Beatrix Potter showed her disdain for 'vulgar' cocktail parties held during World War II in revealing letter to friend written just seven weeks before she died of pneumonia in 1943
- A series of letters penned by Beatrix Potter are set to hit the auction room
- In them, the much-loved British icon speaks of public mood during wartime
- She voices distain for cocktail parties which were not in-keeping with sacrifice
A letter from children's writer Beatrix Potter voicing her disdain at 'vulgar' wartime cocktail parties has come to light.
The author was proud to do her bit for the war effort and turned over her Lake District farm for food production for the government.
But the Peter Rabbit creator clearly felt other well-to-do people in her community were not pulling their weight.
She summoned the grouchy spirit of her famous villain Mr McGregor to rail against some of them hosting lavish social events at the height of the Second World War.
Beatrix Potter, pictured here in the latter stages of her life, voiced her disdain at 'vulgar' wartime cocktail parties as the nation was trying to overcome a difficult time
In the preserved letters she summoned the grouchy spirit of her famous villain Mr McGregor to judge those who hosted lavish social events at the height of wartime
Then aged 77, she felt such extravagance wasn't in keeping with the sacrifices being made by British people at the time.
The letter, dated November 1, 1943, was to her friend Katherine Brooke, who she set up a local nursing service with.
Potter wrote: 'I got a postcard - 'Will you drink with us any time after 5.30?' - Someone said it might mean coffee, but it sounded more like cocktails - a very vulgar world.'
The letter may well have been one of the last penned by Potter as she died just seven weeks later of pneumonia.
In the letter she also criticised people who used up valuable petrol on 'unreasonable journeys' as well as for joy riding and drink driving.
She wrote: 'I agree with you about joy riding - and apart from a lot of drinking there are unreasonable journeys by taxi.
'In this village there are 3 young children who go to genteel governess-school daily - two to Hawkshead in one private car, and the third towards Windermere in a taxi!
Another letter, dated November 1, 1943, sees the British icon criticise people who used up valuable petrol on 'unreasonable journeys' as well as joy riding and drink driving
'I am not sure whether she crosses the Ferry or goes to the school at the Ferry hotel - it seems rather a waste of petrol.'
However, Potter then confided in her friend that she is not beyond reproach herself, recounting a bizarre episode where she was pulled over by police without her ID card and insurance.
It appeared she was not above using her status to get out of a tight spot as she is let off scot-free.
She wrote: 'Talking of petrol I got into a police trap at Cooke's House on the way to the sheep farm at Troutbeck.
'I was not asked where I was going to for a wander - I had left my identity card at home and the insurance, we had the driving licence and Stevens had his identity.
'I said it was Mr Heelis's car! (her husband was a local solicitor) The police seem content to overlook it.'
Mrs Brooke was the daughter of The Hon. John Cross, land agent to the High Legh Estates in Cheshire.
The letters, dated from the wartime period, are expected to fetch £1,500 at auction
Beatrix Potter pictured earlier in her life, with her father Rupert (right) and brother Bertram
Her grandfather was former Conservative Home Secretary Richard Assheton Cross, 1st Viscount Cross, a close friend and advisor of Queen Victoria.
The letter is one of a collection of three penned by Potter to the same recipient which are being sold with auctioneers Dominic Winter, of Cirencester, Gloucs.
The other two letters are dated 1937 and discuss nursing. They are expected to fetch £1,500.
Chris Albury, specialist at Dominic Winter, said: 'Beatrix Potter is justly famous for her Peter Rabbit books but she did do a lot of other things as well of course.
'She worked as a scientific illustrator, and took an active interest in conservation and sheep farming while living as Mrs Heelis with her husband in the Lake District.
'She is known to have done a lot of behind the scenes work in the local community.
'Something of that character can be gleaned from this letter where she is clearly outraged about the needless petrol extravagance of some well-to-do families getting their children to schools in taxis and the like.
Beatrix pictured with her dog Spot and Miss Leech her cousin seated in the quaint Lake District
'Quite what the social drinks do was that she clearly avoided we don't know but she vents her distaste for 'vulgar' cocktail parties and it's clear that this is a very down-to-earth woman not concerned with social niceties and appearances.'
Potter published 23 books in all, finishing with Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes (1922), a collection of her favourite rhymes.
Her most famous book, The Tale of Petter Rabbit (1901), has been translated into 36 languages and sold 45 million copies.
After her death she left her 14 farms and 4,000 acres of land to the National Trust on the condition her favourite home, Hill Top at Sawrey, was opened to the public and left unchanged.
The sale takes place on Thursday.
"vulgar" - Google News
June 23, 2020 at 06:10PM
https://ift.tt/2NoiGsA
Beatrix Potter showed disdain for 'vulgar' cocktail parties held during World War II in rare letters - Daily Mail
"vulgar" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3d6zY8d
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Beatrix Potter showed disdain for 'vulgar' cocktail parties held during World War II in rare letters - Daily Mail"
Post a Comment