HARDY FORUM ARCHIVE H03041 5/24/03 "LIVING PEOPLE WHO KNEW HARDY"
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From: "BRIAN DEVONALD" <BRIAN@devonaldspace.freeserve.co.uk>
Subject: THOMAS HARDY QUESTIONS
Date: Sat, 24 May 2003 14:32:41 +0100
Are there any people,still alive,who actually met and talked with him? Of course one could ask questions forever about Hardy - and every other person and subject also,but those are a few of my Hardy ones. Brian Devonald
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Date: Sat, 24 May 2003 11:35:52 -0700
From: Betty Cortus <hardycor@owl.csusm.edu>
Subject: Re: THOMAS HARDY QUESTIONS
Gertrude Bugler's younger sister (her name escapes me unfortunately) was
present at last year's Dorchester Conference, and spoke of her experience
meeting Hardy during the dramatization of Tess. Perhaps some of our
Dorchester members may know of others.
Best Wishes,
Betty Cortus
hardycor@owl.csusm.edu
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From: "harrybatt" <harrybatt@mn.rr.com>
Subject: Who knew Hardy
Date: Sun, 25 May 2003 10:45:21 -0500
The question: Is anyone who knew Hardy alive today? My cousin up in Ottawa sends this note. We are all from the Corbins [and Samways and Whittles] over in Maiden Newton. Christopher mentioned here was my great-grandmother's nephew who became Hardy's gardener; the chap who insisted that Hardy's burial at Westminster include a clod of Dorset sod. <John:
I have been in touch with Chrissie Hansford, whose late husband was the curator of the Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum. Chrissie is around 90 and in frail health. She was a Corbin, her father was a sibling of my grandmother and a son of Christopher Corbin of whom you know. Chrissie was raised in the area, and I suppose could have recollections of Hardy prior to 1928. Certainly my aunt, her cousin, at 92 has clear memories back to WWI.
My aunt mentions Hardy from time to time, but only to comment that Christopher was on a first-name basis with him.> /s/John Bridell, Minneapolis
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From: "Helen Gibson" <helen.gibson@ukgateway.net>
Subject: RE: Who knew Hardy
Date: Mon, 26 May 2003 22:54:27 +0100
Yes, there are a very few people alive today who knew Hardy. One is Norrie Woodhall, who is the sister of Gertrude Bugler (who played Tess in the Hardy Players productions). Norrie was Liza Lu, and speaks of Hardy s kindness in writing in some extra lines for her to say. Well into her 90s she recently gave a memorable recitation of The Ruined Maid in Stinsford church and also in the DCM.
Aileen Hawkins, as a Girl Guide, was taken to Max Gate and met Florence and TH. Meriel, Lady Salt, remembers Hardy talking to her when she was trying to ride her bike in a village near Dorchester. There is a lady who remembers Hardy helping her with a button-hook to do up her boots, and there may well be others.
In the late 90s there was published a set of two tapes called Thomas Hardy Remembered . One of these was devoted to a reproduction of a BBC programme put out about 1995 in which about ten people talked about their experiences in meeting Hardy. The second tape has James Gibson describing the life of Hardy. Copies of this can be obtained from James Gibson, who was responsible for both programmes <mailto:james.gibson@ukgateway.net>james.gibson@ukgateway.net
James & Helen Gibson
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From: "Angela Bell" <AngelaBell@hardyholidays.demon.co.uk>
Subject: RE: Who knew Hardy
Date: Wed, 28 May 2003 08:28:42 +0100
I went to see Norrie Woodhall recently and recorded some of her recollections. I also recorded Norrie giving some readings including The Ruined Maid . These will now be kept in the Hardy Society Archive and also extracts will be put on the new Hardy Soc Schools Resource website which we hope will be up and running at the end of the next academic year. .. and talking about the new website, anyone who would like to make a contribution, please contact me.
Regards
Angela Bell
Press & Publicity Officer
The Thomas Hardy Society
AngelaBell@hardyholidays.demon.co.uk
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