[This section is still being worked on as I move to the new platform, and not all the items have been posted yet. November 17, 2014]
On this page, I intend to introduce readers to of some of the more interesting items in my library. ‘Waugh, Ambler & Byron‘ was a post that started on October 1, 2009.
One of the most prized items is H. L. Mencken’s ‘A Book of Burlesques‘ , published in 1916. This item includes the very important Chapter XV as an end-paper, and is called ‘A Genealogical Chart of the Uplift‘. It depicts Mencken’s classification of all the various types of nonsense that were enjoying some kind of popularity at the time (as well as reflecting clearly some of Mencken’s prejudices.). Ever since discovering this chart, I have been puzzled that it has not enjoyed greater publicity, and find it intriguing to compare the fads of 1916 with those of today. A few years ago, I wrote to Mencken’s publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, which holds the copyright, suggesting that it re-print this Chart as a poster.
I received no acknowledgment of my letter, let alone a reply, so I reproduce this Chart, so that more people may enjoy this example of Mencken’s insight and wit.
Fans of Osbert Lancaster may remember his fond portrait of his mother, Clare, in ‘With An Eye To The Future’. Clare, who was widowed when her husband was killed at the Somme in that same year, 1916, was a redoubtable figure. In his biography of Osbert Lancaster, Richard Boston describes her thus: ‘She was a New Woman, a Shavian and a supporter of Votes for Woman. She liked painting, theatre, ballet and travel. She was also keenly interested in such subjects as the Hidden Wisdom, spiritualism, faith-healing, Rosicrucianism, the Perfect Oneness, the prophet Ezekiel, Rudolf Steiner, the Great Pyramid, St John of Patmos, the Lost Ten Scribes, the Second Coming, the Astral Plane and Armageddon (which she firmly declared was not the First World War).’ A true child of the Uplift!
Hi
i have been reading with much interest all your various blogs etc on the various MI5 persons, spies and handlers etc
great reading and many good facts i am gathering
i too have an interest, rapidly becoming some obsession while not working
began to research my grandfathers past back in 2010 and picked up again in April, deceased since 1965 (when i came along) it seems from his military record was himself involved with MI5 during and post WWII
he suffered a knee injury in WWI and then took on a desk job at internee camps once he re-enlisted to WWII, he worked with Tin Eye Stephens and gang at Camp 020 Latchmere House, and then Camp 020R Huntercombe, then abroad at Diest in Belgium and onto Bad Nenndorf in Germany
what was nice this last week, having had images of Mac my grandfather (dads side) relaxing on a terrace with certain chaps of MI5 (will be pleased to share when we speak via email) a couple i have now identified, i have now not only located where the images was taken, (at Huntercombe) now have updated images of this terrace, now a conservatory at the Huntercombe Hall Care Home
now i wondered if we bash heads together, if you might be able to assist to identify any other persons in the images, two that i have identified are Asst Com George Sampson, Tin Eyes No 2, and i think another might well be Lord Rothschild
i have contacted MI5 and waiting for response, need to get up to Kew some time and i am generally reading much exploits of the London Cage, Camp 020, agents GARBO and now ZIGZAG just to fill my head with some possibilities and scenarios that Mac may have been involved in
i think may only be suggestions from his record he did WT wireless Telegraphy schooling, so could have been working on clandestine ops sending false news to them there Nasties – Nazis
look forward to chats and sharing ideas
interested to learn a bit about yourself too
pete