News and Events

The Fellowship's programme of events, 2010

Words into Wood
Birthday Walk 2010
ETF Study Day
Myfanwy Thomas Centennial Birthday Walk
Autumn Walk 2010
Edward Thomas: From Adlestrop to Arras

NEWS

Edward Thomas at Steep, 1914.

Edward Thomas Words into Wood

The Edward Thomas Fellowship has published a fine-art limited-edition book featuring eighteen poems by Edward Thomas, illustrated by specially commissioned wood engravings by contemporary artists. Find out more.

The Edward Thomas Birthday Walk:
Sunday 7th March 2010

Each year, on the Sunday nearest to Edward Thomas's birthday (3rd March), the Fellowship organises a walk in the countryside near his home at Steep, near Petersfield in Hampshire. This event is the main gathering of the Fellowship. The walk is followed by tea, the annual general meeting of the Fellowship and a Birthday Tribute of readings selected from Edward Thomas's writings. There is no charge for this event
and non-members are welcome to attend it.

This year, the eight-mile figure-of-eight route (five miles in the morning, three in the afternoon) centres around Bedales School, Steep. Assemble there in the car park for a 10.30 am start. The afternoon loop of the walk will begin there too, at 2.30 pm. A walk-sheet can be obtained in advance by emailing Stephen Turner, the organiser of this event.

After the walk, in Steep Church, at approximately 4.00 pm, there will be tea (at a modest cost), followed by the Fellowship's AGM and a Birthday Tribute of readings.

Fields of Vision: a Study Day
Saturday 8th May 2010, 10.30 am - 4.30 pm

This event, a collaboration between the Edward Thomas Fellowship and the Richard Jefferies Society, will examine aspects of the relationship between Jefferies and Thomas, such as their shared interest in wildlife, the rural landscape and country traditions, the extent to which Jefferies influenced Thomas as a writer, and his biographical treatment of Jefferies. We are privileged to have as keynote speaker the distinguished poet, novelist and literary scholar Jem Poster, who is currently preparing a new edition of Richard Jefferies: His Life and Work by Edward Thomas for Oxford University Press. There will also be talks by Richard Emeny (Chairman of the Edward Thomas Fellowship, who has written and lectured prolifically on Thomas and various related authors) and Terry Lloyd (a Swindonian, and since childhood an enthusiast for the works of Thomas and Jefferies, who has thoroughly explored their landscapes on foot).

The Study Day will be held in Liddington Village Hall, Wiltshire, at the heart of "Jefferies' Country".

Places, which cost £15.00 (£5.00 for students and unemployed people), including refreshments but not lunch, must be booked by 1st May. Download a programme [pdf].

On the following day, there will be an opportunity to visit the Richard Jefferies Museum at Coate and, by special arrangement, the garden of the Gamekeeper's Cottage at Hodson, which is not normally open to view. Andrew Rossabi (a former President of the Richard Jefferies Society, who has written introductions to several new imprints of Jefferies' works and is currently working on a new biography of this author) will lead a short walk between these places, including Cecily's Bridge along the route.

After lunch (picnic or pub), Richard Jefferies' home will be open to view, and there will be readings from Jefferies' and Thomas's writings in the house. This event is free and no prior booking is required.

Download the programme for the weekend [pdf], which includes information about the walk .

Enquiries about the Sunday walk may be made to Jean Saunders.

Informatioin about public transport is available through the website of Traveline South West or by phoning Traveline on 0871 - 200 22 33 (7.00 am to 9.00 pm; calls from landlines cost 10p per minute).

Details of local accommodation can be found through this link.

Myfanwy Thomas Centennial BirthdayWalk:
Sunday 15th August 2010, 10.00 am - 4.30 pm

To mark what would have been Myfanwy Thomas ’s 100th birthday on 16th August 2010, the Fellowship has organised a walk in the Steep area on Sunday 15th August.

This walk, led by Stephen Turner, will be more leisurely than the Birthday Walk (held in March). It will visit the White Horse Inn and the house where Myfanwy was born. After lunch, there will be a walk around the village of Steep.

Meet at The White Horse Inn, Priors Dean, at 10.00 am. Permission has been given to park there. Those requiring Sunday Lunch in the restaurant will need to book with Stephen by Monday 9th August. Sandwiches or bar snacks can be ordered at the start of the walk and no advance booking is required for these. The morning walk will be around 4½ miles.

After lunch, we shall drive to Steep to start the afternoon walk at 2:30 p.m. This will be around 2½ miles. Readings associated with Myfanwy Thomas will take place during the day. We should finish the walk at around 4:30 pm.

For further information, contact the walk-leader Stephen Turner: 01252 810852.

Autumn Weekend in the Lake District:
Friday 1st - Sunday 3rd October 2010

This weekend gathering focuses especially on the friendship between Edward Thomas and Arthur Ransome and the places they knew in the southern part of the Lake District. It will incorporate the Autumn Walk, along with a coach tour, a musical soiree, a recital of poetry and prose, and opportunities for conversation over meals and drinks. Accommodation and the evening proceedings will be in Borwick Hall.

Places, which must be booked in advance, cost £135 per person. This covers two nights' accommodation, dinner on Friday and Saturday, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, entertainments, and the coach tour on Sunday morning.

For further details of the weekend or to book a place, please contact the organiser, Ian Morton: 01934 - 835 357.

Edward Thomas: From Adlestrop to Arras:
Saturday 13th November 2010, 3:00 pm

This event, at the Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London SE1 6HZ, is a collaboration between the Edward Thomas Fellowship and the War Poets Association. It consists of two lectures, by Sir Martin Gilbert and Dr Jean Moorcroft Wilson.

Admission is by ticket only, costing £10 (£7.50 for students and old-age pensioners) which includes refreshments. For more information, download a flier and booking form.

New CD of poetry and prose by Edward Thomas

Fast Beat My Heart: Edward Thomas and Family at Steep is an hour-long CD featuring readings by Alastair Danson and Harriet Grasby of the Spoken Word company, specialists in literary and poetry events and programmes. The CD includes the voice of Myfanwy Thomas with a few extracts from her book One of These Fine Days. This is an audio-anthology compiled, recorded and produced for the Edward Thomas Fellowship by Chris Brown.

The programme is divided into four segments: 'Openings' / 'Steep - Season by Season' / 'Home - at the crest and the feet of the hill' / 'Towards an Ending'. The content is taken from Edward Thomas's poetry and prose, as well as extracts from his letters, together with sections from his wife Helen's letters and prose and from his daughter Myfanwy's writing.

The cover (shown here) has specially commissioned artwork depicting species of plants and creatures local to the village of Steep and with a central motif of a thrush and the plant Lad's Love (or Old Man), both of which are focal points in the poetry of Edward Thomas.

This CD costs £10.00 including post and packing. Cheques should be payable to 'The Edward Thomas Fellowship'. Orders (with a return address clearly stated, please) should be sent to: Richard Emeny, Edward Thomas CD, Melrose House, 4 High Street, North Petherton, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 6NQ.

Commemorative DVD

Edward Thomas 90th Anniversary Walk and Tribute (DVD/PAL, approximately 75 minutes)

On a warm sunny day in April 2007, members and friends of the Edward Thomas Fellowship met at Steep in Hampshire to retrace the steps of the poet, visiting the Red House, the Bee House, Shoulder of Mutton Hill, the Mill, Berryfield and Yew Tree Cottage, and stopping along the way to hear readings from poems and letters. In the afternoon, a large assembly in the church was treated to further readings from moving letters written during the First World War, up until the time of Edward Thomas ’s untimely death.

A DVD recording this event is available for £16.00 (inclusive of post and packing) from David Jeffery, 27,Woodbury Avenue, Petersfield, Hants, GU32 2ED. Cheques payable to 'David Jeffery'.