under-18s free.
The line-up is:
Mary Robinson – winner of the Second Light Poetry Prize and the Mirehouse Poetry Prize; collections include The Art of Gardening and Uist Waulking Song.
Kelly Davis – Maryport poet whose work has appeared in Mslexia and SpeakEasy magazines as well as a number of anthologies.
Kerry Darbishire – her latest collection Distance Sweet on my Tongue follows A Lift of Wings (2014) and Kay’s Ark (2014).
Josephine Dickinson – her first collection, Scarberry Hill, appeared 18 years ago. Three more collections have followed.
Geraldine Green – a poetry editor as well as a poet in her own right, Geraldine has produced three collections including Passing Through (2018).
Mike Smith – a playwright and essayist as well as a poet, Mike knew Norman Nicholson personally and produced a priceless CD, recording Nicholson reading his own work.
Gary Liggett – poet, writer and a film-maker whose work is held in permanent collections including the Wordsworth Trust and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Deborah Hobbs – her poems have been published in various anthologies. She has an MA in Creative Writing from the Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Kate Swann – born in the Lake District, Kate now lives in Yorkshire and writes about the countryside and the characters she finds there.
Ann Miller – an artist as well as a poet, Ann graduated from Hartlepool College of Art. She is a founding member of Mungrisdale Writers.
Charlie Lambert – former BBC sports correspondent who began writing poetry three years ago. He is chair of the Norman Nicholson Society.
Andy Hopkins – well-established poet who runs the Carlisle Poetry Symposium and is a past editor of SpeakEasy magazine.
Jonathan Humble – well-known to regulars at the Verbalise sessions at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal. Jonathan’s work has appeared in print, online and on the radio.
Kathleen Jones – Kathleen has published four collections of poetry as well as biographies of Norman Nicholson, Catherine Cookson and Katherine Mansfield. She is a vice-president of the Norman Nicholson Society.
Antoinette Fawcett – the editor of the Norman Nicholson Society’s ‘Comet’ newsletter and a literary translator from Dutch. Antoinette has seen her poetry published in Agenda, Poetry London and Poetry Review among many other outlets.
Phil Houghton – poet, writer and fell-walker who was featured in Terry Abraham’s 2017 film ‘Life of a Mountain – Blencathra’. His words and pictures elevate Twitter to a higher level.
Cathy Whittaker – shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and a poet whose work frequently appears in Quintet and a wide range of publications including the women’s anthology #Me Too.
Patrick Wright (guest poet & co-leader of the creative writing workshop at the festival). Patrick has been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize, and was included in The Best New British and Irish Poets 2018 anthology, judged by Maggie Smith. He also writes short stories, creative non-fiction, and place writing. His poems have appeared in several online and print journals, including Agenda, Wasafiri, The High Window, The Reader, Brittle Star, London Magazine, Iota, and Envoi. He teaches Arts and Humanities with the Open University.
posted 4/6/19, updated 16/6/19
Poster unveiled for the NN Festival
We are delighted today to unveil the poster for the Norman Nicholson Festival 2019. It has been designed by Maryport artist Alan Roper whose work was featured on the BBC TV show Countryfile last year. Alan was also the designer behind the very striking poster for When Percy met Norman in Maryport. We feel privileged to have had Alan working on our behalf; his interpretation of Norman and his environment is excellent. The poster will be seen in publicity in Millom and throughout Cumbria in the coming weeks.
posted 28/5/19
posted 28/5/19
Arts Council backs our Festival
Arts Council England has awarded the Society funding of £1,000 towards the costs of the Norman Nicholson Festival this summer. We are delighted by this very significant support. It is not just an important financial contribution but a strong endorsement of the objectives of the Festival as we prepare to celebrate Nicholson's work and bring people together for a wonderful and varied cultural weekend in Millom.
posted 13/5/19
posted 13/5/19
Millom CGP Trust
The Society is delighted to announce that we have been awarded a grant of £200 from the Millom CGP Trust towards the costs of the Norman Nicholson Festival. We are really grateful to the Trust for their support and look forward to a wonderful weekend in Millom on June 29/30.
posted 8/5/19
posted 8/5/19
A new feature exclusive to members
We are pleased to unveil the latest feature on our website, an area dedicated exclusively to members of the Society. This area will add to the value that you receive as members. It includes the three most recent editions of Comet, minutes of AGMs, and a variety of interesting and/or entertaining items such as Nicholson's favourite recipe, his penchant for a good malt whisky, and an audio interview with lifelong Millom resident Dot Richardson, who shares her personal recollections of Nicholson. In this area you can also read an immensely detailed heritage report on Nicholson's house, compiled for the Society by Marion Barter Associates with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, as part of our 'Resilient Heritage' project in 2017/18. More features will be added from time to time.
If you are a member, this is how you can gain access. Go to Log In/Register tab at the top-right of the Home page. Select ‘Register’ (‘Register’ turns black). Add your name (the name by which the Society knows you) and your email. Choose a password (we won’t know what it is, the password is private to yourself). Please check the box stating that you agree to receive promotional and marketing information, or the registration won’t activate. You will only receive the usual communications from the Society. We will not pass on your details to anyone else. Click ‘Register’ and you will receive an email from us as soon as your registration has been accepted. You will then be clear to access our exclusive members-only area on the website.
After your registration is accepted, you can access the Members’ area by clicking on the Log In/Register tab. Then, select ‘Log In’ (‘Log In’ turns black), and enter your details. You will then be able to click through to the Members’ Area.
If you have any difficulty accessing the Members’ Area, please notify us using the Contact form, or email [email protected]
posted 15/4/19
If you are a member, this is how you can gain access. Go to Log In/Register tab at the top-right of the Home page. Select ‘Register’ (‘Register’ turns black). Add your name (the name by which the Society knows you) and your email. Choose a password (we won’t know what it is, the password is private to yourself). Please check the box stating that you agree to receive promotional and marketing information, or the registration won’t activate. You will only receive the usual communications from the Society. We will not pass on your details to anyone else. Click ‘Register’ and you will receive an email from us as soon as your registration has been accepted. You will then be clear to access our exclusive members-only area on the website.
After your registration is accepted, you can access the Members’ area by clicking on the Log In/Register tab. Then, select ‘Log In’ (‘Log In’ turns black), and enter your details. You will then be able to click through to the Members’ Area.
If you have any difficulty accessing the Members’ Area, please notify us using the Contact form, or email [email protected]
posted 15/4/19
A productive and creative year
The Society's AGM took place at the Baptist meeting room in Millom yesterday. A good turn-out of members heard reports from the officers of the Society which reflected a very productive and creative year. These included the revival of the Nicholson Literary Fund with the collaboration of Millom Town Council; production and distribution of a schools' resource pack with funding from Millom CGP Trust; a digital project in progress with Lancaster University; increasing links with Cumbria University; plans for the Norman Nicholson Festival coming up in June; decision to make a second application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund to enable us to buy Nicholson's old house; a range of informative and enjoyable events over the year; and the continuing publication of the Society's much-loved newsletter Comet.
Our chair, Charlie Lambert, was re-elected for a further three years in the role. Also re-elected to the committee having reached the end of the three-year cycle were Glenn Lang, Antoinette Fawcett, Dot Richardson and Sue Dawson. Glenn announced that the coming year would be his last as secretary and Antoinette made a similar announcement with respect to her role as membership secretary. She will however continue to edit Comet. This means the Society is inviting anyone who is interested in taking on either role to let us know by contacting any committee member or emailing [email protected].
The AGM was followed by two superbly-researched and enlightening talks about Nicholson's topographical writing. The poet Phil Houghton shared his take on Nicholson's 1949 work Cumberland & Westmorland, and the Cambridge University PhD student Max Long spoke about his study of Nicholson's topographical notebooks. Both were warmly received. It was encouraging to see a number of non-members attending the afternoon session.
The day also saw the unveiling of the Society's wonderful new banner, designed by the Maryport artist Alan Roper. The banner combines Alan's interpretation of images associated with Nicholson, the Society's own 'comet' emblem (tucked in Norman's breast pocket), and one of Norman's typically grounded quotes I hack and hammer at the handiwork of verse (from the poem Caedmon, in Rock Face, 1948).
The banner will be in evidence at all our forthcoming events, including the Norman Nicholson Festival in Millom at the end of June.
Our thanks to the Baptist church, and to the Lighthouse Centre for providing the catering.
posted 14/4/19
Our chair, Charlie Lambert, was re-elected for a further three years in the role. Also re-elected to the committee having reached the end of the three-year cycle were Glenn Lang, Antoinette Fawcett, Dot Richardson and Sue Dawson. Glenn announced that the coming year would be his last as secretary and Antoinette made a similar announcement with respect to her role as membership secretary. She will however continue to edit Comet. This means the Society is inviting anyone who is interested in taking on either role to let us know by contacting any committee member or emailing [email protected].
The AGM was followed by two superbly-researched and enlightening talks about Nicholson's topographical writing. The poet Phil Houghton shared his take on Nicholson's 1949 work Cumberland & Westmorland, and the Cambridge University PhD student Max Long spoke about his study of Nicholson's topographical notebooks. Both were warmly received. It was encouraging to see a number of non-members attending the afternoon session.
The day also saw the unveiling of the Society's wonderful new banner, designed by the Maryport artist Alan Roper. The banner combines Alan's interpretation of images associated with Nicholson, the Society's own 'comet' emblem (tucked in Norman's breast pocket), and one of Norman's typically grounded quotes I hack and hammer at the handiwork of verse (from the poem Caedmon, in Rock Face, 1948).
The banner will be in evidence at all our forthcoming events, including the Norman Nicholson Festival in Millom at the end of June.
Our thanks to the Baptist church, and to the Lighthouse Centre for providing the catering.
posted 14/4/19
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Max Long and Phil Houghton
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Nicholson to be taught on MA course
The University of Cumbria is launching a new MA at its Ambleside campus which focuses on the literary landscape of Cumbria, and will feature the work of Norman Nicholson.
The MA in Literature, Romanticism, and the English Lake District is a year-long taught Master’s programme, which will be offered from September 2019. Literary texts from the
eighteenth century to the present will be studied, and the course will explore the ways in which these texts have played a crucial role in shaping not only our perceptions of Cumbria, but also our responses to the natural world more broadly. The programme begins with formational writers and poets, such as William Wordsworth and John Ruskin, and moves on to explore the two centuries of writing which make up Cumbria’s complex and shifting literary landscape.
The programme leader, Dr Penny Bradshaw, said: 'Norman Nicholson is a key figure within that landscape, and within the continuum of writers and poets for whom this region has been a source of inspiration and creative power. He is important both in his poetic engagement with the legacy of Romanticism and in the new imaginative directions which are explored within his poetry'.
Nicholson’s poetry will be considered in detail on the second semester module Poetry and Place, but Nicholson will also feature elsewhere on the programme, as a significant and perceptive commentator on the evolution of this cultural landscape. More information from www.cumbria.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate/literature-romanticism-and-the-english-lake-district/
or email Dr Bradshaw, at:
[email protected]
posted 5/4/19
The MA in Literature, Romanticism, and the English Lake District is a year-long taught Master’s programme, which will be offered from September 2019. Literary texts from the
eighteenth century to the present will be studied, and the course will explore the ways in which these texts have played a crucial role in shaping not only our perceptions of Cumbria, but also our responses to the natural world more broadly. The programme begins with formational writers and poets, such as William Wordsworth and John Ruskin, and moves on to explore the two centuries of writing which make up Cumbria’s complex and shifting literary landscape.
The programme leader, Dr Penny Bradshaw, said: 'Norman Nicholson is a key figure within that landscape, and within the continuum of writers and poets for whom this region has been a source of inspiration and creative power. He is important both in his poetic engagement with the legacy of Romanticism and in the new imaginative directions which are explored within his poetry'.
Nicholson’s poetry will be considered in detail on the second semester module Poetry and Place, but Nicholson will also feature elsewhere on the programme, as a significant and perceptive commentator on the evolution of this cultural landscape. More information from www.cumbria.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate/literature-romanticism-and-the-english-lake-district/
or email Dr Bradshaw, at:
[email protected]
posted 5/4/19
Resource pack for Millom schools
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The Norman Nicholson Society has put together a schools’ resource pack to help teachers get across the message that Millom produced one of the 20th century’s best poets. The pack, which has been produced with the help of the Millom CGP Trust Fund, contains samples of Nicholson’s writing, biographical information, pictures, and audio recordings. Over the last few weeks the pack has been distributed to all schools within the Partnership of Millom Schools.
Committee members Sue Dawson and Antoinette Fawcett have done the lion's share of the work required to pull the project together, with added input from Janice Brockbank and Charlie Lambert. The Society is grateful to the Millom CGP Trust Fund, Millom Town Council, and to all the schools and teachers for their support. UPDATE: Antoinette was interviewed by Mike Zeller on BBC Radio Cumbria's breakfast show this morning. The chat can be heard HERE at 49 minutes along the time line. The NW Mail also covered the stoy - read it HERE. posted 2/4/19 |
Nicholson's 'Wall' walks in Kansas
One of Nicholson's best-known poems, Wall, has been brought to life in Kansas in a remarkable art installation by British-born artist Andy Goldsworthy.
Andy Goldsworthy, whose previous works include Storm King Wall, pictured above, built in 1996-97 for the Storm King Art Centre in New York State, has been commissioned by the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City to create a wall which really does 'walk'. Construction of the 100-metre length of dry limestone wall began on March 3rd. It is due for completion this Saturday. Then, after a 'rest' of almost two months, Andy and his team will advance the wall onward within the museum grounds, then again, until after five different locations the wall becomes a permanent installation at the museum. Andy, who was born in Cheshire, lives in Scotland and works worldwide, has a long-standing affection for Nicholson's poem. His breakthrough piece was Taking a Wall for a Walk, installed at Grizedale in 1989. In contrast with certain other projects involving the building of a wall in the USA, the philosophy behind this wall is that it pushes the boundaries of a city and of nature, and solidifies the tie between the museum and the local neighbourhood.
The wall walks the fell -
Grey millepede on slow
Stone hooves...
Wall was published in the 1981 collection Sea to the West.
posted 21/3/19
Andy Goldsworthy, whose previous works include Storm King Wall, pictured above, built in 1996-97 for the Storm King Art Centre in New York State, has been commissioned by the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City to create a wall which really does 'walk'. Construction of the 100-metre length of dry limestone wall began on March 3rd. It is due for completion this Saturday. Then, after a 'rest' of almost two months, Andy and his team will advance the wall onward within the museum grounds, then again, until after five different locations the wall becomes a permanent installation at the museum. Andy, who was born in Cheshire, lives in Scotland and works worldwide, has a long-standing affection for Nicholson's poem. His breakthrough piece was Taking a Wall for a Walk, installed at Grizedale in 1989. In contrast with certain other projects involving the building of a wall in the USA, the philosophy behind this wall is that it pushes the boundaries of a city and of nature, and solidifies the tie between the museum and the local neighbourhood.
The wall walks the fell -
Grey millepede on slow
Stone hooves...
Wall was published in the 1981 collection Sea to the West.
posted 21/3/19
Scribbling in the margin
Did you scribble notes on the pages of the poetry books you read as a youngster? And probably got into trouble as a result? Who would have guessed that such scribbles might one day be treated as things of value! Yet that is the conclusion in an article in the Guardian, which references Norman Nicholson among other poets whose work attracted ad hoc comments from young readers. The article reports on research by a former teacher, Julie Blake, who has studied the history of poetry anthologies, from the first printed anthology (1557) to the present-day national curriculum which sees a greatly expanded range of poetry being studied, but in a much smaller selection of anthologies compared to the 1980s. The Nicholson poem brought into the spotlight by classroom scribbling is South Cumberland, 10 May 1943. Read the article here.
posted 12/2/19
posted 12/2/19
Choral version of Nicholson's Carol
There is a lovely choral rendition of Nicholson's poem Carol available on Soundcloud HERE. The music is composed by choral specialist Bob Chilcott who is principal guest conductor of the BBC Singers. The piece, published by Oxford University Press, is titled 'Mary's Child'. The poem was
included in Nicholson's debut collection, Five Rivers (1944).
posted 4/2/19
included in Nicholson's debut collection, Five Rivers (1944).
posted 4/2/19
Millom the Mighty
Giving it Wigan in the shadow of Black Combe. photo: BBC
One of the more unlikely pairings in international sport, Millom v Red Star Belgrade, led to an equally unexpected mention for Norman Nicholson live on BBC Sport. Shortly after the half-time break the commentator, Dave Woods, referred to Millom's cultural roots and that Norman Nicholson came from the town, adding that he was 'known for his local concerns, straightforward language, and elements of common speech - a very rugby kind of approach'. He went on to commend the bust of Nicholson on display at the John Rylands Library in Manchester.
The match was screened live on the BBC Sport website. Millom won 38-10.
Rugby was important in Norman's family. His Uncle Jack, also well known for his cricketing exploits, played for a Millom team which enjoyed a triumphant era in the 1890s, described in Norman's autobiographical work Wednesday Early Closing (Faber & Faber 1975). Norman references a newspaper article at the time, headlined 'Millom the Mighty'. Uncle Jack played in a controversial cup tie against 'one of the leading Yorkshire clubs' when Millom lost 3-0, the controversy arising when Millom's Sam Bucket crossed for a try which would have tied the game at the very least, only for the referee to disallow the score. Decades later, writes Norman, he happened to meet a man who remembered the game and the disallowed try. 'The referee made a mistake,' the man said. 'Were you there?' asked Norman. 'Were you a spectator?' 'No lad. I was the referee.' The same tale is told in Nicholson's earlier prose work Cumberland & Westmorland (Robert Hale, 1949).
posted 27/1/19, updated 21/3/19
The match was screened live on the BBC Sport website. Millom won 38-10.
Rugby was important in Norman's family. His Uncle Jack, also well known for his cricketing exploits, played for a Millom team which enjoyed a triumphant era in the 1890s, described in Norman's autobiographical work Wednesday Early Closing (Faber & Faber 1975). Norman references a newspaper article at the time, headlined 'Millom the Mighty'. Uncle Jack played in a controversial cup tie against 'one of the leading Yorkshire clubs' when Millom lost 3-0, the controversy arising when Millom's Sam Bucket crossed for a try which would have tied the game at the very least, only for the referee to disallow the score. Decades later, writes Norman, he happened to meet a man who remembered the game and the disallowed try. 'The referee made a mistake,' the man said. 'Were you there?' asked Norman. 'Were you a spectator?' 'No lad. I was the referee.' The same tale is told in Nicholson's earlier prose work Cumberland & Westmorland (Robert Hale, 1949).
posted 27/1/19, updated 21/3/19
Simon Armitage discusses Nicholson
Simon Armitage, recent recipient of the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry, discussed Norman Nicholson and read an extract from The Pot Geranium on BBC Radio Three this morning. Simon was the guest of presenter Ian Skelly on Essential Classics, on air 9am to 12 noon. Simon described Nicholson as 'an important writer for me for all kinds of reasons, and one was justifying staying local'. The relevant section can be found at 1 hour 50 ins 48 secs along the timeline on BBC Sounds HERE. Maintaining the Cumbrian flavour, Ian followed Simon's interview by playing the finale from Piano Concerto in A minor by the Windermere-born composer Sir Arthur Somervell, whose father was the founder of K Shoes in Kendal.
posted 24/1/19
posted 24/1/19
January 8th, a notable date
Norman Nicholson was born in Millom on this date in 1914. He was the second child of Joe and Edith. Their first, a son called Harold, was born when they lived in Holborn Hill, and died aged six months. It was another seven years before Norman arrived, the Nicholsons having moved by then to 14 St George's Terrace. Nicholson writes in his autobiographical work Wednesday Early Closing (Faber & Faber 1975) '...there was a sadness in my mother's life during that Edwardian decade because of the death of her first child...Then, on the 8th of January 1914, when I was, perhaps unexpectedly, born, I turned out to be a sickly child, with not much chance of living even as long as my brother. And when, after all, I did manage to survive those first six months, the War broke over us, with all its privations and hazards...'
January 8th has been a notable date for birthdays. Stephen Hawking, Elvis Presley, David Bowie, and Shirley Bassey all share Norman's date of birth.
posted 8/1/19
January 8th has been a notable date for birthdays. Stephen Hawking, Elvis Presley, David Bowie, and Shirley Bassey all share Norman's date of birth.
posted 8/1/19
Sauntering with Norman
Nicholson's work frequently crops up in the output of contemporary writers, and one example is the blog of walker and runner (and retired university professor) John Self, 'Saunterings'. John's readable and informative blog references Nicholson in two entries. No 23, The Kentmere Diatomite, draws on Nicholson's knowledge of the mineral diatomite and its production in the Lake District in his 1977 book The Lakes (Robert Hale), previously published in 1963 as Portrait of the Lakes. And No 32, Russet Rusland Valley, references Nicholson's own take on the Rusland valley expressed in Greater Lakeland (Robert Hale 1969). We have added 'Saunterings' to our list of online links featuring Nicholson which can be found on this website here. Thanks to our member Ann Thomson for alerting us to John's work.
posted 7/1/19
posted 7/1/19
Christmas Tree Festival
The annual Christmas Tree Festival at St George's Church in Millom opens today (1pm). The Norman Nicholson Society has decorated a tree at the festival for many years, selecting a poem which chimes with the festival's theme. The theme this year is 'Goodwill to All, Peace on Earth'. Our team - Sue Dawson, Dorothy Richardson and Janice Brockbank - selected Nicholson's wartime poem The Evacuees as the inspiration for our tree, which has been decorated with appropriate items along with the names of some of the many evacuees who arrived in Millom and Haverigg from Tyneside in the autumn of 1939.
Four years ago
They came to this little town
Carrying their bundles....
The poem, published in Nicholson's first full collection Five Rivers in 1944 and included in Collected Poems (p53), describes the arrival of the children, how some families later returned home while others stayed, and speculates where the future might lead them:
Grant that in the future they may find
A rock on which to build a house for heart and mind.
posted 14/12/18 photo: SUE DAWSON
Four years ago
They came to this little town
Carrying their bundles....
The poem, published in Nicholson's first full collection Five Rivers in 1944 and included in Collected Poems (p53), describes the arrival of the children, how some families later returned home while others stayed, and speculates where the future might lead them:
Grant that in the future they may find
A rock on which to build a house for heart and mind.
posted 14/12/18 photo: SUE DAWSON
Perfect recipe for Christmas gathering
We enjoyed a lovely occasion on Saturday when members gathered at the Netherwood Hotel in Grange-over-Sands for the Society's annual Christmas lunch. We were extremely well looked after by the hotel staff and as in previous years were provided with exclusive use of one of the lounges for drinks and conversation before and after the meal. The Society's membership secretary and editor of Comet, Antoinette Fawcett, made a presentation to Doreen Cornthwaite, Norman Nicholson's cousin, in recognition of, and gratitude for, her unstinting support for the Society over many years.
Doreen Cornthwaite and Antoinette Fawcett at the Netherwood Hotel. photo: Charlie Lambert
posted 10/12/18
Threads of dead years in the TLS
A visit to Millom to find the locations which inspired Nicholson's poetry is described in the October 26th edition of the Times Literary Supplement. Poet and critic Sean O'Brien writes about a trip undertaken at the end of the summer to see for himself the town and Nicholson's "small terraced house in the town centre", where "Nicholson knew that his own rootedness gave him access to the globe and its fiery origins".
The title of Sean's article is taken from To the Memory of a Millom Musician, reflections on the part-time musician Harry Pelleymounter, which appeared in the 1972 collection A Local Habitation. In the poem it's Harry's daughter who is pulling at threads as she researches a history thesis.
There are still many threads in Millom.
posted 22/11/18
The title of Sean's article is taken from To the Memory of a Millom Musician, reflections on the part-time musician Harry Pelleymounter, which appeared in the 1972 collection A Local Habitation. In the poem it's Harry's daughter who is pulling at threads as she researches a history thesis.
There are still many threads in Millom.
posted 22/11/18
Translation award for Antoinette
The Society's membership secretary and editor of Comet, Antoinette Fawcett, has been awarded third prize in the annual Stephen Spender Poetry Translation Competition. It is the second time Antoinette has achieved this success. The competition, run by the Stephen Spender Trust in conjunction with The Guardian, recognises excellence in the translation of poetry from any language into English. The judges of the 2018 awards were Margaret Jull Costa, Olivia Cannon, and Sean O'Brien. Antoinette's entry was her translation of De ontdekking van de poezie (How poetry was discovered) by Abdelkader Benali, which can be read here. Olivia McCannon commented: 'Antoinette Fawcett's work won us over again, this year, for her beautiful handling of a subversive prose poem by Abdelkader Benali'.
posted 13/11/18
posted 13/11/18
Top poetry prize for Martyn Halsall
Congratulations to Norman Nicholson Society member Martyn Halsall on winning the Borderlines/Carlisle Literary Festival poetry prize. Martyn's poem, Schedule of Dues, submitted anonymously, impressed the judge, Neil Curry, who said: 'Here, from the very first line, were totally unexpected words. Also, to my delight, such fine alliteration - once the staple of English verse.' You can read the poem on the Literary Festival's website HERE.
posted 29/10/18
posted 29/10/18
The rock face, temple, mouth and all
The Society's Autumn Event focused on Josefina de Vasconcellos, the sculptor who found global fame from her studio in Langdale. Josefina, who died in 2005 three months short of her 101st birthday, was a good friend of Norman Nicholson. A well-attended event at Haverigg Primary School was addressed by contemporary sculptor Shawn Williamson, a former assistant of Josefina, who is currently creating a scuplture trail at Low Wood on the eastern shore of Windermere. Shawn spoke about projects he worked on with Josefina, including the impressive Escape to Light, which is located above Haverigg beach, Josefina's final sculpture. After lunch, we heard from Chris Powell, former warden of the Harriet Trust, a charity inspired by Josefina which converted the Harriet, a Fleetwood trawler, for use as a base on the Duddon Estuary to offer memorable holidays for children, including youngsters with disabilities.
Shawn and Chris then accompanied attendees to Escape to Light where Shawn pointed out many details and explained more about Josefina's vision for the piece.
The afternoon ended with reading and discussion of some of Nicholson's poems which reveal Norman's own interest in, and knowledge of, geology, led by Antoinette Fawcett.
It was a memorable day which gave us priceless insights into one of Nicholson's key contemporaries, who shared many of Norman's passions and found her own unique way of communicating them.
posted 21/10/18
Shawn and Chris then accompanied attendees to Escape to Light where Shawn pointed out many details and explained more about Josefina's vision for the piece.
The afternoon ended with reading and discussion of some of Nicholson's poems which reveal Norman's own interest in, and knowledge of, geology, led by Antoinette Fawcett.
It was a memorable day which gave us priceless insights into one of Nicholson's key contemporaries, who shared many of Norman's passions and found her own unique way of communicating them.
posted 21/10/18
When Percy met Norman
The friendship between Norman Nicholson and Percy Kelly was brilliantly celebrated at a two-day festival, 'When Percy met Norman', organised by the Maryporters and staged at the Settlement in Maryport on Friday and Saturday, September 27/28.
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posted 29/9/18
Heritage Lottery decision
We are disappointed to pass on the news that the Heritage Lottery Fund has turned down the Society’s application for funding to buy and renovate 14 St George’s Terrace, Millom, the lifelong home of the poet Norman Nicholson. But we are not giving up on this very worthwhile project and we intend to submit a second application, incorporating our experience from this initial bid.
The Society is looking for a sum in excess of £500,000 to carry out the work, in order to restore the house to its appearance at the time when the Nicholson family lived there, and include exhibitions of Nicholson’s work and memorabilia, a café, and accommodation for a writer in residence.
Chair of the Society, Charlie Lambert, said: “We are obviously disappointed that this initial bid has not succeeded, but this is not the end of the story. The feedback from the HLF indicates that they approve of all the main elements of our application but they want more information about some of the documentation and activities that are planned after the house re-opens. They have told us we are welcome to apply again.”
To place this in context, only a minority of applications for HLF funding are approved at the first time of asking.
Charlie Lambert added: “We see this as a staging post in a lengthy journey. We are part of a structured and professional process, and submitting a second application has paid off for countless heritage schemes in the past. We will examine the feedback in detail, learn, adjust, and move forward.
“This is a good point to assess how much this project has accomplished already – the award of a £9,000 Resilient Heritage grant in 2017, a positive feasibility study, expert analysis of the decoration of the house, a priceless account of the history of the house, detailed plans for its renovation and future use, raised profile for Nicholson and the Society, public support from many well-known individuals, the backing of Millom Council, generous donations from individuals, and a fabulous audio archive from Radio Cumbria which only came our way because of publicity surrounding our bid.”
For information: The Heritage Lottery Fund is moving to a new application system with updated criteria, which means they will not accept any applications until the new system is launched early in 2019.
posted 25/9/18
The Society is looking for a sum in excess of £500,000 to carry out the work, in order to restore the house to its appearance at the time when the Nicholson family lived there, and include exhibitions of Nicholson’s work and memorabilia, a café, and accommodation for a writer in residence.
Chair of the Society, Charlie Lambert, said: “We are obviously disappointed that this initial bid has not succeeded, but this is not the end of the story. The feedback from the HLF indicates that they approve of all the main elements of our application but they want more information about some of the documentation and activities that are planned after the house re-opens. They have told us we are welcome to apply again.”
To place this in context, only a minority of applications for HLF funding are approved at the first time of asking.
Charlie Lambert added: “We see this as a staging post in a lengthy journey. We are part of a structured and professional process, and submitting a second application has paid off for countless heritage schemes in the past. We will examine the feedback in detail, learn, adjust, and move forward.
“This is a good point to assess how much this project has accomplished already – the award of a £9,000 Resilient Heritage grant in 2017, a positive feasibility study, expert analysis of the decoration of the house, a priceless account of the history of the house, detailed plans for its renovation and future use, raised profile for Nicholson and the Society, public support from many well-known individuals, the backing of Millom Council, generous donations from individuals, and a fabulous audio archive from Radio Cumbria which only came our way because of publicity surrounding our bid.”
For information: The Heritage Lottery Fund is moving to a new application system with updated criteria, which means they will not accept any applications until the new system is launched early in 2019.
posted 25/9/18
Inspirational day at Cockley Moor
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Poetry by Norman Nicholson and Kathleen Raine, and by Roy Marshall and Eavan Boland, inspired a wonderful day as participants in our creative writing workshop gathered at Cockley Moor, the very space which, 70 years ago, played host to Nicholson, Raine and others. The workshop was expertly led by Kathleen Jones, who also referenced the work of Winifred Nicholson, Samuel Beckett and the Danish artist Anna Ancher in the course of a stimulating event. Thanks to everyone who took part and contributed so vibrantly, and also to Hilary Rock for inviting us back for this second visit to Cockley Moor.
The Society's next event is at Haverigg on October 20th when we will be finding out about the work of Nicholson's friend, the sculptor Josefina de Vasconcellos. More information on our Events page.
posted 16/9/18
The Society's next event is at Haverigg on October 20th when we will be finding out about the work of Nicholson's friend, the sculptor Josefina de Vasconcellos. More information on our Events page.
posted 16/9/18
On the Closing of Millom Ironworks
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The closure of Millom Ironworks 50 years ago this September was the theme of the Society's Summer Event yesterday. Local writer Bill Myers gave a talk about the history and development of the works before leading a walk along the embankment where the rail tracks ran to the site of the works. Three of Nicholson's poems which were inspired by the closure were read and discussed. More details on our Events page.
Bill Myers (centre) led a walk to the Ironworks site. Photo: BRIAN WHALLEY posted 8/7/18 |
Janice joins NNS committee
We are pleased to announce that Janice Brockbank, former headteacher of Haverigg Primary School, has been co-opted to the committee of the Norman Nicholson Society. Janice has been a member of the Society's working group on the Norman Nicholson Project since its inception and has played a prominent part in the project's progress. She has taken a leading role in securing funding for a number of important projects over the years, including the Lighthouse Centre in Haverigg and the Hodbarrow Lighthouse project. She is chair of the Partnership of Millom Schools. We are delighted that Janice's experience and expertise will now be available to the full committee as well as the working group.
posted 26/6/18
posted 26/6/18
BBC TV reports Society's Lottery bid
Reporter Stuart Flinders (centre) with the BBC crew, Janice Brockbank and Charlie Lambert. Picture: Dorothy Lambert.
BBC Northwest Tonight reported on the Society's Heritage Lottery bid last night. Reporter Stuart Flinders and camera crew Dave and Alex spent yesterday morning filming at 14 St George's Terrace with Society chair Charlie Lambert and working group member Janice Brockbank. The completed report included interviews with both Janice and Charlie, plus lovely archive of Norman from a 'Look Stranger' programme originally produced in 1973. The item can be seen on the BBC I-Player here, at 21 mins 53 along the timeline. It is available until 1045pm tonight.
News that our application has been submitted also made the front page of the NW Mail on Wednesday June 6th.
posted 8/6/18
News that our application has been submitted also made the front page of the NW Mail on Wednesday June 6th.
posted 8/6/18
Our bid is in!
This afternoon we submitted our application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for just under £550,000 to allow us to proceed with the Norman Nicholson House project. We will find out the result in September. Big thanks to everyone who has helped and supported us, especially the Society's indefatigable Working Group, Mike Darwell of John Coward Architects, and our patrons. You can find out about this project here.
posted 5//6/18
posted 5//6/18
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Data protection
On May 25th 2018 the new EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect. This requires all organisations to have a proper policy in place regarding their retaining of the personal data of individuals. The Norman Nicholson Society is committed to correct and legal procedures when handling personal data and has carried out a review of its procedures to ensure it is fully compliant with the legislation ahead of deadline. Personal data is retained solely for the purposes of fulfilling the Society’s obligations to members; it is not retained once any need has lapsed; the data of those who cease to be members is deleted (unless specifically requested otherwise); and anyone who wishes to check what data is held, or to have it deleted, may do so by request to the Membership Secretary. The Society does not share any personal data with third parties.
posted 18/5/18
posted 18/5/18
Society's AGM 2018
The Society's AGM took place on Saturday April 14th, kindly hosted by Millom Cricket Club. Minutes will be available in due course but the main points were:
Dr Chris Donaldson was elected to the committee, having been co-opted last autumn. Chris takes over the universities liaison brief from Professor Alan Beattie who retired from the committee last year.
Treasurer's report showed that the Society had received a one-off grant of £9,900 from the Heritage Lottery Fund in respect of the Norman Nicholson House project. These funds had been duly spent, in line with the terms of the grant, on a feasibility study led by John Coward Architects of Cartmel.
A proposal that issues of Comet from more than three years ago should be made available on the Society website, to enable the sharing of articles of academic and general interest with the wider community, was passed unanimously.
The formal meeting was followed by lunch. In the afternoon local historian Marshall Mossop gave a presentation about Millom Cricket Club and Nicholson's connections with it, which included a short stint as club secretary in 1938/39. This was followed by a walk around the boundary and the day concluded with a talk about Nicholson's writing on cricket by Charlie Lambert.
posted 16/4/18
Dr Chris Donaldson was elected to the committee, having been co-opted last autumn. Chris takes over the universities liaison brief from Professor Alan Beattie who retired from the committee last year.
Treasurer's report showed that the Society had received a one-off grant of £9,900 from the Heritage Lottery Fund in respect of the Norman Nicholson House project. These funds had been duly spent, in line with the terms of the grant, on a feasibility study led by John Coward Architects of Cartmel.
A proposal that issues of Comet from more than three years ago should be made available on the Society website, to enable the sharing of articles of academic and general interest with the wider community, was passed unanimously.
The formal meeting was followed by lunch. In the afternoon local historian Marshall Mossop gave a presentation about Millom Cricket Club and Nicholson's connections with it, which included a short stint as club secretary in 1938/39. This was followed by a walk around the boundary and the day concluded with a talk about Nicholson's writing on cricket by Charlie Lambert.
posted 16/4/18
Phillipson Lecture
A talk entitled 'Norman Nicholson - A Regional Poet' by Dr Antoinette Fawcett was enthusiastically received by the Dalton Local History Society yesterday. It was the Annual Phillipson Lecture, named in honour of the Society's former Chair, John Phillipson. Antoinette's talk presented some of the research she carried out at the John Rylands Library and the Whitehaven Archive in 2016. The talk showed that Nicholson's work was not only important at a local and regional level, but that it had national and international significance. She explored Nicholson's many links with Scandinavia and Italy and discussed some of the reasons why his work was interesting to readers, writers and translators from these cultures, particularly in the post-war world of the late 1940s and 50s. The talk ended with the remarkable and amusing reaction of the Italian academic Spartaco Gamberini to the publication of Nicholson's 1954 poetry collection The Pot Geranium: 'you are a European poet, free at last from the cosmopolitan provincialism of London'. We like to think that Norman would have roared with laughter at that lovely and pugnacious phrase!
posted 5/4/18
posted 5/4/18
Students experience the poetry of place
Society members Dr Antoinette Fawcett and Brian Charnley with the students. Photo: SUE DAWSON
Members of the Norman Nicholson Society turned out today to host a visit to Millom by students from the University of Nottingham on a field trip to 'explore the literary and economic geography of Millom’. The students were also introduced to a range of Nicholson’s poems during the day to help them develop their understanding of the role of poetry in understanding place.
This is the second year that a party from the university has made such a visit. The weather was sunny and made perfect conditions for visiting the two different sites of the former Millom Ironworks and Hodbarrow mine and learning from the landscape about the coastal geology.
There was also the opportunity to visit 14 St George’s Terrace , Nicholson’s former home, and listen to some of his poems being read in the attic room which is where they could have been created. The students commented on the wonderful view from the attic window towards Black Combe and the Lakeland hills in the distance.
The afternoon was organised in small groups with members of the NN Society providing help and support to the students as they read a selection of Nicholson’s poems linked to their site visits including “Hodbarrow Flooded’ and “On the Closing of Millom Ironworks”.
The visit drew to a close with the students feeding back their thoughts and observations about the poems based on their new-found knowledge of Millom’s industrial and economic history and the role of 'poetry of place'.
A similar field trip will take place on Friday.
Society members Dr Antoinette Fawcett and Brian Charnley with the students
Words and pictures by SUE DAWSON
posted 26/3/18
This is the second year that a party from the university has made such a visit. The weather was sunny and made perfect conditions for visiting the two different sites of the former Millom Ironworks and Hodbarrow mine and learning from the landscape about the coastal geology.
There was also the opportunity to visit 14 St George’s Terrace , Nicholson’s former home, and listen to some of his poems being read in the attic room which is where they could have been created. The students commented on the wonderful view from the attic window towards Black Combe and the Lakeland hills in the distance.
The afternoon was organised in small groups with members of the NN Society providing help and support to the students as they read a selection of Nicholson’s poems linked to their site visits including “Hodbarrow Flooded’ and “On the Closing of Millom Ironworks”.
The visit drew to a close with the students feeding back their thoughts and observations about the poems based on their new-found knowledge of Millom’s industrial and economic history and the role of 'poetry of place'.
A similar field trip will take place on Friday.
Society members Dr Antoinette Fawcett and Brian Charnley with the students
Words and pictures by SUE DAWSON
posted 26/3/18
New owner for 14 St George's Terrace
This is to inform you that Norman Nicholson’s former home at 14 St George’s Terrace has been purchased by Sue Dawson, a member of the Norman Nicholson Society.
The intention is for her son, Graham Dawson, to relocate his physiotherapy practice into the property in the near future. A planning application for the change of use of the property from the former café, which has now closed, has been submitted to Copeland Council and a decision about this application will not be known until 6th April.
Members will wonder what impact the change of ownership will have on the Society’s project to buy and renovate Number 14.
The project will continue with the same aims. It remains our intention to apply for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and make an offer to buy the house, encouraged by the successful feasibility study which was also funded by the HLF last year.
Sue Dawson has been a member of the society for a number of years and Graham has recently joined too. Looking to the future, their interest in Norman Nicholson and their support of the Society will be extremely useful in terms of progressing the HLF application as they will be very understanding of our interest in developing his former home and be able to co-operate with us in the future.
posted 13/3/18
The intention is for her son, Graham Dawson, to relocate his physiotherapy practice into the property in the near future. A planning application for the change of use of the property from the former café, which has now closed, has been submitted to Copeland Council and a decision about this application will not be known until 6th April.
Members will wonder what impact the change of ownership will have on the Society’s project to buy and renovate Number 14.
The project will continue with the same aims. It remains our intention to apply for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and make an offer to buy the house, encouraged by the successful feasibility study which was also funded by the HLF last year.
Sue Dawson has been a member of the society for a number of years and Graham has recently joined too. Looking to the future, their interest in Norman Nicholson and their support of the Society will be extremely useful in terms of progressing the HLF application as they will be very understanding of our interest in developing his former home and be able to co-operate with us in the future.
posted 13/3/18
A small blue notebook
Max Long, an NN Society member and an MPhil student at Cambridge University, has written a fascinating article for the website of the John Rylands Library, where Nicholson's archive is stored. Max visited the Library to research Nicholson's original notes and discovered a 'small blue notebook which is labelled Topographical Notes: Morecambe Bay etc.’ What the notebook reveals can be found by visiting the Rylands' Special Collections Blog here.
posted 27/2/18
posted 27/2/18
Lottery-funded report supports our plan for Nicholson House
We are delighted to report that a study commissioned by the Norman Nicholson Society and funded by a £9,900 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund says it is feasible to turn the former home of the Cumbrian poet Norman Nicholson into a visitor attraction and a centre for study and community activity.
The report, by John Coward Architects of Cartmel into the Society’s plan to buy and renovate the house in Millom, has concluded that the scheme is worth pursuing, and that the Society has demonstrated that the long-term viability of the house can be achieved.
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: “We are pleased by this outcome and grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for the funding that allowed us to put our ambitions to the test. Now we must consider what our next move should be.”
The report states that: “With the correct approach and an acute understanding of the link between Nicholson and the house, the building would make an excellent conduit for the interpretation of his life and work”.
A number of specialists contributed to the report, among them Marion Barter, an expert in heritage properties, who visited the house in October. She said: “No. 14 St George’s Terrace has high significance for its literary association with Nicholson, as the place where he wrote his published work and which influenced his character and creative output”.
Ian and Michael Crick-Smith, experts in the renovation and conservation of historic buildings, also inspected the Nicholson house and reported: “The wealth of evidence surviving for the period and of value to this project, would, in other properties facing renovation, be classed as outdated and in need of replacement. In 14 St George’s Terrace, these are of high significance and relate directly to the childhood and adult home that Nicholson knew and understood”.
For more detailed information about this report, and more comments from the experts, please visit the Norman Nicholson House blog here.
posted 7/2/18
The report, by John Coward Architects of Cartmel into the Society’s plan to buy and renovate the house in Millom, has concluded that the scheme is worth pursuing, and that the Society has demonstrated that the long-term viability of the house can be achieved.
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: “We are pleased by this outcome and grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for the funding that allowed us to put our ambitions to the test. Now we must consider what our next move should be.”
The report states that: “With the correct approach and an acute understanding of the link between Nicholson and the house, the building would make an excellent conduit for the interpretation of his life and work”.
A number of specialists contributed to the report, among them Marion Barter, an expert in heritage properties, who visited the house in October. She said: “No. 14 St George’s Terrace has high significance for its literary association with Nicholson, as the place where he wrote his published work and which influenced his character and creative output”.
Ian and Michael Crick-Smith, experts in the renovation and conservation of historic buildings, also inspected the Nicholson house and reported: “The wealth of evidence surviving for the period and of value to this project, would, in other properties facing renovation, be classed as outdated and in need of replacement. In 14 St George’s Terrace, these are of high significance and relate directly to the childhood and adult home that Nicholson knew and understood”.
For more detailed information about this report, and more comments from the experts, please visit the Norman Nicholson House blog here.
posted 7/2/18
Thank you
The Society is extremely grateful to have received £186 in donations in memory of Peggy Troll. Our sincere thanks to everyone who made a donation on the occasion of Peggy's funeral in September, and also to her family for arranging for this to happen.
posted 15/12/17
posted 15/12/17
Christmas Tree Festival 2017
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The Society is again participating in Millom's annual Christmas Tree Festival, which has returned to St George's Church after relocating to Holy Trinity in 2016. Our tree has been decorated by Sue Dawson and Dot Richardson, working to an idea by Peggy Troll to illustrate the Parable of the Mustard Seed. The festival opens this evening following the blessing of the crib at 6pm.
The Festival is in aid of the new heating for St. George’s Church which was installed earlier this year. photos by SUE DAWSON |
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Remembering Peggy Troll
Peggy Troll, the Society's inaugural chair who died in September, will be remembered at the 'Light Up a Life' service at Holy Trinity Church, Millom, tomorrow at 3pm. The service, arranged in conjunction with West Cumbria's Hospice at Home charity, celebrates the lives of those who have passed away in the past year. The service will include the first performance of a hymn written specially in Peggy's memory. A Place for You has been written and composed by Pippa Mayfield and will be sung by the Phoenix Singers, the choir in which Peggy herself sang as one of its founder members. The picture shows Peggy (second right) meeting the TV presenter Pam Rhodes (left) when Songs of Praise visited Millom in April. We understand that Pam will mention Peggy and her very own hymn in her radio show Hearts and Hymns on Premier Christian Radio on Sunday December 3rd at 8am (repeated at 6pm). The show can be heard online here.
posted 25/11/17
UPDATE: Pam Rhodes' tribute to Peggy can be heard on Premier Christian Radio's listen-again facility here. It comes at 1 hour 14 minutes 50 secs along the timeline.
posted 4/12/17
posted 25/11/17
UPDATE: Pam Rhodes' tribute to Peggy can be heard on Premier Christian Radio's listen-again facility here. It comes at 1 hour 14 minutes 50 secs along the timeline.
posted 4/12/17
Double honours for Antoinette
Congratulations to the Society's committee member and editor of Comet, Dr Antoinette Fawcett, who has picked up two awards in the Stephen Spender Poetry Translation Competition. Antoinette was awarded third prize for her translation from the Dutch of Leo Vroman's poem Winstil. She also received a commendation for her translation of the poem Reis naar het onbekende (Journey into the Known) by Han van der Vegt.
One of the judges, Margaret Jull Costa, said: "I loved all of Antoinette Fawcett's translations from the Dutch, particularly Wind-still which makes captivating use of assonance and alliteration to evoke the stillness of the original: 'I saw the stock-still silent white/cow-parsley blooming by the ditch/in a deathly hush…' "
You can read more on the Stephen Spender Trust website here.
Gefeliciteered Antoinette!
posted 20/11/17
One of the judges, Margaret Jull Costa, said: "I loved all of Antoinette Fawcett's translations from the Dutch, particularly Wind-still which makes captivating use of assonance and alliteration to evoke the stillness of the original: 'I saw the stock-still silent white/cow-parsley blooming by the ditch/in a deathly hush…' "
You can read more on the Stephen Spender Trust website here.
Gefeliciteered Antoinette!
posted 20/11/17
Experts visit No 14
Michael and Ian Crick-Smith at No 14
Experts in conservation and heritage visited Nicholson's old home yesterday as part of the Society's ongoing Nicholson House Project. Led by our contracted architect Mike Darwell of JCA, heritage property consultant Marion Barter and conservation specialists Michael and Ian Crick-Smith explored every room in the house, inspecting and photographing in great detail. This visit was made possible by the grant we have received from the Heritage Lottery Fund to finance a feasibility study into our project to buy and renovate the house. The experts will now compile reports which will inform our decision-making as we develop our long-term plans and put together our next application to the HLF. There's more about this visit on the NN House Project blog here.
posted 31/10/17
posted 31/10/17
'A superb essay'
Interesting to see that a review of 'Coastal Works - Cultures of the Atlantic Edge' in the Times Literary Supplement on October 6th dwelt in some detail on a chapter about Norman Nicholson's work. As reported here on July 18th, the chapter 'At the Dying Atlantic's Edge - Norman Nicholson and the Cumbrian Coast' was written by Andrew Gibson, research professor of modern literature and theory at Royal Holloway University of London. The TLS review by Pamela Clemit, professor of English at Queen Mary University of London, hails Gibson's work as 'a superb essay' describing Nicholson's view of 'a coastal wasteland devastated by generations of industrialists, entrepreneurs and governments' and depicting the sea as 'a force of retributive justice'. I think there is a lot more to Nicholson's view of the Cumbrian edgelands than that, but it is heartening that of all the many authors whose work is referenced in 'Coastal Works' it is Nicholson who attracts attention.
The book, edited by Nicholas Allen, Nick Groom and Jos Smith, is published by Oxford University Press at £55.
Charlie Lambert
posted 28/10/17
The book, edited by Nicholas Allen, Nick Groom and Jos Smith, is published by Oxford University Press at £55.
Charlie Lambert
posted 28/10/17
'A wonderful gesture' - Cumbrian Literary Group's donation to NNS
The Norman Nicholson Society is the grateful recipient of a donation of over £1,000 from the Cumbrian Literary Group, which sadly has had to cease activities due to declining membership. The Society was chosen as one of the beneficiaries of the dispersal of the Group's funds following a decision by members to wind up the organisation which was founded in 1946 - and had Norman Nicholson as one of its first members.
Joanne Weeks of the Cumbrian Literary group presents the cheque to Charlie Lambert, chair of the Norman Nicholson Society. photo: BRIAN WHALLEY
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CLG president Jackie Huck said: "Norman Nicholson had links to the group, and became a member of CLG within the first year of our foundation. In view of this, when dividing our final funds, and in line with our constitution, it was agreed by the members that this donation should be approved. It is good to know that part of the funds at our dissolution will be put to such a worthy cause."
Charlie Lambert, chair of the Norman Nicholson Society, said: "This is a wonderful gesture by the Cumbrian Literary Group and I would like to thank their president, committee and members for their generosity. As the CLG know, we are totally committed to preserving the heritage of Norman Nicholson and promoting his work, not just in Cumbria but worldwide, and this donation will help us to continue that work." He added: "At the same time, we are all too aware that our good fortune has only come about because of the dissolution of the CLG and we are sorry that the Group was faced with making such a difficult decision." In recognition of the donation of £1,278.63, the Cumbrian Literary Group will be added to the list of Patrons of the Society's Norman Nicholson House Project, ensuring that their name will live on. posted 13/10/17 |
Rock below and horizons beyond
The Society's Autumn Event was a resounding success at Blencathra Field Studies Centre in Threlkeld near Keswick yesterday. The theme of the day was Norman Nicholson's Vision of the Lake District, examining the rock under our feet and the farther horizons, as our two speakers Professor Brian Whalley and former director of Friends of the Lake District Ian Brodie considered the way Nicholson uses geology in his work, and the impact on the Lake District of its recent award of UNESCO Heritage status. There's a full report and more pictures on the Events page.
posted 8/10/17
posted 8/10/17
Peggy Troll
We are so sad to announce the death of Peggy Troll, our great friend, and the inspiration behind the Norman Nicholson Society. Peggy passed away at home in Millom this morning after a short illness. She was well-known throughout the town and will be missed by everyone, and especially by us in the NN Society. A personal friend of both Norman and his wife Yvonne, Peggy was one of the founders of the Society in 2006 and served as its inaugural chair. She later became membership secretary and remained on the committee up to the present time, attending a committee meeting only last week. From those formal roles to producing a regular supply of delicious cakes for our events, and bringing her own literary insight, personal knowledge of Norman, and her lovely sense of fun to our discussions, she has been a vital part of every single thing the Society has ever done and it will seem a very strange landscape without her.
posted 25/9/17
posted 25/9/17
Dr Chris Donaldson joins committee
Dr Chris Donaldson. photo: University of Lancaster
Dr Christopher Donaldson, lecturer in regional history at the University of Lancaster, has been co-opted to the committee of the Norman Nicholson Society. In his university work Chris focuses on 18th- and 19th-century cultural and environmental history, with a specific emphasis on the history of the English Lake District. A long-standing member of the NNS, Chris has spoken about his 'literary mapping' research at a Society event and contributed to Comet. He will take over the role of university liaison officer from Alan Beattie who has decided to step down from the committee. We are delighted to have Chris on board and thank Alan for his immensely valuable work. He'll be missed.
posted 31/8/17, updated 1/9/17
posted 31/8/17, updated 1/9/17
Lottery grant announced
The Norman Nicholson Society is delighted to announce that we have received a grant of £9,900 from the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund to pay for a feasibility study and other work vital to our project to buy and renovate Nicholson’s former home in Millom, Cumbria.
The grant, awarded under the HLF’s Resilient Heritage scheme, will meet the costs of a full survey of the property in St George’s Terrace, development of the Society’s concept for the long-term future of the house, and detailed costings of the project.
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society, Charlie Lambert, said: “This is wonderful news. The grant will allow us to make real progress towards realising our ambitions for Nicholson’s old home. It shows that the Heritage Lottery Fund understands and supports our long-term aim to create a lasting memorial to Nicholson and to turn the house into a lively hub for social and academic activity in the town.”
He added: “There is of course a long way to go before we get to where we want to be, but this is a crucial step along the way. On behalf of the Society I would like to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund for their support. My thanks also go to the many organisations and individuals who have backed our project so far, and to the current owners of Number 14 for their co-operation and encouragement”.
The Society has already carried out a tendering process and will appoint John Coward Architects of Cartmel to carry out the work. The firm has a glowing track record of working on heritage projects, including Stricklandgate House in Kendal and Blackwell, the Arts and Crafts house in Windermere.
The Society publicly launched the project in March, backed by an impressive line-up of patrons including the actor Kevin Whately and broadcasters Stuart Maconie and Eric Robson. The formal application was accompanied by written statements of support from Millom Town Council, Millom Network Centre, Partnership of Millom Schools, University of Cumbria, University of Nottingham, and John Rylands Library in Manchester.
posted 23/8/17
The grant, awarded under the HLF’s Resilient Heritage scheme, will meet the costs of a full survey of the property in St George’s Terrace, development of the Society’s concept for the long-term future of the house, and detailed costings of the project.
Chair of the Norman Nicholson Society, Charlie Lambert, said: “This is wonderful news. The grant will allow us to make real progress towards realising our ambitions for Nicholson’s old home. It shows that the Heritage Lottery Fund understands and supports our long-term aim to create a lasting memorial to Nicholson and to turn the house into a lively hub for social and academic activity in the town.”
He added: “There is of course a long way to go before we get to where we want to be, but this is a crucial step along the way. On behalf of the Society I would like to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund for their support. My thanks also go to the many organisations and individuals who have backed our project so far, and to the current owners of Number 14 for their co-operation and encouragement”.
The Society has already carried out a tendering process and will appoint John Coward Architects of Cartmel to carry out the work. The firm has a glowing track record of working on heritage projects, including Stricklandgate House in Kendal and Blackwell, the Arts and Crafts house in Windermere.
The Society publicly launched the project in March, backed by an impressive line-up of patrons including the actor Kevin Whately and broadcasters Stuart Maconie and Eric Robson. The formal application was accompanied by written statements of support from Millom Town Council, Millom Network Centre, Partnership of Millom Schools, University of Cumbria, University of Nottingham, and John Rylands Library in Manchester.
posted 23/8/17
Nicholson/Percy Kelly book reprinted
A book capturing the correspondence between Nicholson and the Cumbrian artist Percy Kelly has been reprinted and is now available to buy.
The letters between Nicholson and Percy Kelly, who came from Workington, cover the years from 1971 to 1987. Kelly was famous for illustrating paper and envelopes in his unique style, capturing scenes of Millom and other parts of Cumbria. The 48-page book Cumbrian Brothers, originally published in 2007, can be obtained by post from Dr David Cross, 10 Red Gables, Chatsworth Square, Carlisle CA1 1HE, enclosing a cheque for £10 (inclusive of £1 p&p) payable to Fell Foot Press, and your own name and postal address. More information HERE. Book review HERE.
A Percy Kelly exhibition is to be held at Tullie House, Carlisle from 23rd September to 28th January 2018.
posted 18/8/17
A Percy Kelly exhibition is to be held at Tullie House, Carlisle from 23rd September to 28th January 2018.
posted 18/8/17
Inspiration across the generations
Val Bradley has written to us via the Contact form with this lovely story which shows how the inspiration of Norman Nicholson still stretches to new generations.
She writes:
My mother, Marjorie Elwell was a close friend of Norman Nicholson's and he became my godfather.
He was a wonderful godfather remembering every birthday and sending me beautiful books and presents. Most of the books I still have, some now in my children's collections.
I was telling my granddaughter about Norman and showing her the books and commented that he had woken in me a love of books and reading that I have passed on to my children. 'And to me!' my granddaughter, delighted, exclaimed, which inspired me to write to you.
Thanks Val. More than 30 years after his death, Nicholson can still inspire new generations.
posted 12/8/17
She writes:
My mother, Marjorie Elwell was a close friend of Norman Nicholson's and he became my godfather.
He was a wonderful godfather remembering every birthday and sending me beautiful books and presents. Most of the books I still have, some now in my children's collections.
I was telling my granddaughter about Norman and showing her the books and commented that he had woken in me a love of books and reading that I have passed on to my children. 'And to me!' my granddaughter, delighted, exclaimed, which inspired me to write to you.
Thanks Val. More than 30 years after his death, Nicholson can still inspire new generations.
posted 12/8/17
Modest, jokey and a bit of a gossip - but was 'Nick' ever secretary of MCC?
Exiled Cumbrian Gordon Penman has contacted us via the Contact Form on this website to share his own recollections of Norman Nicholson - and asks if 'Nick' was ever the secretary of the MCC (Millom Cricket Club).
He writes:
I knew "NICK" well and (his parents) Rose and Joe. I used to tell Nick he would be more famous when he died than he was then. I remember well his excitement when TS Eliot volunteered to come to Millom to meet him. Was Nick really secretary for a short time of Millom cricket club which he christened MCC! He was a modest man but often very jokey. In the kindest way he could be a local gossip.
Nick gave me my first cricket book (which I still have) and signed it as 'To Gordon, Christmas 1945 from Norman Nicholson, former secretary of the MCC.' I have never been sure if it was one of his jokes but perhaps some of the old records of Millom Cricket Club may disclose the answer. I guess if he was secretary it would have been for a short time in the mid nineteen thirties. He certainly used to talk about some of stars who illuminated the Millom teams of those days. He rarely missed spectating matches and always sitting under the wall in the same place when I knew him - you may be surprised to know that he had a tendency to barrack and often gave a demonstration with his walking stick of the way the stroke should have been played. He certainly had views about the composition of the teams just as he did about the casting of the local annual opera!! As a youngster I was intrigued when he told me he could take a week in writing a single sentence.
I left Millom in 1956 to go to London but have spent most of my subsequent years in Essex now retired and (inter alia) watching as much cricket as I can at Chelmsford. Happily my doctor tells me it's still ok for me to climb Black Combe.
Best Wishes and so glad that Nick is now famous!!
Gordon Penman
Does anyone know if 'Nick' really was the secretary of Millom CC? Please let us know via the contact form.
Norman and Sport - read the article from 'Comet' here
posted 30/7/17
UPDATE 16/4/18: Research by Millom historian Marshall Mossop, announced at the Society's AGM in 2018, confirmed that Norman was indeed secretary of Millom Cricket Club for a short spell around 1938/39.
He writes:
I knew "NICK" well and (his parents) Rose and Joe. I used to tell Nick he would be more famous when he died than he was then. I remember well his excitement when TS Eliot volunteered to come to Millom to meet him. Was Nick really secretary for a short time of Millom cricket club which he christened MCC! He was a modest man but often very jokey. In the kindest way he could be a local gossip.
Nick gave me my first cricket book (which I still have) and signed it as 'To Gordon, Christmas 1945 from Norman Nicholson, former secretary of the MCC.' I have never been sure if it was one of his jokes but perhaps some of the old records of Millom Cricket Club may disclose the answer. I guess if he was secretary it would have been for a short time in the mid nineteen thirties. He certainly used to talk about some of stars who illuminated the Millom teams of those days. He rarely missed spectating matches and always sitting under the wall in the same place when I knew him - you may be surprised to know that he had a tendency to barrack and often gave a demonstration with his walking stick of the way the stroke should have been played. He certainly had views about the composition of the teams just as he did about the casting of the local annual opera!! As a youngster I was intrigued when he told me he could take a week in writing a single sentence.
I left Millom in 1956 to go to London but have spent most of my subsequent years in Essex now retired and (inter alia) watching as much cricket as I can at Chelmsford. Happily my doctor tells me it's still ok for me to climb Black Combe.
Best Wishes and so glad that Nick is now famous!!
Gordon Penman
Does anyone know if 'Nick' really was the secretary of Millom CC? Please let us know via the contact form.
Norman and Sport - read the article from 'Comet' here
posted 30/7/17
UPDATE 16/4/18: Research by Millom historian Marshall Mossop, announced at the Society's AGM in 2018, confirmed that Norman was indeed secretary of Millom Cricket Club for a short spell around 1938/39.
Nicholson chapter in OUP book
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A chapter on Norman Nicholson is part of a new book published by Oxford University Press, 'Coastal Works - Cultures of the Atlantic Edge'. The relevant chapter is entitled 'At the Dying Atlantic's Edge - Norman Nicholson and the Cumbrian Coast'. The author is Andrew Gibson, research professor of modern literature and theory at Royal Holloway University of London.
posted 18/7/17 |
'There's no poetry in railways'
Railways, especially in the age of steam, have always exerted a powerful hold on the imagination of many, and the extent to which the railways featured in the the poems of Norman Nicholson will be discussed when we hold our Summer Event in Millom this Saturday (July 8th).
The rail system around Millom was once much greater than it is today. The ironworks, and the mines at Hodbarrow, required substantial servicing by rail and inevitably the poetry of Nicholson, who lived close to the station, was influenced by the sights and sounds of the railways. Nearly all the old tracks have now disappeared but the memories live on, notably in poems like ‘Hodbarrow Flooded’, in which Nicholson recalls that ‘bogies bounded along hummocking tracks’ before the mines closed and sea inundated the land.
Saturday’s event starts at 11am at Millom Discovery Centre LA18 5AA where members will hear a presentation by Marshall Mossop, followed by a walk along the path of the former tracks which linked from the main line to the ironworks. There will also be a chance to look around the Discovery Centre which includes a room dedicated to Norman Nicholson. Lunch is not provided but members can bring their own, or buy lunch at the Trackside Cafe (tel 01229 208398) which is part of the Discovery Centre complex. In the afternoon members will split into discussion groups, with the event ending around 4pm. Cost is £5. Non-members are welcome to join the Society on the day; annual subscription is £12, or £18 for couples and £6 youth.
posted 3/7/17
The rail system around Millom was once much greater than it is today. The ironworks, and the mines at Hodbarrow, required substantial servicing by rail and inevitably the poetry of Nicholson, who lived close to the station, was influenced by the sights and sounds of the railways. Nearly all the old tracks have now disappeared but the memories live on, notably in poems like ‘Hodbarrow Flooded’, in which Nicholson recalls that ‘bogies bounded along hummocking tracks’ before the mines closed and sea inundated the land.
Saturday’s event starts at 11am at Millom Discovery Centre LA18 5AA where members will hear a presentation by Marshall Mossop, followed by a walk along the path of the former tracks which linked from the main line to the ironworks. There will also be a chance to look around the Discovery Centre which includes a room dedicated to Norman Nicholson. Lunch is not provided but members can bring their own, or buy lunch at the Trackside Cafe (tel 01229 208398) which is part of the Discovery Centre complex. In the afternoon members will split into discussion groups, with the event ending around 4pm. Cost is £5. Non-members are welcome to join the Society on the day; annual subscription is £12, or £18 for couples and £6 youth.
posted 3/7/17
Nicholson headlines in Oldham
The Oldham Chronicle yesterday published an article by NN Society member John Gilder. John's personal take on the rewards that come from reading Nicholson's poetry has given both Nicholson and the Society welcome exposure away from our usual heartland. John hopes that it might prompt other Nicholson enthusiasts to come forward in that part of the world. "Am I the only one?" he asks!
posted 27/6/17
posted 27/6/17
Remembering and celebrating
We marked the 30th anniversary of Norman Nicholson's death in the best possible way: reading and listening to his poetry in a place that was so special to him, St George's Church, in his home town of Millom. Our special guest, Christine Boyce, enchanted the audience with her recollections of her work designing the wonderful Nicholson Memorial Window. Detailed report and two slideshows of pictures are on the Events page.
posted 4/6/17
posted 4/6/17
The 30th anniversary of the death of Norman Nicholson
It's 30 years today since Norman Nicholson passed away the age of 73. He left a vibrant legacy in his literature, especially his poetry, in which his empathy with working people and his deep concern for the planet were expressed in the most compelling language. Kathleen Jones, Norman's biographer and vice-president of the Norman Nicholson Society, provides her take on Nicholson in her blog: http://kathleenjonesauthor.blogspot.co.uk
posted 30/5/17
posted 30/5/17
Star actor Kevin Whately backs our 'splendid project'
Kevin Whately, star of the ITV crime series Lewis and Morse, has thrown his weight behind the Norman Nicholson Society’s plan to buy and renovate Nicholson’s former home in Millom - an intervention which caught the eye of the NW Evening Mail (click on the picture).
The Society is bidding for money from the Heritage Lottery Fund to take over the house in St George’s Terrace and turn it into a worthy memorial to the poet who lived there throughout his life from 1914 to 1987.
In a joint message to the Society, Kevin and his actor wife Madelaine Newton said: ‘Do please add our names to the list of supporters for the Heritage Lottery Fund application. This is a splendid project and one which we are very happy to support.’
Kevin, who played Robbie Lewis in Lewis and Morse after first capturing the limelight as Neville in Auf Wiedersehen Pet, is a strong admirer of Nicholson’s work.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, when asked if there was a poem which touched his soul, he replied: ‘Scafell Pike by Norman Nicholson. It’s about the highest mountain in England, and how it will remain long after humans have been wiped out.’ Kevin gave a reading of Scafell Pike at a concert of music and poetry at Champs Hill in Sussex in 2015.
Madelaine Newton appeared in the 1980s TV series The Spoils of War which was largely filmed in Millom. She has also apeared in When the Boat Comes In, and acted alongside Kevin in Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Morse, and the children’s series Geordie Racer in which she played Kevin’s on-screen wife. They join an impressive line-up of patrons of the Norman Nicholson House project which already includes the broadcasters Stuart Maconie and Eric Robson.
posted 24/5/17
The Society is bidding for money from the Heritage Lottery Fund to take over the house in St George’s Terrace and turn it into a worthy memorial to the poet who lived there throughout his life from 1914 to 1987.
In a joint message to the Society, Kevin and his actor wife Madelaine Newton said: ‘Do please add our names to the list of supporters for the Heritage Lottery Fund application. This is a splendid project and one which we are very happy to support.’
Kevin, who played Robbie Lewis in Lewis and Morse after first capturing the limelight as Neville in Auf Wiedersehen Pet, is a strong admirer of Nicholson’s work.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, when asked if there was a poem which touched his soul, he replied: ‘Scafell Pike by Norman Nicholson. It’s about the highest mountain in England, and how it will remain long after humans have been wiped out.’ Kevin gave a reading of Scafell Pike at a concert of music and poetry at Champs Hill in Sussex in 2015.
Madelaine Newton appeared in the 1980s TV series The Spoils of War which was largely filmed in Millom. She has also apeared in When the Boat Comes In, and acted alongside Kevin in Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Morse, and the children’s series Geordie Racer in which she played Kevin’s on-screen wife. They join an impressive line-up of patrons of the Norman Nicholson House project which already includes the broadcasters Stuart Maconie and Eric Robson.
posted 24/5/17
30 years since Nicholson's passing: a special event in Millom
Peggy Troll shows BBC presenter Pam Rhodes the Nicholson Memorial window during 'Songs of Praise' recent shoot in Millom. Photo: SUE DAWSON.
Please join us at a special event to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Norman Nicholson. An afternoon of readings, music and conversations on the theme of Mortality and Immortality will be held at St George's Church, Millom, on Saturday June 3rd, 2pm to 4pm. Our special guest will be Christine Boyce, designer of the spectacular Nicholson Memorial Window within the church, and others who have confirmed attendance include poets Phil Houghton and Canon Dr David Scott. Refreshments will be available. Full details on our Events page.
Norman passed away on May 30th 1987, aged 73. His funeral took place in St George’s on Friday, June 5th.
posted 17/5/17
Norman passed away on May 30th 1987, aged 73. His funeral took place in St George’s on Friday, June 5th.
posted 17/5/17
Wonderful archive of Norman in 'Songs of Praise' - catch up if you missed it
The 'Songs of Praise' programme gave a wonderful treatment to the Nicholson story in today's BBC1 programme. The interviews came across really well and it was a treat to see the amount of archive footage of Norman himself. If you missed it, catch up on the BBC I-Player.
Our sincere thanks to producer Garry Boon, presenter Pam Rhodes and the whole SoP team.
posted 14/5/17
Our sincere thanks to producer Garry Boon, presenter Pam Rhodes and the whole SoP team.
posted 14/5/17
Songs of Praise films the NN story
The BBC's 'Songs of Praise' team, headed by producer Garry Boon and presenter Pam Rhodes, spent the day in Millom yesterday, filming for a feature on Nicholson to be shown on Sunday May 14th. This followed a successful recce earlier this month when our committee member Sue Dawson showed Garry and PA Becky Collins around a selection of potential locations. The main interview, in which Pam spoke to our chair Charlie Lambert, took place on the Ironworks site (picture above). This was followed by further filming in St George's Church where refreshments were provided by our committee members Peggy Troll and Dot Richardson, and Society member Barbara Andrews. The crew then filmed at Norman's birthplace, 14 St George's Terrace, before moving on to record footage in the Whicham Valley and Silecroft. The BBC team, who liaised with the Society throughout the planning and production phases, were delighted with the way the day panned out. More details and Charlie's personal reflections can be found on the NN House Project blog HERE. Photos below are by SUE DAWSON.
posted 29/4/17
posted 29/4/17
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Second visit by Nottingham students
For the second time this week the Society was pleased to welcome students from the University of Nottingham to Millom. We were based at the Discovery Centre which was a very useful venue for placing the town and Norman Nicholson in context. The Centre also has the resources about the Ironworks and Hodbarrow to add to the experience for the students to see for themselves.
We were based in the newly refurbished Railway Room - but did have to ask for the model trains to be switched off while our committee member Dr Antoinette Fawcett was delivering her talk!
The poems which were discussed were The Bloody Cranesbill, On the Closing of Millom Ironworks and Hodbarrow Flooded.
We thoroughly enjoyed meeting the students and their tutor Kiri Langmead and hope they found this week's visits beneficial. We would like to thank the university for the generous donations they have made to the Society, to the Discovery Centre and to St George's Church.
posted 15/4/17
We were based in the newly refurbished Railway Room - but did have to ask for the model trains to be switched off while our committee member Dr Antoinette Fawcett was delivering her talk!
The poems which were discussed were The Bloody Cranesbill, On the Closing of Millom Ironworks and Hodbarrow Flooded.
We thoroughly enjoyed meeting the students and their tutor Kiri Langmead and hope they found this week's visits beneficial. We would like to thank the university for the generous donations they have made to the Society, to the Discovery Centre and to St George's Church.
posted 15/4/17
Heritage Trust Network
The Society is pleased to have become a member of the Heritage Trust Network, the umbrella organisation for built heritage preservation groups. The Trust will provide us with a valuable bank of knowledge and advice as we develop the Norman Nicholson House Project.
posted 12/4/17
posted 12/4/17
Nottingham University students visit Millom
Nottingham students visit the site of Millom Ironworks. Picture: SUE DAWSON
A group of 17 first year undergraduates from the University of Nottingham visited Millom as part of a Lake District field trip yesterday. The visit to Millom focused on what students could learn about the geography of the Lake District from the work of Norman Nicholson. The visit was intended to encourage students to use literature as a means to creatively reflect on their environment and the changing meaning of place.
The students' tutor, Kiri Langmead, worked closely with members of the Norman Nicholson Society in the planning of the trip. Our committee members were able to advise on appropriate locations to vist, and were on hand to meet the students on the day. The programme included a visit to St George’s Church to view the Nicholson memorial window and listen to a talk by Dr Antoinette Fawcett on exploring Millom and its industrial history through Nicholson's work. Then there were site visits to the former Millom Ironworks led by Sue Dawson and to Hodbarrow led by Glenn Lang. During each site visit opportunities were made to link Nicholson’s poetry to the place in order to develop the context and understanding of his writing.
A second group of Nottingham students will be arriving on Friday to follow the same programme of events.
posted 11/4/17
The students' tutor, Kiri Langmead, worked closely with members of the Norman Nicholson Society in the planning of the trip. Our committee members were able to advise on appropriate locations to vist, and were on hand to meet the students on the day. The programme included a visit to St George’s Church to view the Nicholson memorial window and listen to a talk by Dr Antoinette Fawcett on exploring Millom and its industrial history through Nicholson's work. Then there were site visits to the former Millom Ironworks led by Sue Dawson and to Hodbarrow led by Glenn Lang. During each site visit opportunities were made to link Nicholson’s poetry to the place in order to develop the context and understanding of his writing.
A second group of Nottingham students will be arriving on Friday to follow the same programme of events.
posted 11/4/17
AGM 2017
The Society's AGM in Millom yesterday saw Brian Charnley elected as treasurer to succeed Dorothy Richardson, and our updated constitution was approved. More details of the AGM plus a report on Dr Antoinette Fawcett's talk on Nicholson and Italy can be found on the Events page.
posted 2/4/17
posted 2/4/17
Patrons line up to support Nicholson House project
Broadcasters Stuart Maconie and Eric Robson are among a list of notable individuals who have pledged their support for the Norman Nicholson Society’s project to buy and renovate the poet’s former home in Millom.
Maconie – DJ, author and specialist in popular culture – and Robson – author, film producer and chairman of the BBC’s Gardeners’ Question Time – have both accepted invitations to be patrons of the Norman Nicholson House project.
The Society announced yesterday that it intends to seek grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund to buy the Victorian terraced house on St George’s Terrace, Millom, which has been on the market for over a year. It intends to carry out necessary repairs and renovations, and open it fully to the public.
Chair of the Society Charlie Lambert said: “I am delighted that so many respected individuals are backing our project. It shows that there is a real drive to do something constructive, both for the ongoing study of Nicholson’s work and also for the town of Millom.”
The full list of patrons is:
Dr Penny Bradshaw (Head of English, University of Cumbria)
Dr David Cooper (Senior Lecturer, Manchester Metropolitan University)
Doreen Cornthwaite (cousin of Norman Nicholson)
Neil Curry (poet and editor of Norman Nicholson: Collected Poems)
Richard Greer (chair of The Creative Society)
Phil Houghton (poet and writer)
Kathleen Jones (fellow of the Royal Literary Fund and Nicholson’s biographer)
Stuart Maconie (broadcaster and writer)
Eric Robson (broadcaster, writer and farmer)
Rev Clive Shaw (vicar of St George’s Church, Millom)
Cllr Douglas Wilson (Mayor of Millom)
Cllr Felicity Wlson (former Mayor of Millom)
Eric Robson said: “I'm delighted to be a patron of what sounds like a great project”.
Stuart Maconie said: “I’m happy to support this. I’m a big fan of Norman Nicholson”.
Dr Penny Bradshaw said: “I am very supportive of the Society's endeavours to protect the house as well as their proposals for future development”.
Phil Houghton tweeted: “Delighted to be announced as one of patrons for Nicholson House project”.
Dr David Cooper tweeted: “Really flattered to be invited to support the Norman Nicholson Society’s great project”.
Cllr Douglas Wilson said: “Felicity and myself are both delighted to assist in some way in bringing about this brilliant concept”.
If you'd like to get involved with the project, contact us by email [email protected]
posted 24/3/17
Maconie – DJ, author and specialist in popular culture – and Robson – author, film producer and chairman of the BBC’s Gardeners’ Question Time – have both accepted invitations to be patrons of the Norman Nicholson House project.
The Society announced yesterday that it intends to seek grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund to buy the Victorian terraced house on St George’s Terrace, Millom, which has been on the market for over a year. It intends to carry out necessary repairs and renovations, and open it fully to the public.
Chair of the Society Charlie Lambert said: “I am delighted that so many respected individuals are backing our project. It shows that there is a real drive to do something constructive, both for the ongoing study of Nicholson’s work and also for the town of Millom.”
The full list of patrons is:
Dr Penny Bradshaw (Head of English, University of Cumbria)
Dr David Cooper (Senior Lecturer, Manchester Metropolitan University)
Doreen Cornthwaite (cousin of Norman Nicholson)
Neil Curry (poet and editor of Norman Nicholson: Collected Poems)
Richard Greer (chair of The Creative Society)
Phil Houghton (poet and writer)
Kathleen Jones (fellow of the Royal Literary Fund and Nicholson’s biographer)
Stuart Maconie (broadcaster and writer)
Eric Robson (broadcaster, writer and farmer)
Rev Clive Shaw (vicar of St George’s Church, Millom)
Cllr Douglas Wilson (Mayor of Millom)
Cllr Felicity Wlson (former Mayor of Millom)
Eric Robson said: “I'm delighted to be a patron of what sounds like a great project”.
Stuart Maconie said: “I’m happy to support this. I’m a big fan of Norman Nicholson”.
Dr Penny Bradshaw said: “I am very supportive of the Society's endeavours to protect the house as well as their proposals for future development”.
Phil Houghton tweeted: “Delighted to be announced as one of patrons for Nicholson House project”.
Dr David Cooper tweeted: “Really flattered to be invited to support the Norman Nicholson Society’s great project”.
Cllr Douglas Wilson said: “Felicity and myself are both delighted to assist in some way in bringing about this brilliant concept”.
If you'd like to get involved with the project, contact us by email [email protected]
posted 24/3/17
Great Day
Arriving in Market Square, Millom, for a meeting yesterday, my fellow committee member Sue Dawson and I were pleased and impressed to find that a large gathering of reporters, backed up by camera crews and satellite vans, was there to greet us. Yes! The reputation of Norman Nicholson has clearly expanded to the furthest boundaries. Sadly, it turned out that the media were there for the apperance of the prime minister who had been parachuted into Millom (not literally) to celebrate the Conservatives' victory in the Copeland by-election. The square was abuzz with smart suits and mobile phones (wonder if any of them took the hint that some networks are very badly served in the Millom area) and the smart new Clock Tower bar was doing a roaring trade. The scene brought to mind Nicholson's poem Great Day (in A Local Habitation, 1972) which tells of the day his father, Joe, shook hands with the then Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) on a royal visit to the town. Norman himself watched from his window-seat, "too young to be disappointed, too old to cheer."
Catching up on the news coverage later, it was noticeable that all the TV reporters datelined their reports "Copeland". I imagine most viewers thought they were seeing pictures of Whitehaven, where the count took place. No mention of Millom at all.
Too old to be disappointed....
Charlie Lambert
posted 25/2/17
Catching up on the news coverage later, it was noticeable that all the TV reporters datelined their reports "Copeland". I imagine most viewers thought they were seeing pictures of Whitehaven, where the count took place. No mention of Millom at all.
Too old to be disappointed....
Charlie Lambert
posted 25/2/17
Sky News interview about the by-election outside Nicholson's home, 14 St George's Terrace
Carbide bombs and bee orchids
Evocative memories of boyhood at Hodbarrow feature in the latest blogpost by Dr Brian Metters. It's a lovely piece which links the history of his family with that of Hodbarrow and Millom, and finds real resonance in Nicholson's poem 'Hodbarrow Flooded'. Read it HERE. As Brian comments, 'Isn’t it amazing what a short poem written by an unsung poet, Norman Nicholson, has the power to bring to the front of our minds?'
posted 16/2/17
posted 16/2/17
Welcome, Brian!
The Society is very pleased to welcome Brian Charnley to the committee. Brian has been teaching English for over 45 years, both in the UK and abroad. He has spread the delights of our language and literature to students as far afield as Malta, Cayman Islands, Cairo, the Yemen, Spain and Gran Canaria. He has also taught drama, media studies and PE. He is a welcome addition to the Norman Nicholson Society committee.
posted 10/2/17
posted 10/2/17
My family and other minerals
Three generations bound together by an industry that in those days could look like the fires of hell had been let loose - NN Society member Dr Brian Metters reflects on the influence on his family of Millom and Hodbarrow on his blog The Two Doctors HERE. Brian's post also includes details of his own work at the Ironworks as an analytical chemist with the research project into Spray Steelmaking that should have saved the plant from total closure in 1968/69.
posted 9/2/17
posted 9/2/17
'A nuclear poem from Norman Nicholson'
The approaching 30th anniversary of Nicholson's death has prompted NN Society member Dr Brian Metters to revisit one of Norman's most famous poems Windscale on his blog. Brian, born in Haverigg, is founder of the charity Nepal Schools Aid. As the blogpost reveals, he has his own memories of the 1957 nuclear leak. Check it out here.
posted 27/1/17, edited 7/2/17
posted 27/1/17, edited 7/2/17
Millom Christmas Tree Festival 2016
The Society's theme for the Christmas Tree Festival this year is 'Carol for the Watchers’, one of the ballads and carols from Norman Nicholson’s play, ‘No Star on the Way Back’, commissioned by Border Television and performed at Christmas 1963, with music by Thea Musgrave. It tells the story of the Three Wise Men who follow the star, their ears
‘…alert for a sign,
At the clink of a bell or the twitch of a line
Or the voice of an angel…’
to lead them to Bethlehem.
‘Carol for the Watchers,’ the last carol in the play, takes us from the ‘first night’ of Christ’s birth, to the last night in ’umpteen hundred and eternity’, transforming to a glorious Christmas morning when ‘the Sun will rise and so may we’.
Our tree has again been decorated by Peggy Troll, Sue Dawson and Dorothy Richardson, who have divided the tree into ‘time’ layers, each distinguished by a colour: red, blue, purple or gold, and a line from the poem linked to one of the Wise Men.
The first and second layers at the base show Mary with the baby Jesus, linked by a red voile scarf to a Wise Man richly dressed in red:
‘The Wise Men found the Child and knew
Their search had just begun…’
The third layer is sombre, showing the Cross draped in blue by the Wise Man:
‘A dead man hung in the Child’s light
And the sun went down at noon…’
The fourth layer, with its purple scarf and Wise Man, and blank white masks facing each other over a globe of the now ‘empty’ world, gives way to the fifth layer at the top of the tree, bursting into the gold and glitter of a multi-faceted sun and star combined which, when caught in the light, appears to be on fire:
‘…And the Sun will rise and so may we,
On the last Morn, on Christmas Morn,
Umpteen hundred and eternity.’
We didn’t have a transcript so don’t know whether the Watchers of the title are identified in the play: are they the shepherds, Herod, the Wise Men, the audience? Perhaps… we are all Watchers ?
The usual venue for the Christmas Tree Festival, St George's Church, is not available this year because of work on the heating system. Instead, many trees are on display in Millom’s shop windows. The Norman Nicholson Society’s tree, along with some others, is in Holy Trinity Church which is situated beside Millom Castle on the A5093, just north of Millom, postcode LA18 5EY
TREES AT TRINITY starts on 14th December and is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11am to 3pm.
Refreshments are available.
Peggy Troll
‘…alert for a sign,
At the clink of a bell or the twitch of a line
Or the voice of an angel…’
to lead them to Bethlehem.
‘Carol for the Watchers,’ the last carol in the play, takes us from the ‘first night’ of Christ’s birth, to the last night in ’umpteen hundred and eternity’, transforming to a glorious Christmas morning when ‘the Sun will rise and so may we’.
Our tree has again been decorated by Peggy Troll, Sue Dawson and Dorothy Richardson, who have divided the tree into ‘time’ layers, each distinguished by a colour: red, blue, purple or gold, and a line from the poem linked to one of the Wise Men.
The first and second layers at the base show Mary with the baby Jesus, linked by a red voile scarf to a Wise Man richly dressed in red:
‘The Wise Men found the Child and knew
Their search had just begun…’
The third layer is sombre, showing the Cross draped in blue by the Wise Man:
‘A dead man hung in the Child’s light
And the sun went down at noon…’
The fourth layer, with its purple scarf and Wise Man, and blank white masks facing each other over a globe of the now ‘empty’ world, gives way to the fifth layer at the top of the tree, bursting into the gold and glitter of a multi-faceted sun and star combined which, when caught in the light, appears to be on fire:
‘…And the Sun will rise and so may we,
On the last Morn, on Christmas Morn,
Umpteen hundred and eternity.’
We didn’t have a transcript so don’t know whether the Watchers of the title are identified in the play: are they the shepherds, Herod, the Wise Men, the audience? Perhaps… we are all Watchers ?
The usual venue for the Christmas Tree Festival, St George's Church, is not available this year because of work on the heating system. Instead, many trees are on display in Millom’s shop windows. The Norman Nicholson Society’s tree, along with some others, is in Holy Trinity Church which is situated beside Millom Castle on the A5093, just north of Millom, postcode LA18 5EY
TREES AT TRINITY starts on 14th December and is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11am to 3pm.
Refreshments are available.
Peggy Troll
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Pictures by SUE DAWSON
posted 13/12/16
posted 13/12/16
Society appoints three Vice-Presidents
The Norman Nicholson Sociey is delighted to mark its 10th anniversary by awarding the title of Honorary Life Vice-President to three of our members who have made outstanding contributions to the promotion of Nicholson's work, and to the progress of the Society. They are:
Neil Curry, especially for his work as editor of Norman Nicholson: Collected Poems (Faber & Faber)
David Boyd, especially for his critical biography Norman Nicholson: A Literary Life (Seascale Press)
Kathleen Jones, especially for her biography of Nicholson The Whispering Poet (The Book Mill)
Certificates to mark the creation of the Vice-President positions were presented at the Society's Christmas lunch at Grange-over-Sands on Saturday December 3rd. Report and more pictures on our Events page.
Neil Curry, especially for his work as editor of Norman Nicholson: Collected Poems (Faber & Faber)
David Boyd, especially for his critical biography Norman Nicholson: A Literary Life (Seascale Press)
Kathleen Jones, especially for her biography of Nicholson The Whispering Poet (The Book Mill)
Certificates to mark the creation of the Vice-President positions were presented at the Society's Christmas lunch at Grange-over-Sands on Saturday December 3rd. Report and more pictures on our Events page.
KATHLEEN JONES receives her award from the Society chair Charlie Lambert
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NEIL CURRY at the presentation event
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DAVID BOYD receives his award.
Pictures by JOHN TROLL
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posted 5/12/16
To George....
NN Society member David Boyd is the owner of a copy of Nicholson's final volume of poetry (1981) Sea to the West which was given to him by the literary executor of Nicholson's lifelong friend and mentor George Every. David wonders if the rather touching inscription might be of interest to members. The book contains a dedication in the text to his wife, Yvonne 'in love and gratitude for twenty-five silver years, 1956-1981'. David says: "Poignantly, Norman was able to present it to her just before she died from cancer, and a copy of the book was buried with her in the grave in Millom churchyard to which Norman himself went on his own death six years later, in 1987".
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posted 24/11/16
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Haverigg School project
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The children in Year Two at Haverigg Primary School used Norman Nicholson’s poem Hodbarrow Flooded as the stimulus for their summer term project, 2016. This included not only local history but literacy, art and developing speaking and listening skills, which they achieved through asking questions of their families for more information about how Millom and Haverigg used to be when the mines and ironworks were both still open in the 1960’s.
Find out more about this incredibly valuable project on Our Page! HERE. posted 19/10/16 |
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Neil to speak at Whitehaven
Neil Curry is to speak about the poetry of Norman Nicholson and his own poetry at the Beacon in Whitehaven this Wednesday, as part of the Elements festival. It's from 7pm to 8pm, free admission. And on October 24th the Elements Festival comes to Millom with an evening of readings from the work of contemporary local writers. This event is at the Bradbury Centre, St George's Road, LA18 4JE, 7pm-8pm, free admission.
posted 17/10/16
posted 17/10/16
Behind the walls of a literary landmark
A literary weekend at Cockley Moor: photographic essay by JOHN TROLL can be viewed on the Events page
posted 17/10/16
posted 17/10/16
'Lovely to be there'
Grevel Lindop has blogged about the weekend at Cockley Moor. Grevel writes: "It was lovely to be there with almost thirty lively, knowledgeable poetry enthusiasts to discuss Nicholson and the artistic heritage of Cockley Moor". The blog is here: http://grevel.co.uk
posted 14/10/16
posted 14/10/16
Discussing Nicholson at Cockley Moor
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Poets Grevel Lindop and Phil Houghton led the impressive line-up of speakers at our wonderful study weekend at Cockley Moor, over the weekend of October 8th/9th. Thanks to our speakers and all who attended, and special thanks to the current owner of Cockley Moor, Hilary Rock. Report and more pictures on the Events page.
posted 13/10/16
posted 13/10/16
More than 'Seven Rocks'
Professor Brian Whalley, a member of the NN Society, gave a talk at an event organised by the Royal Geographical Society at Brantwood, Coniston, on Thursday (September 29th). Brian spoke about the role played by geology in Nicholson's poems, but did not restrict himself to that sole aspect of Nicholson's work, ranging over a number of significant topics. The talk, introduced by Tim Foster of the Blencathra Centre, was warmly received by an audience which included several members of the NN Society.
posted 2/10/16
posted 2/10/16
'Sea to the West' - a musical interpretation
A CD inspired by Norman Nicholson's poem Sea to the West is to be released next month. The disc is the inspiration of London-based composer Christopher Fox who has a lifelong affection for Nicholson's writings. Sea to the West is the title of both the CD and the opening track, in which Christopher says he has 'fused Nicholson's memories with my own, memories of my father and of long-ago family holiday excursions to the Cumbrian coast.' The composition is sung by the Irish soprano Elizabeth Hilliard and was originally performed in Dublin in 2014.
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The CD, published by Divine Art Ltd, is released officially on October 14 and will then be available at £12 from the company's website: http://www.divine-art.co.uk/forthcoming.htm, from record shops, or from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sea-West-Elizabeth-Hilliard-Divine/dp/B01LB2OWUY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472727242&sr=8-1&keywords=sea+to+the+west+hilliard)
posted 15/9/16 |
Of tveit and dal and fjell
Good to hear Melvyn Bragg highlight Nicholson's poem Cornthwaite in part 3 of his current series on BBC Radio 4, The Matter of the North. The programme explored Viking influences on the north and the poem was quoted to demonstrate the multiplicity of Norse place-names in Cumbria:
"Of tveit and dal and fjell,
He scratched those words on the rocks,
Naming the Cymric cwms in a Norse tongue."
posted 4/9/16
"Of tveit and dal and fjell,
He scratched those words on the rocks,
Naming the Cymric cwms in a Norse tongue."
posted 4/9/16
First sight of 'new' Nicholson poem
The new edition of Comet includes the very exciting discovery of an unpublished poem by Norman Nicholson, which is printed in full. Women's Picnic at the Standing Stones has been unearthed by Mary Robinson in the course of researching an article about Nicholson's links with Jacquetta Hawkes, the archaeologist, ornithologist and writer (1910-1996). The poem does not appear in Nicholson's Collected Poems and so far as we are aware has not appeared anywhere outside Nicholson's private correspondence with Hawkes in 1951. It has come to light as a result of Mary Robinson's examining the Hawkes archive at the JB Priestley Library at the University of Bradford.
The latest Comet, edited as usual by Antoinette Fawcett, contains a rich variety of content including contributions from Peggy Troll, David Boyd, Chris Pilling and Christopher Donaldson. Elissa Robinson reflects on the writers' workshop which the Society organised in May, Antoinette herself reports on our AGM and our Summer Event at Haverigg, the Member Profile is with the poet and writer John Killick, and Kathleen Morris reveals her professional connection with Norman Nicholson - as a telegram deliverer! Plenty more as well. Comet is mailed out free to members.
posted 28/8/16
The latest Comet, edited as usual by Antoinette Fawcett, contains a rich variety of content including contributions from Peggy Troll, David Boyd, Chris Pilling and Christopher Donaldson. Elissa Robinson reflects on the writers' workshop which the Society organised in May, Antoinette herself reports on our AGM and our Summer Event at Haverigg, the Member Profile is with the poet and writer John Killick, and Kathleen Morris reveals her professional connection with Norman Nicholson - as a telegram deliverer! Plenty more as well. Comet is mailed out free to members.
posted 28/8/16
'Forcing the mind to think the impossible'
Norman Nicholson was 'the only major modern writer of the English Atlantic edge' - but why does he refuse to look outward from that edge? And in which direction does he look instead? Interesting and challenging lecture by Professor Andrew Gibson of Royal Holloway, University of London, can be heard on a podcast from University College Dublin HERE. A transcript is also available to download. The lecture was originally recorded in Spring 2013.
posted 22/8/16
posted 22/8/16
NN is back on Big City Lit
The online New York literary magazine Big City Lit recently refreshed its online archives, meaning that David Boyd's introduction to the poems of Norman Nicholson "Verse Rooted Like a Tree", the Cumbrian Poetry of Norman Nicholson, is available to access once more. David says: "Although eight years out of date (note the old Calder Hall cooling tower photo!) and fairly savagely edited, it's I think a reasonable intro to NN for those from other lands especially". Find it HERE
posted 8/8/16
Haverigg: reflections and images
A Royal celebration
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Pictures of the Society's display at a special event to celebrate the 90th birthday of Her Majesty the Queen at St George's Church yesterday. The display included images of the Queen's Medal for Poetry which was awarded to Norman Nicholson in 1977, and a selection of wild flowers which reflect local links to Nicholson.
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pictures by SUE DAWSON
posted 12/6/16
posted 12/6/16
The Queen's Medal for Poetry
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As part of Millom's celebration of Her Majesty's 90th birthday on Saturday June 11th, Peggy Troll will give a talk about the Queen's Medal for Poetry which was awarded to Norman Nicholson in 1977 - the year of the Queen's Silver Jubilee. This will part of an afternoon of celebrations at St George's Church, Millom, starting at 2pm.
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posted 9/6/16
Cheers!
The Society's former chair Dr Ian Davidson celebrates after being presented with an engraved whisky glass as a token of appreciation for his hard work. Illness prevented Ian from receiving the award at our AGM in April. Committee members Peggy Troll, Sue Dawson and Dot Richardson had the pleasant task of making the presentation.
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pictures by JOHN TROLL
posted 1/6/16
posted 1/6/16
'A great poem by Norman Nicholson'
NN Society member Mike Alldred writes: As a keen walker I am a member of the Ramblers Association. In the Summer edition of the RA magazine, "Walk", there is an interview with broadcaster & writer Stuart Maconie. In addition to references to Walt Whitman (positive) & Wordsworth (less so) he also mentions "a great poem by Norman Nicholson, in which he writes about washing up in his kitchen and seeing Scafell Pike as he looks out of the window....". He goes on to describe what Nicholson fans will recognise as the poem "Scafell Pike".
It's encouraging to discover references to Nicholson, such as this, which might result in more people choosing to seek out his writing. And, who knows, maybe seek out the Norman Nicholson Society.
posted 29/5/16
It's encouraging to discover references to Nicholson, such as this, which might result in more people choosing to seek out his writing. And, who knows, maybe seek out the Norman Nicholson Society.
posted 29/5/16
Nicholson exhibition updated
The exhibition dedicated to Norman Nicholson at Millom Discovery Centre has been refreshed and updated, and moved to a different location. This is the result of a wider reorganisation within the Centre. The move has involved a lot of work by NN Society committee members and helpers, taking down everything on display in the old room and then re-hanging and displaying all the items in the new room. There isn’t room for everything to be on display at once so the items in the room will be refreshed from time to time.Millom Discovery Centre admission charge is valid for one year so once paid people can visit as many times as they like during the following 12 months.
There is a selection of NN books available for sale at the Discovery Centre.
http://millomdiscoverycentre.co.uk
There is a selection of NN books available for sale at the Discovery Centre.
http://millomdiscoverycentre.co.uk
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photos by SUE DAWSON
posted 30/3/16
posted 30/3/16
Antoinette's work shortlisted
Editor of 'Comet' Dr Antoinette Fawcett has been invited to speak at a prestigious literary event in London on Thursday (June 9th). Antoinette's sample translation from Kristien Dieltiens' book Kelderkind [Cellar Child] has been selected as one of six shortlisted translations to be presented to a live audience and a jury of publishing experts. The event is open to all and Antoinette says: "If any of you could be at the event to support me, it would be fantastic!"
The details are as follows:
THURSDAY 9TH JUNE
6.30 PM
FREE WORD LECTURE THEATRE
60 FARRINGDON ROAD
LONDON EC1R 3GA
Tickets can be booked on the Free Word website: https://www.freewordcentre.com/whats-on/translation-pitch
More about the event here: https://www.englishpen.org/event/translation-pitch-new-literary-voices-with-pen-presents
posted 7/6/16
The details are as follows:
THURSDAY 9TH JUNE
6.30 PM
FREE WORD LECTURE THEATRE
60 FARRINGDON ROAD
LONDON EC1R 3GA
Tickets can be booked on the Free Word website: https://www.freewordcentre.com/whats-on/translation-pitch
More about the event here: https://www.englishpen.org/event/translation-pitch-new-literary-voices-with-pen-presents
posted 7/6/16
Writing workshop a great success |
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The life-writing workshop led by Kathleen Jones on Saturday, 14th May 2016, was a great success. The event, which explored connections between our Selves and our Environment, was a joint collaboration between the Norman Nicholson Society and Kendal Library. It was called ‘A Local Habitation’, not only as a reference to Nicholson’s 1972 collection of the same name, but also in honour of Shakespeare, whose 400th anniversary we are celebrating this year.
The three hours passed very quickly, but there was time for participants to produce two pieces of writing and to share these with the group. Kathleen set Nicholson’s work within the context of current thinking about home, exile and story-telling, linking these themes to contemporary eco-writing, both creative and critical. We were also encouraged to think about memory and truth, childhood and trauma – sources both of pain and inspiration for poets and writers. As well as reading and thinking about Nicholson’s poem ‘The Elm Decline’ (Collected Poems p. 283), we considered Heaney’s ‘The Barn’ and Riemke Ensing’s ‘Fictions’. At the end of the workshop we came away not only with our own two pieces of writing – the basis perhaps of further work – but full of the kinds of thoughts and feelings which mean you’ve been provoked in the right way. Antoinette Fawcett posted 16/5/16 |
'A highly knowledgeable exploration'
The latest addition to the Nicholson bookshelf, Norman Nicholson’s Nature by Ian Brodie, is "a methodical and highly knowledgeable exploration of all the important aspects of nature which engrossed Nicholson throughout his writing life". Click HERE for a full review by Antoinette Fawcett.
posted 7/5/16 |
AGM held in MillomThe Society's AGM took place at Millom Network Centre on Saturday and was followed by a talk by Dr David Cooper on New Contexts for Nicholson's Writing. There was also an exhibition to mark the Society's 10th anniversary. A full report can be found on our EVENTS page.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary we presented Dr David Cooper with an engraved crystal glass in appreciation of his work as our former chairman. We also have a memento for David's successor Dr Ian Davidson who was unable to attend the AGM.
We made a presentation of a framed photo and message from the Society's president Lord Bragg, and an engraved slate plaque, to Dot Richardson who has decided to step down as treasurer.
Peggy Troll has relinquished the role of membership secretary. We have made a similar presentation to Peggy in recognition of years of sterling work for the Society.
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Part of the Society's 10th anniversary display
posted 18/4/16, updated 21/4/16
posted 18/4/16, updated 21/4/16
New book
A new book about Nicholson has just been published. Norman Nicholson's Nature is written by conservation campaigner Ian Brodie, price £12.50.
Publishers Wildtrack say: This book looks afresh at Nicholson's writing and suggests that we need to regard him as a much greater committed nature writer than previously recognised. The book explores the writer's relationship between people, place, nature, industry and geology and concludes that in Nicholson's writings we can find the basis for a contemporary conservation ethic. Ian Brodie has spent a life in campaigning for access, landscape conservation and, more latterly, nature conservation. Before retirement he was on the staff of Friends of the Lake District and lectured on Lancaster University's Lake District Studies Course. He was formerly a member of the Lake District National Park Authority. His recent publications include, Thirlmere and the Birth of the Landscape Conservation Movement and Why National Parks?
The book is available from the publishers here. It's also available in bookshops in Cumbria. We've spotted it in the Tourist Information Offcie in Broughton and we'll add any other stockists if anyone can notify us via our Contact Form
posted 7/3/16
Publishers Wildtrack say: This book looks afresh at Nicholson's writing and suggests that we need to regard him as a much greater committed nature writer than previously recognised. The book explores the writer's relationship between people, place, nature, industry and geology and concludes that in Nicholson's writings we can find the basis for a contemporary conservation ethic. Ian Brodie has spent a life in campaigning for access, landscape conservation and, more latterly, nature conservation. Before retirement he was on the staff of Friends of the Lake District and lectured on Lancaster University's Lake District Studies Course. He was formerly a member of the Lake District National Park Authority. His recent publications include, Thirlmere and the Birth of the Landscape Conservation Movement and Why National Parks?
The book is available from the publishers here. It's also available in bookshops in Cumbria. We've spotted it in the Tourist Information Offcie in Broughton and we'll add any other stockists if anyone can notify us via our Contact Form
posted 7/3/16
Nicholson on Radio 4 |
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Nicholson's poem Beck was featured in BBC Radio 4's Poetry Please on Sunday February 7th at 4.30pm and repeated on Saturday 13th at 11.30pm. The programme is also available on the BBC i-player for 30 days.
This comes from a request by NN Society members Brian Whalley and Kathleen Morris. posted 6/2/16, updated 13/2/16 |
Norman Nicholson: beyond Lakeland
photo: JOHN TROLL
Dr. Antoinette Fawcett, Joint Secretary of the Norman Nicholson Society, has secured a three month Visiting Research Fellowship at the John Rylands Research Institute, University of Manchester, which houses the university's Special Collections. They include the Norman Nicholson Archive and the Norman Nicholson Book Collection, as well as many other literary papers relevant to Nicholson Studies. Antoinette's research project is entitled "NORMAN NICHOLSON – BEYOND LAKELAND: An examination of archival and bibliographical evidence for the translation and reception of Norman Nicholson’s work in non-Anglophone cultures".
She will examine evidence relating to the translation, publication and performance of Nicholson's work in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Italy, and Russia, among other places, with the aim of demonstrating that Nicholson's work in several genres had an impact beyond the Anglophone world.
Arts Council England has designated the Rylands collections, kept in the wonderful neo-Gothic John Rylands Library, as being of outstanding national and international importance.
If anyone has information about the reception of Nicholson's work in other countries, please do get in touch with Antoinette via this website - our Contact form is HERE.
posted 7/1/16
She will examine evidence relating to the translation, publication and performance of Nicholson's work in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Italy, and Russia, among other places, with the aim of demonstrating that Nicholson's work in several genres had an impact beyond the Anglophone world.
Arts Council England has designated the Rylands collections, kept in the wonderful neo-Gothic John Rylands Library, as being of outstanding national and international importance.
If anyone has information about the reception of Nicholson's work in other countries, please do get in touch with Antoinette via this website - our Contact form is HERE.
posted 7/1/16
'Shepherd's Carol' inspires our Christmas tree
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The Norman Nicholson Society has again decorated a tree for the annual Christmas Tree festival in St George's Church, Millom. The festival is open for viewing from Friday 11th December until Sunday 3rd January 2016.
The times for viewing the festival are: Monday - Thursday 12 noon - 4.00 pm. Friday - Sunday 11.00 am - 4.00 pm.
The theme for the festival this year is 'Christmas Story' and the Society has chosen 'Shepherd's Carol' as the poem to provide the inspiration for decorating their tree. Peggy Troll, Dot Richardson and Sue Dawson have developed a rustic, rural theme for the decorations this year as it was felt that this was the best way to interpret the content of the poem appropriately. Most of the decorations are made from twine, card and twigs.
The three 'practical farmers from back of the dale' can be seen pointing the way to the 'the latest arrival newly born' from the drystone wall at the base of the Nicholson Society's tree. The sheep that are left at the 'bottom of dyke' are Herdwicks, of course! The pub the shepherds head for is based on the Woolpack Inn at Eskdale and there are even some Cumberland sheep counting on labels to continue with the shepherd's theme.
Refreshments are available daily in the church and there are around 40 decorated trees to enjoy during a visit!
posted December 2015
The times for viewing the festival are: Monday - Thursday 12 noon - 4.00 pm. Friday - Sunday 11.00 am - 4.00 pm.
The theme for the festival this year is 'Christmas Story' and the Society has chosen 'Shepherd's Carol' as the poem to provide the inspiration for decorating their tree. Peggy Troll, Dot Richardson and Sue Dawson have developed a rustic, rural theme for the decorations this year as it was felt that this was the best way to interpret the content of the poem appropriately. Most of the decorations are made from twine, card and twigs.
The three 'practical farmers from back of the dale' can be seen pointing the way to the 'the latest arrival newly born' from the drystone wall at the base of the Nicholson Society's tree. The sheep that are left at the 'bottom of dyke' are Herdwicks, of course! The pub the shepherds head for is based on the Woolpack Inn at Eskdale and there are even some Cumberland sheep counting on labels to continue with the shepherd's theme.
Refreshments are available daily in the church and there are around 40 decorated trees to enjoy during a visit!
posted December 2015
Charlie Lambert on BBC Radio Cumbria
Our new chair Charlie Lambert was interviewed on BBC Radio Cumbria on Friday November 20th. Asking the questions was presenter Gordon Swindlehurst, a self-confessed Nicholson enthusiast. The chat aired during Gordon's lunchtime show. You can hear the interview on our Soundcloud HERE.
posted 20/11/15
posted 20/11/15
The Society's new chair
photo: DOROTHY LAMBERT
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Former BBC broadcaster Charlie Lambert has been elected chair of the Norman Nicholson Society. He takes over from Broughton Mills resident Dr Ian Davidson. Charlie has been a member of the Society since it was formed in 2006. He was the producer of a documentary about Nicholson aired on BBC Radio Cumbria last year.
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He said: “Norman Nicholson was an outstanding poet who had the ability to touch the heart and the conscience. His view of the world – whether the world on his doorstep in Millom or the wider universe – was original, perceptive, humorous and heartfelt. Yet he never received due credit from the metropolitan so-called elite. I feel extremely honoured to have become chair of the Society and I will do all I can to promote the works of Nicholson and to further the aims of the Society. I would also like to pay tribute to Ian Davidson for his excellent work on behalf of the Society; we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Charlie was born in Windermere and gained a degree in English from Bristol University. He spent 20 years on the staff of the BBC, becoming sports correspondent for the TV programme Northwest Tonight as well as broadcasting regularly on Radio 4 and Radio 5. He is currently senior lecturer in broadcast journalism at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston. He lives in Liverpool.
posted 10/11/15
Charlie was born in Windermere and gained a degree in English from Bristol University. He spent 20 years on the staff of the BBC, becoming sports correspondent for the TV programme Northwest Tonight as well as broadcasting regularly on Radio 4 and Radio 5. He is currently senior lecturer in broadcast journalism at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston. He lives in Liverpool.
posted 10/11/15
Top photos and poems
The Western Lake District website ran a photography and poetry competitions to celebrate Norman Nicholson's centenary. View the winning entries here
posted 19/5/15
posted 19/5/15
It's mending worse...
We were pleased to see that Hilary Mantel selected Nicholson's poem 'Old Man at a Cricket Match' for a Remembrance Weekend feature in Saturday's Guardian. Find it HERE.
posted 9/11/15
posted 9/11/15
The Millom Writers group, run by NN Society member Ron Creer, has just had its third collection of work published. It is being launched at Millom Network Centre on November 6th at 2pm. All Society members are welcome to go along.
posted 25/10/15
posted 25/10/15
Glamming it up in Manchester!
Antoinette Fawcett, secretary of the Norman Nicholson Society, will speak about Nicholson at a meeting of GLAM - Group for Literary Archives and Manuscripts - at the John Rylands Library, University of Manchester, on Thursday October 1st. Fran Baker, custodian of the Nicholson archive held at the Library, will also speak.
posted 28/9/15
posted 28/9/15
Nicholson WILL rock Coventry
The fund-raising scheme launched to help organise a second performance of Seven Rocks, composed by Harry Whalley for Norman Nicholson’s centenary last year, has hit the target!
Members of the NN Society were among those who backed the campaign which targeted £380 and currently exceeds £420. It means Seven Rocks will be performed by the outstanding Gildas Quartet, as planned, at the INTIME symposium at the University of Coventry on Saturday October 24th.
Harry says that the surplus funds will go towards financing a new composition based on a Nicholson poem.
posted 25/9/15
Members of the NN Society were among those who backed the campaign which targeted £380 and currently exceeds £420. It means Seven Rocks will be performed by the outstanding Gildas Quartet, as planned, at the INTIME symposium at the University of Coventry on Saturday October 24th.
Harry says that the surplus funds will go towards financing a new composition based on a Nicholson poem.
posted 25/9/15
Nicholson features in travel guide
Pleased to see that a new book The Dymond Guide to the Lake District and Cumbria by Christian Dymond references Norman Nicholson and his contribution to literature and to the town of Millom. The book is a travel guide, updating many of the locations visited by Nicholson himself when
compiling Greater Lakeland published in 1969 at a price of 42 shillings.
posted 5/8/15
compiling Greater Lakeland published in 1969 at a price of 42 shillings.
posted 5/8/15
Norman Nicholson - a Literary Life
Norman Nicholson - a Literary Life by David Boyd, a long-standing member of the Norman Nicholson Society, has just been published by Seascale Press Ltd. It's available by post or as a Kindle download. Full details and order form HERE. As a taster of David's writing, here's a link to an article he wrote for the New York online literary review nycBigCityLit.com. Congratulations to David on completing this highly-anticipated work and good luck with the all-important sales!
posted 26/7/15
posted 26/7/15
Off to study Nicholson in India
The Society has been contacted by an editor from Macmillan Publishing (India) who wants to use the Norman Nicholson poem Off To Outer Space in the Morning in texts for schools in India. We're delighted to hear of this interest in Nicholson's work and hope that Macmillan are successful in obtaining the necessary copyright clearance in order to go ahead.
posted 10/7/15
posted 10/7/15
Nicholson and Geology
There's a fascinating and informative article about Nicholson's use of geology in his writing on the website of The Geological Society, written by NN Society member Brian Whalley. Brian includes this quote from Nicholson: "In no other part of England has the life and character of a district and its people been so controlled by the nature of the rock and by the forces which acted upon it."
The article mentions Millom Rock Park which is just outside the town and well worth a visit if you're interested in the geological make-up of the area.
posted 10/6/15
The article mentions Millom Rock Park which is just outside the town and well worth a visit if you're interested in the geological make-up of the area.
posted 10/6/15
Flower Festival
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The Society is contributing to the Flower Festival, to be held at St George's Church, Millom, this bank holiday weekend (May 22-25). INSPIRE is the festival's theme, described as a 'celebration of the Spirit in flowers, music and worship.'
Our committee members Peggy Troll, Dot Richardson and Sue Dawson have created a floral display based on a passage from 'Provincial Pleasures' p 91: 'The sun wanders about the church as if it belonged there. As, indeed it does, for the building is a product of the sun, being made of the red desert sandstone which lies beside the slate all along the Cumberland coast'. View a slideshow of our display: |
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Festival opening times: Friday, Saturday and Monday 10am - 4pm, Sunday 11am - 2pm and 4pm - 6pm. Church services and events: Saturday at 7.30pm PHOENIX SINGERS. Sunday at 9.30am PARISH COMMUNION. Sunday at 6pm SONGS OF PRAISE. Monday at 4pm ORGAN RECITAL by Mike Smith.
Peggy will read the poem 'Weeds' at the Phoenix Singers service - a fitting reminder of Nicholson's individual outlook on what most of us take for granted. posted 19/5/15, updated 22/5/15 |
Percy Kelly exhibition in Barrow
An exhibition: The Letters of Percy Kelly to Norman Nicholson and Joan David, is currently on display at the Cumbria Archives and Local Studies Centre, 140 Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 1XW. The exhibition, which has already been on display at Carlisle and Whitehaven, will be there until the end of May, which as usual is Local History Month. It tells the story of Kelly’s life in relation to the letters he wrote to Norman Nicholson and to Joan David, a scientist and art-lover. He sent many beautifully-illustrated letters (and envelopes) to them both, which were deposited with Cumbria Archives by Joan David’s relatives after her death. More about Percy Kelly HERE.
posted 18/3/15
posted 18/3/15
Percy Kelly letters
The Norman Nicholson archive at the John Rylands Library in Manchester has received a fascinating collection of illustrated letters sent by the Cumbrian artist Percy Kelly to Norman Nicholson. Kelly (1918-1993) drew inspiration from the same Cumbrian landscape as Nicholson. His correspondence to Norman was accompanied by delightful illustrations, often on the envelopes that contained the letters. Find out more about them on the John Rylands Special Collections blog HERE.
posted 24/2/15
posted 24/2/15
Carlisle service
Our thanks to the Carlisle Cathedral authorities for giving permission for a service to mark the close of the Centenary Year on Saturday, and to Canon Warden Jan Kearton for officiating. A report has been posted on the Events page.
posted 13/1/15
posted 13/1/15
'If you'd been there you'd have had to sing'
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The Society's contribution to the annual Christmas Tree Festival in Millom has been unveiled. The theme for the display is 'Lighting the Way' so the poem The Wise Men's Carol was selected as being the most appropriate. The Society's exhibit was created by Peggy Troll, Dot Richardson and Sue Dawson. They worked on the image of the 'carnival sky' mentioned in the poem and the tree is topped by a star which is streaming with ribbons in rainbow colours. The quotation 'If you'd been there you'd have had to sing' is linked to the decorations shaped like brass instruments on the tree, and they are also tied with brightly-coloured ribbons.
posted 4/12/14
posted 4/12/14
David Boyd to speak at the Woolpack
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David Boyd, author and critic and member of the Norman Nicholson Society, will speak at the Woolpack Book Festival in Eskdale on Friday March 6th, 5pm-7pm. David will discuss Norman Nicholson and his connections to the Western Lakes, specifically the venue for the event, the Woolpack Inn. Historical documents and papers will be on view and there'll also be discussions on the Woolpack Inn and previous landlords.
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posted 28/2/15
Ravenglass in print
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John Gilder, one of the Society's newest members, is the author of two books about Ravenglass - Ravenglass Picture Portrait of a Village (1990) and Fractured Hearts: Ravenglass - A Lake District Village in poems and pictures (2010). John, a familiar voice on BBC Radio Manchester, comes from Oldham. He has been reading Norman Nicholson for the past decade and is inspired by his works - "particularly Provincial Pleasures which is so easy to read whilst engrossing myself in his descriptions of things like the shore at 'Odborough' and the marshes and such like." John is currently working on another book, Northwestwords.
posted 8/2/15 |
Mary Burkett OBE
The Society is sad to learn of the death on Tuesday of Mary Burkett OBE. Mary was a staunch supporter of the Society and hosted a memorable event in celebration of Nicholson's centenary at her home Isel Hall on July 5th. Mary will be remembered for her devotion to the arts in Cumbria, espcially for her role as director of Abbot Hall in Kendal, where her portrait by Carel Victor Morlais Weight is on display. She was the author of the book I Was Only a Maid (Skiddaw Press 1998) which told the story of the remarkable life of a former parlourmaid at Isel Hall, May Moore. The Society sends our condolences to Mary's family and friends.
posted 13/11/14
posted 13/11/14
'No-one can understand the real Lakeland until he has absorbed
these poems...'
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A visit to the exhibition It's All About the Landscape currently on display at Coniston Institute yielded among other delights a stack of back issues of the then pocket-sized magazine Cumbria and this item from the (unbylined) Notebook column in the November 1966 edition:
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The exhibition at Coniston Institute, Yewdale Road, LA21 8DL runs until December 1st 2014 and is open every day 10am-5pm except Monday. It is organised by Grizedale Arts, the Benevolent Order of New Mechanics and the Useful Arts Association.
posted 2/11/14 |
Nicholson book collection
We are delighted to announce that a complete list of books owned by Norman Nicholson at the time of his death, now kept at the John Rylands Library in Manchester, is now available to view on this website. The catalogue can be found HERE. Our thanks to Julie Ramwell, Special Collections Librarian at the Library, for making the information available to us.
posted 30/10/14
posted 30/10/14
2014 Monday October 20th Not by the Dark, but by Dazzle
The poet Grevel Lindop presented 'Not by the Dark, but by Dazzle': A Norman Nicholson Centenary Lecture at the Royal Asiatic Society in London. As one attendee observed: 'Grevel's lectures are beautifully composed and delivered, and full of interest; he is an excellent speaker. Many of us who heard him in London will be reading much more of Nicholson as a result.'
Audio archive launched
Neil Curry took many Nicholson enthusiasts by surprise with his controversial views expressed in Radio Cumbria's documentary in August. Now the whole unedited interview with Neil is available on the NN Society's new Soundcloud, an audio archive which also contains complete unedited interviews with other contributors to the radio documentary, all experts on Nicholson's work: Alan Beattie, David Boyd, Melvyn Bragg, Antoinette Fawcett and Mary Robinson. Click HERE to find it.
posted 4/10/14
posted 4/10/14
The thudding of my own blood
If you visit the doctor this winter you might be able to catch up on the poetry of Norman Nicholson while you're waiting. The charity Poems in the Waiting Room is to include NN's poem Nobbut God among the selection they distribute to GP surgeries. As reported in the latest edition of Comet, the charity produces collections of poetry on cards for patients to read when they visit the surgery. The inclusion of the Nicholson poem follows intervention by NN's friend and literary executor Irvine Hunt. It's a free scheme so why not encourage your local practice to sign up? More information from the charity's website www.poemsinthewaitingroom.org. Among the medics finding room for stanzas among the stethoscopes are some in Germany, Romania and Sweden.
posted 22/9/14
posted 22/9/14
U3A visit
Our committee members Peggy Troll, Dot Richardson and Sue Dawson hosted a very successful U3A group visit from Lancaster. The response from the group was excellent, saying the visit had far exceeded their expectations. The schedule included visits to the Discovery Centre and Millom Library.
posted July 23rd 2014
posted July 23rd 2014
Lord Bragg contributes to Radio Cumbria's 'Nicholson' programme
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Our President, Melvyn Bragg, has been discussing Norman Nicholson's poetry with our media editor Charlie Lambert who is producing a documentary about Nicholson for BBC Radio Cumbria. The interview was recorded at the National Theatre yesterday. The documentary is due to be broadcast in August. We'll post full details here nearer the time.
posted 9/5/14 |
Pay tribute to Nicholson’s geniality and genius
Nicholson may not have used the word ‘gala’ in his Collected Poems but he certainly knew how to celebrate with musical gusto and energetic delight, jubilating in the ordinary and extraordinary alike, touching the words of his poems with a zest for life, even when contemplating death, destruction or decay. You get the sensation when reading the poems – or listening to rare recordings of Nicholson’s voice – that he enjoyed the feel of words in the mouth, and the touch of voice in the air. ‘Gala’ would undoubtedly take its place in Nicholson’s vocabulary, along with ‘galleys’ and ‘gales’ and ‘galleons’, ‘nightingales’ and ‘sweetgales’, ‘galaxies’ and ‘Galloway’, ‘gallons’ and ‘gall’, all words which pricked his imagination and made his poetry dance.
‘Gala’, the Oxford English Dictionary tells me, is of Italian and French origin and is perhaps derived from words for merriment and/or for finery. Let us ‘gallivant’ together then and pay tribute to Nicholson’s geniality and genius at our Gala Lunch at the Lighthouse Centre in Haverigg, Millom LA18 4HA on Saturday April 26th 2014.
Members will soon receive a letter and booking form with full details of the event and are urged to book swiftly, as only 80 tickets will be sold. Tickets will be made available to non-members after our booking deadline of the 31st March.
We won’t promise you the sensual luxuries imagined by Nicholson in his poem ‘Belshazzar’, but we will celebrate in style and with poetic passion. Oh, and there will be a Brass Band!
That day in the city there were banners slung
Across the streets, from balconies and chimneys,
Swinging in the wind like smoke, and telegraph poles
Were hung with geraniums; military bands
Marched down the thoroughfares and bugles rang
Against the plate-glass frontages. […]
They poured the yellow wine in the grey silver,
The red in the yellow gold, and plates were piled
With quails and nightingales and passion fruit,
And the air was a fume of music.
From ‘Belshazzar’ by Norman Nicholson
Do join us!
Antoinette Fawcett
posted February 10th 2014
‘Gala’, the Oxford English Dictionary tells me, is of Italian and French origin and is perhaps derived from words for merriment and/or for finery. Let us ‘gallivant’ together then and pay tribute to Nicholson’s geniality and genius at our Gala Lunch at the Lighthouse Centre in Haverigg, Millom LA18 4HA on Saturday April 26th 2014.
Members will soon receive a letter and booking form with full details of the event and are urged to book swiftly, as only 80 tickets will be sold. Tickets will be made available to non-members after our booking deadline of the 31st March.
We won’t promise you the sensual luxuries imagined by Nicholson in his poem ‘Belshazzar’, but we will celebrate in style and with poetic passion. Oh, and there will be a Brass Band!
That day in the city there were banners slung
Across the streets, from balconies and chimneys,
Swinging in the wind like smoke, and telegraph poles
Were hung with geraniums; military bands
Marched down the thoroughfares and bugles rang
Against the plate-glass frontages. […]
They poured the yellow wine in the grey silver,
The red in the yellow gold, and plates were piled
With quails and nightingales and passion fruit,
And the air was a fume of music.
From ‘Belshazzar’ by Norman Nicholson
Do join us!
Antoinette Fawcett
posted February 10th 2014
"If I lived here for 500 years I would still have things to write about"
Dr Malcolm Morrison writes via the website contact form:
Elsewhere on the website, Michael Mitchell compares Norman Nicholson with another wonderful poet, George Mackay Brown; both were criticised for being "provincial" and therefore overlooked by many.
George rarely left Orkney - once he went to Oxford, but otherwise never travelled further south than Edinburgh. In 1994 he was shortlisted for the Booker Prize with his novel "Beside The Ocean of Time" - he refused to travel to London for the award ceremony.
He was criticised that he never left Orkney to join the "rough and tumble of the world", but replied "If I lived here for 500 years I would still have things to write about". Seamus Heaney said of his poetry: "he transforms everything by passing it through the eye of the needle of Orkney".
He stayed in Stromness for all but six years of his life - if he required a change of scene, he went off to stay at a farmhouse a couple of miles down the road. He seemed to need the familiar landscape of his native Orkney to ground and fire his creativity. The Orkney writer, Eric Linklater said "GMB is a good poet, a true poet, and essentially a poet of Orkney - it is his persistent theme and constant inspiration.
Posted January 26th 2014
Elsewhere on the website, Michael Mitchell compares Norman Nicholson with another wonderful poet, George Mackay Brown; both were criticised for being "provincial" and therefore overlooked by many.
George rarely left Orkney - once he went to Oxford, but otherwise never travelled further south than Edinburgh. In 1994 he was shortlisted for the Booker Prize with his novel "Beside The Ocean of Time" - he refused to travel to London for the award ceremony.
He was criticised that he never left Orkney to join the "rough and tumble of the world", but replied "If I lived here for 500 years I would still have things to write about". Seamus Heaney said of his poetry: "he transforms everything by passing it through the eye of the needle of Orkney".
He stayed in Stromness for all but six years of his life - if he required a change of scene, he went off to stay at a farmhouse a couple of miles down the road. He seemed to need the familiar landscape of his native Orkney to ground and fire his creativity. The Orkney writer, Eric Linklater said "GMB is a good poet, a true poet, and essentially a poet of Orkney - it is his persistent theme and constant inspiration.
Posted January 26th 2014
Mary Robinson asks: is this the right time for a reassessment?
MARY ROBINSON photo: Charlie Lambert
"Wait! Come closer. I've something to tell".
Hearing a recording of Norman Nicholson reading those words from "The Whisperer" was spine-tingling. It was one of the highlights of the centenary celebrations at the Wordsworth Bookshop in Penrith.
There is an upsurge of writing about the environment at the moment. The time is ripe for a re-assessment of Norman Nicholson's work. Let's ditch the "provincialism" debate and look at his writing in the context of ecology, edgelands and sustainability.
Driving to Penrith I heard the musician Joshua Rifkin being interviewed on the radio. Years ago he championed the (now very popular) ragtime music of Scott Joplin. "Why did you do it? he was asked. "Because his work deserves to be heard". Why are we celebrating Norman Nicholson's centenary? Because his work deserves to be heard.
"Wait! Wait!
Come closer;
I've something to tell."
Mary Robinson
posted January 10th 2014
Hearing a recording of Norman Nicholson reading those words from "The Whisperer" was spine-tingling. It was one of the highlights of the centenary celebrations at the Wordsworth Bookshop in Penrith.
There is an upsurge of writing about the environment at the moment. The time is ripe for a re-assessment of Norman Nicholson's work. Let's ditch the "provincialism" debate and look at his writing in the context of ecology, edgelands and sustainability.
Driving to Penrith I heard the musician Joshua Rifkin being interviewed on the radio. Years ago he championed the (now very popular) ragtime music of Scott Joplin. "Why did you do it? he was asked. "Because his work deserves to be heard". Why are we celebrating Norman Nicholson's centenary? Because his work deserves to be heard.
"Wait! Wait!
Come closer;
I've something to tell."
Mary Robinson
posted January 10th 2014
Birthday blessing
The Society organised the first celebration of Centenary Year at St George's Church, Millom, today. Sue Dawson led a walk to significant local landmarks explaining links to Norman Nicholson. Lunch (including very popular hot soup) was provided by members of St George's Church. Antoinette Fawcett led a discussion of Norman's poetry with the appropriate backdrop of the Nicholson Memorial Window. A service of thanksgiving for Norman's life and work was conducted by Rev Malcolm Cowan and included readings of Nicholson poems by Society members Neil Curry, Glenn Lang, Dot Richardson, Antoinette Fawett, John Troll and Peggy Troll.
Photographers from the NW Mail and Whitehaven News also attended.
posted 5/1/14
Photographers from the NW Mail and Whitehaven News also attended.
posted 5/1/14
A Turn For The Better
The Society's exhibit at the annual Christmas Tree Festival at St George's Church, Millom, takes as its theme the poem A Turn For The Better, published in The Pot Geranium collection in 1954. It's based on a story which comes from a gospel of James not included in the New Testament. The story, told by Joseph, Jesus' father, describes how, at the moment of Jesus' birth, everything in creation stood still - 'Now I Joseph was walking and I walked not'. Norman pictures Joseph walking between the allotments in Millom and the moment when everything stopped.
Society members Peggy Troll, Dot Richardson and Sue Dawson created the display.Their aim was to express the poem in paper - cut snowflakes, silver, gold and white figures of the people and animals, and the significant quotations on ribbons. The tree stands in a miniature allotment. "We hope we have conveyed something of the poet's intention and his fresh view of the Christian story," said Peggy.
The Festival is open for viewing on designated days from November 30th to December 22nd.
Posted 29/11/13
The Festival is open for viewing on designated days from November 30th to December 22nd.
Posted 29/11/13
Norman Nicholson Day 2013
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'Poet's Body: Health, Creativity and Connectedness' was the theme of our annual Norman Nicholson Day, held at Millom Network Centre on Saturday October 19th. Dr Duncan Darbishire (above, right), a poet and photographer as well as a retired GP, described the impact of TB, the disease which had such an influence on Norman's life. Alan Beattie (above, far left), who has worked in both public health and the performing arts, analysed the influence of Norman's illness on his writing. And Dr Chris Donaldson (pictured with Alan) presented an illuminating study of Nicholson's global network by using online tools to chart his connections worldwide. The talks were followed by study groups which discussed poetry and prose in which Nicholson made reference to his illness. The day also featured screenings of two BBCTV productions from the 1970s - 'The Whispering Poet' (1973), and a shorter feature from 'Look North' (1975). Our thanks to our three speakers and to everyone who attended and all who helped with the organisation and catering.
pictures by John Troll
posted 21/10/13
pictures by John Troll
posted 21/10/13
Meet Frances Baker
Fran Baker is the archivist in charge of the Norman Nicholson collection at the John Rylands Library in Manchester. The archive contains documents, letters, photographs, drawings, and original handwritten drafts of poems. It is also the home of some 700 books from Norman's own collection. More information about the archive can be found by clicking here.
posted 1/10/13
posted 1/10/13
Visit to Rylands Library
Members of the Society enjoyed an illuminating visit to the Norman Nicholson Archive at the John Rylands Library in Manchester. Among the documents displayed by librarian Fran Baker were Norman's birth certificate, correspondence between Norman and T S Eliot and Philip Larkin, and not least a photograph of Norman at the British Gas showroom in Millom which also depicted Dot Richardson, who was among the group visiting the archive today.
posted 21/9/13
posted 21/9/13
Exhibition in Kendal
Cumbrian artist Rebecca Payn is an admirer of Norman Nicholson’s work. Her prints were featured, along with the work of several other artists, in ‘Outside the Glass: Perspectives on Norman Nicholson’, an exhibition organised by the University of Cumbria in 2008 and curated by Charles Mitchell.
People now have the chance to re-visit Rebecca’s Nicholson-inspired work in an exhibition at the Coffee House, Abbot Hall, Kendal on display from 15th July to the 13th October 2013. ‘Under the Scree’ is a series of prints inspired particularly by poems from Nicholson’s 1972 collection A Local Habitation and is a response to poems such as ‘The Elm Decline’, ‘Scree’ and ‘Hodbarrow Flooded’. Rebecca says, ‘His poems have such warmth and richness of imagery, and it was a real pleasure using them as a source of inspiration for my print series’.
There was a good preview review of these prints in the North-West Evening Mail of July 11, 2013, which described the prints as ‘brooding’ and ‘smoky’. You can get your own preview of her work by looking at her website which features some of these prints: _http://www.rebeccapayn.co.uk.
Other works by Rebecca, and by the artist Alan Stones, will be on show at the Castlegate House Gallery, Cockermouth from the 5th to the 27th July 2013.
To know that his poems are still inspiring creative responses of many kinds would surely have gladdened Norman’s heart, and it is especially good to see how his work resonates with visual artists. As Charles Mitchell, at that time the University of Cumbria’s Dean of the Faculty of Arts, said in an interview with the Cumberland News and Star (6 March 2008): ‘Nicholson is a poet who is great for artists to work to. In many ways his poems are abstract pieces. The language flows and it is almost musical… there’s an overwhelming sense of something deeply rooted in the landscape that borders on the spiritual’.
If you are in Kendal this summer, do support Rebecca’s exhibition. You can contemplate her prints whilst sipping one of the Coffee House’s aromatic brews or refreshing juices. Click here for more details. And here for directions to Abbot Hall.
Antoinette Fawcett
posted 12/7/13
People now have the chance to re-visit Rebecca’s Nicholson-inspired work in an exhibition at the Coffee House, Abbot Hall, Kendal on display from 15th July to the 13th October 2013. ‘Under the Scree’ is a series of prints inspired particularly by poems from Nicholson’s 1972 collection A Local Habitation and is a response to poems such as ‘The Elm Decline’, ‘Scree’ and ‘Hodbarrow Flooded’. Rebecca says, ‘His poems have such warmth and richness of imagery, and it was a real pleasure using them as a source of inspiration for my print series’.
There was a good preview review of these prints in the North-West Evening Mail of July 11, 2013, which described the prints as ‘brooding’ and ‘smoky’. You can get your own preview of her work by looking at her website which features some of these prints: _http://www.rebeccapayn.co.uk.
Other works by Rebecca, and by the artist Alan Stones, will be on show at the Castlegate House Gallery, Cockermouth from the 5th to the 27th July 2013.
To know that his poems are still inspiring creative responses of many kinds would surely have gladdened Norman’s heart, and it is especially good to see how his work resonates with visual artists. As Charles Mitchell, at that time the University of Cumbria’s Dean of the Faculty of Arts, said in an interview with the Cumberland News and Star (6 March 2008): ‘Nicholson is a poet who is great for artists to work to. In many ways his poems are abstract pieces. The language flows and it is almost musical… there’s an overwhelming sense of something deeply rooted in the landscape that borders on the spiritual’.
If you are in Kendal this summer, do support Rebecca’s exhibition. You can contemplate her prints whilst sipping one of the Coffee House’s aromatic brews or refreshing juices. Click here for more details. And here for directions to Abbot Hall.
Antoinette Fawcett
posted 12/7/13
Nicholson poems studied at reading group
Norman Nicholson's poems have recently been discussed at a reading group in London, as well as evoking distant memories. Eileen Webb has been in touch to tell us about her links with Cumbria and her interest in Nicholson:
In 1944 my family was bombed out in London and a relative of a distant relative found us a cottage in Haverigg as a haven from the blitz. After London we thought the war had stopped altogether. When my father returned from service with the 8th Army in Italy we returned to London. I am now in my eighties and attend various classes run by the U3A and one of them is a poetry group. At each meeting we discuss the poems of a poet chosen by a member and I wanted to talk about a poet who was closely attached to his own environment so I chose Nicholson and Charles Causley. I think Nicholson is even more local than Causley and I have been reading up on him. It is nice to be able to identify some of the places he writes about.
Eileen decided on The Whisperer as the poem she would select for study by the Group.
A few days later we heard separately from Eileen's husband Laurence who emailed:
My wife, Eileen, introduced me to Norman Nicholson. During the war she was evacuated to Millom, and has many stories about her wartime life with her mother and sisters there, while her father, Bill Murphy, was away at war.Last year she took me to see her childhood home in Millom, and showed me the sites (sights!) and there we discovered together Norman Nicholson, and I fell in love with him straightaway.
Eileen has a copy of his Selected Poems, 1940-1982, and now I would like to obtain as many of his publications as I can, and hope to participate in your activities sometime in the future, although I am 86 and she coming up to 83.
We're delighted that Eileen and Laurence have discovered a passion for Nicholson and hope to see them at one of our events.
posted 7/7/13
In 1944 my family was bombed out in London and a relative of a distant relative found us a cottage in Haverigg as a haven from the blitz. After London we thought the war had stopped altogether. When my father returned from service with the 8th Army in Italy we returned to London. I am now in my eighties and attend various classes run by the U3A and one of them is a poetry group. At each meeting we discuss the poems of a poet chosen by a member and I wanted to talk about a poet who was closely attached to his own environment so I chose Nicholson and Charles Causley. I think Nicholson is even more local than Causley and I have been reading up on him. It is nice to be able to identify some of the places he writes about.
Eileen decided on The Whisperer as the poem she would select for study by the Group.
A few days later we heard separately from Eileen's husband Laurence who emailed:
My wife, Eileen, introduced me to Norman Nicholson. During the war she was evacuated to Millom, and has many stories about her wartime life with her mother and sisters there, while her father, Bill Murphy, was away at war.Last year she took me to see her childhood home in Millom, and showed me the sites (sights!) and there we discovered together Norman Nicholson, and I fell in love with him straightaway.
Eileen has a copy of his Selected Poems, 1940-1982, and now I would like to obtain as many of his publications as I can, and hope to participate in your activities sometime in the future, although I am 86 and she coming up to 83.
We're delighted that Eileen and Laurence have discovered a passion for Nicholson and hope to see them at one of our events.
posted 7/7/13
Summer Event 2013, Hodbarrow
There were high hopes for a wonderful day as we assembled at Haverigg Primary School. The weather was glorious if a little breezy - ideal for exploring Hodbarrow, the old iron ore mining site, in search of the rare bee orchid. After a cheering cup of tea, we formed a 'car convoy' and made our way along the bumpy pot-holed road to our first stop at the old lighthouse.
Hodbarrow is a RSPB Reserve. Chris Powell, our leader, whose knowledge of the site and its history is well known, took us to a rough, grassy area surrounding a particular nesting site. Excitement was intense as almost everywhere we walked were bee orchids, almost but not quite on the point of flowering. We tiptoed around them carefully, wondering at their choice of this seemingly inhospitable terrain
'To breed, to seed,
To colonise the new-found,
New-sunk island...
Before the sea
Pours in again
In three or four
Hundred years' time'.
Listening as Chris read the poem 'Bee Orchid at Hodbarrow' at the actual location of these modest little flowers was a moving experience.
Our next stop was the area described by Nicholson in 'The Bloody Cranesbill' which he calls 'Sunday's flower', reflecting on the times in his childhood when he walked there on Sunday mornings with his father and uncle Jack. We marvelled at the detail of the flower
...red as the ore
It grew from, fragile as Venetian glass, pencilled with metal-thread
Haematite-purple veins. The frail cups lay so gently
On their small glazed saucer-bracts that a whisper would have tipped them over
Like emptying tea leaves out.
We trod the old grassy footpaths, stood inside an ancient windmill and down on the shore ventured into a still accessible adit driven into the limestone rock when the miners were first exploring the area. And we felt that nostalgic regret of 'a town's purpose subsiding with the mine', but also the hope embodied in Nicholson's words:
In a lagoon of despoliation, that same flower
Still grows today.
After lunch, during which we were able to appreciate the exciting children's work based on Nicholson poems, we continued to explore the links between Nicholson's writing and the local environment in two discussion groups led by Antoinette Fawcett and Ian Davidson. A member of one group wrote that he hoped what he had learned would be 'both a spur and a key to some ongoing learning and further appreciation' of Nicholson's work.
Our time together ended with tea, coffee, cake and chatter!
Many thanks are due to Sue Dawson who organised the event, Chris Powell who led the walk, Antoinette Fawcett and Ian Davidson who led the discussion groups and Mrs. Janice Brockbank, Head Teacher of Haverigg Primary School, for the use of the premises.
PEGGY TROLL
posted 24/6/13
Hodbarrow is a RSPB Reserve. Chris Powell, our leader, whose knowledge of the site and its history is well known, took us to a rough, grassy area surrounding a particular nesting site. Excitement was intense as almost everywhere we walked were bee orchids, almost but not quite on the point of flowering. We tiptoed around them carefully, wondering at their choice of this seemingly inhospitable terrain
'To breed, to seed,
To colonise the new-found,
New-sunk island...
Before the sea
Pours in again
In three or four
Hundred years' time'.
Listening as Chris read the poem 'Bee Orchid at Hodbarrow' at the actual location of these modest little flowers was a moving experience.
Our next stop was the area described by Nicholson in 'The Bloody Cranesbill' which he calls 'Sunday's flower', reflecting on the times in his childhood when he walked there on Sunday mornings with his father and uncle Jack. We marvelled at the detail of the flower
...red as the ore
It grew from, fragile as Venetian glass, pencilled with metal-thread
Haematite-purple veins. The frail cups lay so gently
On their small glazed saucer-bracts that a whisper would have tipped them over
Like emptying tea leaves out.
We trod the old grassy footpaths, stood inside an ancient windmill and down on the shore ventured into a still accessible adit driven into the limestone rock when the miners were first exploring the area. And we felt that nostalgic regret of 'a town's purpose subsiding with the mine', but also the hope embodied in Nicholson's words:
In a lagoon of despoliation, that same flower
Still grows today.
After lunch, during which we were able to appreciate the exciting children's work based on Nicholson poems, we continued to explore the links between Nicholson's writing and the local environment in two discussion groups led by Antoinette Fawcett and Ian Davidson. A member of one group wrote that he hoped what he had learned would be 'both a spur and a key to some ongoing learning and further appreciation' of Nicholson's work.
Our time together ended with tea, coffee, cake and chatter!
Many thanks are due to Sue Dawson who organised the event, Chris Powell who led the walk, Antoinette Fawcett and Ian Davidson who led the discussion groups and Mrs. Janice Brockbank, Head Teacher of Haverigg Primary School, for the use of the premises.
PEGGY TROLL
posted 24/6/13
Sale of manuscripts
Bonhams have advised us that the Nicholson manuscripts which were offered for sale by auction on May 8th (details below) were not sold and the material has been returned to the vendor, the Roy Davids Collection.
posted 3/6/13
posted 3/6/13
Sale of manuscripts
SALE OF MANUSCRIPTS: London auction house Bonhams is to include various Nicholson manuscripts in a sale of poetical manuscripts and portraits on May 8th 2013. The items are from the Roy Davids Collection and include the manuscript of one of Norman's most famous poems, Halley's Comet.
My father saw it back in 1910,
The year King Edward died.
Above dark telegraph poles, above the high
Spiked steeple of the Liberal Club...
Roy has provided these details:
AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF HIS POEM 'HALLEY'S COMET', signed ('Norman Nicholson'), 27 lines, together with a typescript of his poem 'Comet Come' with two autograph revisions (the latter published in Selected Poems 1940-1982), 4 pages folio in all [1982]
£800-1,000
Publication of 'Halley's Comet' has not been traced. Included are two letters by Nicholson, one to Alan Hancox sending the two poems having been asked to contribute to a tribute to Laurie Lee at the Cheltenham Literary Festival. Nicholson explains that he wrote the poem at the instigation of Radio Four's Kaleidoscope. The other letter, written in 1958, to Terence Tiller, is about performances of his verse-plays (6 pages, oblong octavo, pinned at head).
The year after his final collection appeared, on 31 August 1982, Yvonne Nicholson died of cancer after a long illness. With the loss of his wife, Nicholson's life once again became more circumscribed, yet he continued to participate in the world of poetry, undertaking some readings, and even appearing on the South Bank Show in 1984. This programme (edited by fellow Cumbrian Melvyn Bragg) brought Nicholson's work to a much wider audience. Although Norman said he would never write again after Yvonne's death, he managed to produce at least two major poems: 'Epithalamium for a Niece' on the marriage of his sister-in-law's daughter; and 'Comet Come', written to mark the 1985/6 visit of Halley's Comet, which his father had seen in 1910 from Nicholson's own attic window in St George's Terrace. Nicholson remained at St George's Terrace until his death on 30 May 1987. No manuscripts by Nicholson have been sold at auction.
APPARENTLY UNPUBLISHED.
PROVENANCE: Alan Hancox, Cheltenham.
Bonham's advise that the catalogue is still being prepared but will be available on-line by the middle/end of February with the printed version available soon afterwards. Link to Bonham's website here
The poem Comet Come was included in Norman Nicholson: Collected Poems (1994) edited by Neil Curry, in which Neil credits original publication to The Listener 13 March 1986.
Posted 22/1/13
Visual Interpretation
Nicholson's poem In a Word has been interpreted in art, I.T, and photography by pupils of Haverigg Primary School. See their work on Our Page
Posted 20/11/12
Posted 20/11/12
Christmas Tree Festival 2012
The Society is again taking part in the annual Christmas Tree Festival at St George's Church in Millom, starting today and continuing to Christmas. The theme this year is 'Christmas Carols' and our decoration is inspired by Norman Nicholson's poem Carol, from his 1944 collection Rock Face. The first verse is the main focus and is reproduced on our tree, together with a crib scene made by Peggy Troll using intricate paper sculptures in white which lend a purity and delicacy to the overall effect. The 'bracken fronds of night' lend a distinct Cumbrian flavour to the traditional Nativity and they are duly displayed here.
The tree is positioned next to the Nicholson window in the church, linking the festive exhibit to the permanent memorial.
Dot Richardson and Sue Dawson worked with Peggy to design and decorate our tree.
The Christmas Tree Festival is open on Sat Dec 8 and Sun Dec 9, Sat Dec 15 and Sun Dec 16 and Sat Dec 23, from 1030am to 3pm each day. Posted 8/12/12
The tree is positioned next to the Nicholson window in the church, linking the festive exhibit to the permanent memorial.
Dot Richardson and Sue Dawson worked with Peggy to design and decorate our tree.
The Christmas Tree Festival is open on Sat Dec 8 and Sun Dec 9, Sat Dec 15 and Sun Dec 16 and Sat Dec 23, from 1030am to 3pm each day. Posted 8/12/12
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Norman Nicholson Day 2012
French student Aurelien Cavelier travelled from Paris specially to attend the event as part of his research for a Masters. He's pictured with NN Society committee member Stan Towndrow who gave Aurelien a whistle-stop tour of Millom.
The day began with a talk by Neil Curry exploring Nicholson's interest in the work of William Cowper and the way Cowper's focus on the local and the everyday influenced Norman's own poetry. We then split into two groups chaired by Stan Towndrow and Glenn Lang to discuss Nicholson's poems from his time with the Cockley Moor literary set in the early 1940s. After a break for lunch the event concluded with an imaginative presentation by Antoinette Fawcett entitled 'Norman Nicholson's Desert Island Discs,' featuring readings, photographs and music marking significant stages of Norman's life. A varied and thoroughly enjoyable day.
Posted 13/10/12
The day began with a talk by Neil Curry exploring Nicholson's interest in the work of William Cowper and the way Cowper's focus on the local and the everyday influenced Norman's own poetry. We then split into two groups chaired by Stan Towndrow and Glenn Lang to discuss Nicholson's poems from his time with the Cockley Moor literary set in the early 1940s. After a break for lunch the event concluded with an imaginative presentation by Antoinette Fawcett entitled 'Norman Nicholson's Desert Island Discs,' featuring readings, photographs and music marking significant stages of Norman's life. A varied and thoroughly enjoyable day.
Posted 13/10/12
One-day course
NN Society member Mary Robinson ran a one-day course 'A Local Habitation, an introduction to the poetry of Norman Nicholson' on September 14th at Rosley Village Hall near Wigton.
Updated 16/9/12
Updated 16/9/12
Visit to Millom Ironworks
Members visited the site of the former Millom Ironworks as part of the Society's Summer Event. The day began with a talk by Sue Dawson covering the development of the ironworks, its impact on the town, and the shock of its abrupt closure in 1968. Groups led by Neil Curry and Antoinette Fawcett studied three of Nicholson's poems which make specific reference to the closure: On the Closing of Millon Ironworks, On the Dismantling of Millom Ironworks and Glen Orchy. We then drove to the site and were guided round and over the slagbank by Jack Park of the Friends of the Ironworks Nature Reserve. Jack pointed out key locations and identified buildings which survive. It was good to see various Nicholson quotations displayed on public information boards erected by the Friends. Our thanks to Jack and also to Janice Brockbank, Head Teacher of Haverigg Primary School, for the use of the school premises.
Posted 15/7/12
Posted 15/7/12
AGM 2012
A well-attended AGM on Saturday March 17th re-elected the Society's committee en
bloc and approved the accounts. There was a discussion about the way Comet is
delivered with members being asked to indicate if they would prefer to receive
Comet as a pdf attachment via email. Just under half the members present said
they would. The committee will consider how to develop this. Our chair, Dr Ian
Davidson, said that the literary activities of the Society would be among his
priorities in the coming year. Glenn Lang reviewed our activities over the
previous 12 months and Antoinette Fawcett updated members on Comet. The theme
for the next edition will be Norman's Social Conscience. The formal business
complete, Professor Alan Beattie gave a fascinating talk about two communities
with whom Norman Nicholson had strong links - the literary set at Cockley Moor
near Ullswater, where he met the poet Kathleen Raine with whom he may or may not
have had a relationship, and the remarkable Workers Education Assoociation
meetings at Maryport. Alan's wife Kay gave readings from poems inspired by these
gatherings, including 'Cockley Moor, Dockray, Penrith,' and 'Above
Ullswater.'
posted 18/3/12
bloc and approved the accounts. There was a discussion about the way Comet is
delivered with members being asked to indicate if they would prefer to receive
Comet as a pdf attachment via email. Just under half the members present said
they would. The committee will consider how to develop this. Our chair, Dr Ian
Davidson, said that the literary activities of the Society would be among his
priorities in the coming year. Glenn Lang reviewed our activities over the
previous 12 months and Antoinette Fawcett updated members on Comet. The theme
for the next edition will be Norman's Social Conscience. The formal business
complete, Professor Alan Beattie gave a fascinating talk about two communities
with whom Norman Nicholson had strong links - the literary set at Cockley Moor
near Ullswater, where he met the poet Kathleen Raine with whom he may or may not
have had a relationship, and the remarkable Workers Education Assoociation
meetings at Maryport. Alan's wife Kay gave readings from poems inspired by these
gatherings, including 'Cockley Moor, Dockray, Penrith,' and 'Above
Ullswater.'
posted 18/3/12
Creative Copeland
A display of photographs and other materials, originally created by Society
members in 2006, formed part of the Creative Copeland exhibition at the Beacon
in Whitehaven from January 14th to February 5th 2012.
members in 2006, formed part of the Creative Copeland exhibition at the Beacon
in Whitehaven from January 14th to February 5th 2012.
Christmas Trees
December 2011: Sue Dawson, Dorothy Richardson and Peggy Troll decorated a
Christmas tree for the Society as part of the Christmas Tree Festival in St.
George's Church, Millom, organised by Felicity Wilson, of the Town Council, with
the theme, 'A Light unto the World'. They printed 60 copies of NN's poem,
'Comprehending it Not' which people could take as a Christmas card from the
Society (with permission from Irvine Hunt & David Higham Associates.) They
printed quotes on' light' (from the Christmas poems) on white cards and ribbon,
and made little silver lanterns to hang, with a silver and gold comet for the
top. The Festival continues till Jan 6th.
Christmas tree for the Society as part of the Christmas Tree Festival in St.
George's Church, Millom, organised by Felicity Wilson, of the Town Council, with
the theme, 'A Light unto the World'. They printed 60 copies of NN's poem,
'Comprehending it Not' which people could take as a Christmas card from the
Society (with permission from Irvine Hunt & David Higham Associates.) They
printed quotes on' light' (from the Christmas poems) on white cards and ribbon,
and made little silver lanterns to hang, with a silver and gold comet for the
top. The Festival continues till Jan 6th.
NN Society's new chairman
Dr Ian Davidson has been elected chair of the NN Society. Ian is a local - his mother was born in Millom - and he has lived in Broughton Mills, off and on but mainly on, since 1938. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and St Catherine's College, Oxford, where he read English. After a working life as an academic he has, in 'retirement', published three books, all inspired by his own experience of growing up and living in Broughton Mills: Dynamiting Niagara (2005), A Hatful of Crows (2007) and More Like London Every Day (2011). Ian succeeds Dr David Cooper.
TLS article
TLS Online has re-published a 1951 review by Nicholson of Jaquetta Hawkes' The Land http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and)_entertainment/the_tls/article7173236.ec
Archive addition
The John Rylands Library has acquired a new addition to its NN archive: 164 letters from Norman to Sylvia Lubelsky, a friend he met in the sanatorium. They date from 1932 to the 1980s. A full description of the Norman Nicholson Archive can be found online here.