Catalogue of the Additional Papers of bernard leach

203
troubles are ended. Give my love to Laurie. But why Bahai [sic]?". She is very busy with her pupils and shop - she is convinced that the solution to the problem of selling crafts is not exhibitions, but central shops in the big towns, where foreigners can see the best English work. She finds that the Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society is a spent force, and has failed to take the lead that William Morris would have wished. She is glad that Norris has resigned from the Red Rose Guild -"The R.R.G. would have been better had he never been in it. His attitude has killed it", and Margaret Pilkington (Secretary) has cushioned him too much. The flying-bombs are still very tiresome. In conclusion, she returns to the theme of craft shops, sponsored by official bodies such as the Rural Industries Bureau, Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society, the Red Rose Guild and the British Council.


12049

1944

June 30

BL (copy) to John Farleigh, President, Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society, hoping that his article on pottery has arrived. As"—at long last the Red Rose Guild has freed me", BL hopes that Farleigh's Society "—will undertake a statement of the whole position of craftsmen to be sent to a wide circle of art-lovers previous to the exhibition"; BL feels certain such a statement would result in considerable support; failing the Society's support in this, maybe the C.I.A.D. would oblige. BL will not be in London the following week because of the flying-bombs. "I am very disappointed that with the resignation of Norris as chairman of the R.R.G. a working arrangement has not been achieved between the two societies".

12050

[1944] July 11

John Bew [Odney Pottery Ltd.] at Cookham, Berks, to BL. His good wishes and congratulations at "—the news of you two people together at last". Gives his opinion of Rosamund Wills; Stephen Cleave ("to whom I will not cleave"!) has introduced him to Donald Mills [later of Donald Mills Pottery Ltd., London, S.E.I.], who seems promising, and whom John Bew recommends that BL should see, at least; ash glazes; gratitude for the colour prints and a small white jug -"Why are the small things always the most satisfying (and the most difficult). Together with a Hamada hakeme bowl, & a group of yours, with 3 Reginald


204
Wells in modest colour my galley is shining"; glad to hear that A Potter's Book is in its 2nd edition.


12051-12052

1944 July 19

M[argaret] P[ilkington] of the Red Rose Guild of Craftsmen, Manchester, to BL, with notice of postponement of the annual meeting until Sept., and enclosing a provisional draft of the aims and policy of the Guild.

12053
1944 July 20

R.P[owell] in Letchworth, to BL at St. Ives. He sent BL 's "essay" [on the state of the Crafts?] for the Ministry of Information, to John Farleigh on the same day that he received it; does not feel that the essay has much chance of publication by the Ministry - "—one cd. [sic] hardly expect a thoughtful article on crafts in this country to make very good propaganda reading!" Re the Red Rose Guild Statement of Craft Aims [vide alibi].. R.P. did not like the wording, and duly protested:" "Creating works" wont [sic] get us anywhere, tho [sic] "making things" may in the end". Postcard.


12054

1944 July 24

C.D. Nowell, near Matlock, Derbs, to BL. Is grateful for BL's criticisms of his work, and looks forward to visiting St. Ives. His growing maturity as a water-colour sketcher had begun to work through to his pottery, but the war occurred "—and I had to stop before the metamorphosis was complete". He much admires the work of Russel Flint and David Jagger. (Note: C.D. Nowell later produced much pottery under his own name, 1946-59, at Dane Bank, Disley, and at Prestbury, near Macclesfield).


12055

1944 July 26

P.R.? (illegible) in Holsworthy, Devon, to BL, requesting him to send by rail, a mahogany bed.


12056

1944 Aug 4

BL (copy) to John Farleigh, enquring what is expected of him in the matter of demonstrations at the coming Arts & Crafts exhibition. BL would also like J.F. to return his article for the Ministry of Information.

12057

1944 Aug 16

205
John Farleigh in the Lake District, to BL. His cottage has been bombed, hence the present address - a rest was essential. As to demonstrations at the exhibition, each craft is to arrange its own; he mentions BL's likely presence at the judging. As for the article for the Ministry of Information, he thinks he sent it on to the Ministry "or Roger", but will look for it on his return.


12058

1944 Aug 9

Frank S. Sparke in Helensburgh, to BL. A gentle, rather rambling letter about flowers and pots and homes.

12059
1944 Aug 31

BL (copy) to John Farleigh, sympathising about the bomb trouble. He is reluctant to come to the judging [of the exhibition] and has indicated as much to Heber Mathews. BL repeats his suggestion of 30 June 1944 [q.v.] about the publication of a statement on the position of the crafts.

12060
1944

J.J. Berliner & Staff, New York, to BL, advertising a newly-compiled report: "New developments in ball clays". Postcard.


12061

1944-45? June 4

Stephen Cleave in Barnehurst, Kent, to BL. ("Honoured Master"). He is glad they have met, and will arrange a meeting between BL and Donald Mills. Encloses (not present) a "story" on ceramics aimed at 13 to 14 year old budding potters, for BL's comment. Concludes -"Creatively yours"!


12062

1945 Feb 18

Annemarie [Fernbach] to BL. She hopes to visit Biddy in April - among other things, her daughter Gudula has been ill and needs a change; hopes to see BL while she is in Wells, if he should visit Laurie; she is sorry to hear that he is overworked and has illnesses in the Pottery. Sympathises with Laurie about [Maurice's?] asthma.


12063

1945 Feb 21

[Mrs] E.K. Robertson Scott, Assistant Editor of The Countryman, at Idbury, Kingham, Oxon, to BL thanking him for confirming Yanagi's proper style for publication. Regrets Mrs [Laurie] Leach's indisposition; her husband John is hard at work; she is


206
pleased that David [Leach] also is a potter.


12064

1945 Feb 23

"Fish" [signed thus, with a splendid sketch of a fish, and the initials E.M.H.] at the British Institute of Adult Education, Tavistock Square, W.C.I., to BL at St. Ives, looking forward to receiving items for the Drawings exhibition: "I hope these will include the Japanese drawing (Tomimoto?) that you promised me".


12065

1945 March 16

Ethel Mairet at Gospels, Ditchling, Sussex, to BL. Business is booming, and she is doing experimental work with cottons and synthetics, but she only has one weaver and does most of the work herself. She feels that the craftsman must always be ahead of industry, and must fight for quality, but is realistic enough to admit the craft world "—shouts about "hand woven" stuff still. And that has killed it in the eyes of officialdom - and possibly in education". She is also hopeful, she could do with a dozen weavers, and sell every scrap they made; but"—skill of hand will never go under. It is needed in so many ways. But handworkers are too conservative, they are not creative enough, they feel what they have done can still go on". Repeats her wish to see crafts shops in all the big towns, but deplores "—those Arts & Crafts shops (mostly with teas) that sprung [sic] into being after the last war. I feel just now that I don't want ever to go -or send - to an exhibition again. I think they have done immense harm —". Recommends BL to read the works of Lewis Mumford.


12066

1945?

June 14

A.L. Hetherington in London, S.W.7., to BL, enclosing "a copy of my Chinese Ceramic Glazes [not present]—. I will take up the film question when you send me the facts". He looks foward to BL's contributory article to the "O.C.S. Transactions]".

12067

1945 Sept 26

Frederick Edwin Cox in Murrumbeena, Victoria, Australia, to BL, obviously in answer to BL's reply to the letter of 18 Sept, 1943 [q.v.]. Is glad that A Potter's Book is in its 3rd edition; his admiration for BL's Japanese friends - "—admirable gentlemen & artists that breathed & moved in the Universal Spirit";


207
mentions Bob Hughan, who has just built his kiln; he himself is busy lecturing and producing his "JollifF -marked pots for which the demand is increasing. Many technical details of kilns and firings, and repeated references to BL's book; he is having to turn down potential students. The Australian Ceramic Society has been formed. His latest glaze success is a perfect "sang de boeuf, and he is very busy with lustres. He is shortly to participate in exhibitions in Melbourne.


12068

1945 Oct 9

Kenneth Murray in Midhurst, Sussex, to BL, giving his recent history of illnesses since his return from Nigeria in June; hence he has not replied to BL's letter of that month; neither has he had the means nor the time to visit BL; above all he is totally preoccupied with Nigerian museum affairs (he is due to return to Nigeria this month). His aims is "—to clear up the museum position in Nigeria". He is grateful for BL's assessment of Cardew's attitude to pottery in West Africa: "I can see the value of producing a fully integrated African potter who can see Africa and Europe in perspective, but I doubt if that is being done. I am afraid something more like a very satisfactory machine is being produced"; much has been done to impart an efficient workmanlike technique, at the expense of the African students' creative self-expression. As to machines, K.M. cannot agree with BL - "I find that in principle I cannot accept and consequently believe that we should try and avoid introducing the machine too far in Nigeria". K.M. enquires whether BL knows of a potter prepared to work in Nigeria "in a similar kind of job to Cardew's"; maybe [Harry] Davis would be prepared to go back to West Africa, or Margaret Leach [Taena], perhaps. Some pencilled notes by BL at the head.


12069-12071

1945? Oct 12 to Nov5

Philip Varcoe, of Cornwall Mills Ltd., to BL, sending samples of Shetland talc and promising "magnesian limestone". He has heard from Michael [Cardew] about his plans for the Gold Coast Pottery, and has been able to acquire 2 pot mills, for glaze-grinding, for him. In the second letter (18 Oct), sends the magnesian limestone samples; hopes David [Leach] will be "out" [of the Army?] soon; shares BL's qualms about Michael [Cardew] - Mariel wonders if he will return — M.C. has said "—he will always have the aim to come


208
back to Wenford & pot". He would like to buy some BL pots. In the third, expresses willingness to try to get some foundry sand - a commodity which Cornwall lacks; he met [Ray] Finch in Winchcombe recently (still potting in spite of N.F.S. duties), and [C.] Collard of Honiton Pottery, just starting business again after a wartime shut-down due to staffbeing conscripted - "He informed me it was impossible to make porcelain without using bone, which all the old Chinese potters used! I was unable to convince him to the contrary. You see, I am not a potter, so I cannot know"!


12072

1945 Oct 14

R.W. Baker, Principal, Burslem Art School, to BL, with recommendations for plant and machinery, a motor for a pug-mill, etc.


12073

1945

Nov 17

Miss A. Bouten in Amsterdam, to BL. She has read A Potter's Book with interest, and wishes him to suggest further reading, in English, on "—the exact chemistry of glasings [sic] and other finishes". She is a pottery-student at the Amsterdam School of Domestic Arts, and much of the literature relevant to her studies was lost due to the German occupation. BL's heading comment is "Consult David".

12074

1946 April 5

"Donald" in Great Dover Street, S.E.I., to BL. He is having to rest, due to overwork; "Personally I am still in a state of flux and consequently so is the pottery project. [Stephen] Cleave has left us which resulted, unexpectedly and to my surprise, in a great bound forward. —Incidentally, can you tell me what the Bah'ia [sic] Society is and its political tendecies [sic] - if any?" He wonders constantly how the artist-designer-craftsman will fit into the present chaotic society. He has been working recently with Nell Vyse - "nothing to do with pottery".


12075

[1946] April 24

John Bew [Odney Pottery Ltd] at Cookham, Berks, to BL. He has had a straw fire; is pleased that Laurie is "--coming to St. Ives after all the hesitation", hopes to see BL in spite of a clash between his holidays and BL's exhibition [Berkeley Galleries, London?]; he has spent some time in Stoke with [R.W.] Baker, but is gloomy


209
about the successful chances of a John Lewis scheme "-- of getting the craftsmen to design & the factory to make". He seems determined not to find any virtue in Stoke - "Man's hand bears hardly against God in the five towns"; his own staffing situation.


12076

1946

April 27

Trice Martin, of the Society for Education in Art, to BL, to thank him for his talk of the previous day.

12077

[1946]

April 29

John Bew at Cookham, Berks, to BL, further to his letter of 24 April, with amended plans for holidays; more about the evils of the commercial pottery world; very wittily worded.

12078

1946 July 22

(Draft fragment in pencil) BL - "On a train crossing England" - to Yanagi "and all my Japanese friends". He has had "news of Kawai and Kyoto" recently through John Pilcher, whom he and Laurie met at BL's 26th anniversary exhibition [Berkeley Galleries?] in London, therafter spending "—a v. [sic] pleasant evening next door to Carlysle [sic for Carlyle]'s house in Chelsea"; the previous day he received Y's letter through Sono [Matsumoto] - " I wept after reading it, suddenly overcome. Thank God the news is not worse, but I am sorry about your loss of 5 years [sic] work in MSS. How did Tanaka Kisaku die[?] Sorry too about Serizawa and Asano —There is much I want to know, first about friends, secondly about arts and crafts, thirdly about post-war life and conditions. My news is good - family - friends - work. The negatives are easier to recount"; he goes on to recount his own war diary: he closed Dartington Pottery in 1940 and returned to St. Ives "at David's asking"; in 1941, they were bombed "Dunn's cottage destroyed entirely & the pottery & house receiving about £2,000 loss"; over 3 years he lost all his workers one by one, and struggled for compensation; this he finally received in full, along with permission to have 7 workers; thus they are "— making pots with an unlimited demand which still continues. They are more clearly divided into useful domestic at low prices & individual pieces at high. I enclose the catalogue of the former & a publication we have just had printed of the latter". He goes on to tell of his 5 years' service in the Home Guard [see MSS. 6724-


210
6726, BL in the King's worst-fitting uniform!] and his participation in and on national committees "— working for British Crafts & craftsmen"; hopefully, all these movements will receive Government recognition and support. BL goes on to explain how Laurie "— took charge of a little boy evacuated from a poor home in the east end of London. It was a bad case which the doctors considered hopeless but L[aurie]'s instinct was truer & now he is our adopted son - just 8 years old -Maurice Leach & developing well"; Laurie has been living in the Cabin at Darlington, but is shortly to join BL at St. Ives; another potter will take over the Cabin and Darlington Pottery. Unfinished.



12079

1946 Sept 10

Winifred Loch or Lock in Hitchin [Herts], to BL. Following the death of her husband, she is putting her furniture in store, and going to live in a cottage in Hants; her pots she is handing over to Homerton College, with the exception of a few favourites. She sorely misses her husband, and looks forward to talking to BL about him.


12080

1946 Nov 21

R.H. Allen in Truro, to BL, requesting a copy of A Potter' Book.

12081
1946 Dec 23

BL (copy) to the editor of Time & Tide, referring to [P?] Heron's "exposition of the role [§ie] of the artist-craftsman at the present stage of industrial evolution", but correcting both Heron and [W.B.] Honey on certain points of fact, mainly concerning the competition between hand methods and machine production. Typescript.


12082

1946

George Whitaker in the RAF., BAOR., to BL, urgently seeking his help to find work on his imminent release from the service.


12083

[pre-1947] Nov 6

Rob Taylor aboard P & O "Carthage", en route from India, to BL at St. Ives. Very cryptic: warm weather good; thanks for letter and enclosures.

12084

1947 June 19

211
F.L. Cyon in North Finchley, N. 12., to BL. Her regret at having failed to call on him whilst she was in Cornwall recently. She is pleased that BL appreciates My Life by Havelock Ellis (1859-1939) (with whom she apparently had a close relationship going back to 1916), which was so badly received by critics, and which she herself saw through publication. In Jan 1947, she published Friendship's Odyssey (Heinemann) which had a similar reception - virtually her own autobiography: "My book continued Havelock's life, as we had planned, relating his last 23 years. But my scheme was always more ambitious; my book is my autobiography, so as to give a woman's reaction to life at large, especially in these matters of life and sex, of love. Like Havelock, I hardly expected understanding. It is more for the fiiture I wrote than the present". She writes under the pen-name Fransoise Delisle - the surname consisting of the prefix "De" followed by an anagram of "Ellis", invented for her by him some 20 years previously; "Cyon" is her married name - "hard to discard for many reasons". She notes that BL wishes he had met Ellis more often, and is glad that he and Laurie have adopted a child. Good wishes. [Note: There is no mention of the writer in any of Henry Havelock Ellis's obituary notices.]


12085

1948 Feb 20

Jan (or Ian) Q. Richardson [in Tasmania] to BL, to renew old acquaintance. Is obviously very taken with the simple friendliness of the "Tasies". In a postscript - "I hope your adopted one is a success".


12086

1948 March 3

Archibald Dick, hon. secretary, St. Ives Chamber of Commerce, to BL, seeking his active support as member. "May we welcome you 'back to the fold'?".


12087

1948 July 23

Ethel Mairet at Gospels, Ditchling, Sussex, to BL. She has had a bad year, culminating in the deaths of her sister, Coomaraswamy, and his son, "whom I loved very much". She would have liked her workshop to be run like the Leach Pottery - "Am I too much of an individualist? I don't mean to be, as theoretically and practically I try to work communally", and quotes her multinational staff to prove it. Messrs. Faber and Faber are doing another of her books, on Modern Weaving,


212
in which she is "trying to explain the place of the machine & also trying to counter the dreadful influence of Swedish weaving in the schools". Greetings to BL and Laurie.


12088

[1948?] Aug 31

John Waterhouse of Public Relationship Films Ltd., to BL. Richard Massingham [director] is keen on the idea of a film, and will meet BL shortly.


12089

1948 Nov 10

Erma Harvey James to BL, thanking him for his considered opinion of her embroidery. It appears that she shares his interest in the [Baha'i?] faith.


12090

[c. 1948?]

Hettie Wiles in Chiswick, W.4. [housekeeper to Henry Bergen?] to BL. HB is ill, and she would appreciate it if BL were to visit him; he has had a slight stroke and has developed thrombosis; he has decided to give all his pots away. She would like BL to ascertain whether HB "—has left every-thing [§icj in order I cant [sic] ask him; its [sic] so hard to make him understand things

now".

12091
1949 Jan 18

D? (illegible) to "My dear Bernard". He has built a small down-draught kiln and has had a successful biscuit-firing. However, his salt-glaze trials have not been successful, and he seeks BL's advice.


12092

1949 Feb 5

HA Bodden-Whetham at Little Canaan, to BL. Regrets that he has not been able to proceed in the matter of selling an old van to BL, as he is still awaiting delivery of a new one.


12093

[1949?]

pre-April 28

Jack Monro in Chingford, Essex, to BL. The book which he borrowed from BL at Dartington 15 years previously, will soon be restored to its owner! He is to take up a post at Penzance County Grammar School for Boys - "for the remaining 18 years of my teaching career, I hope". He hopes to attend the Inter-Celtic Festival in May, and looks forward to seeing BL and David again.

12094

1949 May 18