Lynne About Loughborough

Sunday, 4 October 2020

So who was Bernard Nixon Wale?

... obviously a man with Loughborough connections!!

Bernard Nixon Wale was born in Willoughby-on-the-Wolds in 1872, to a farming family. He studied at a variety of institutions, and worked in a wide variety of places across the country in a number of different roles, before returning to Loughborough in the early 1930s. There are many connections to Loughborough, some of which are outlined below.

Focussing on just one of his positions: in 1909 Bernard Nixon Wale was appointed to the post of Principal at the Seale-Hayne AgriculturalCollege in Newton Abbot, a college which was to be created from an endowment of Mr Seale Hayne, and which had seen much delay in its creation. When the news of his appointment was announced, Bernard Wale was described in the press very favourably:

“He is a young man for the hight post, only 37 in fact, but he has a good London degree in science, and has shown great ability successively at London University, the Midland College, and the Wye College (Kent and Surrey). He also holds the Cambridge diploma for agricultural science.” – ‘London Evening Standard’ 27 December 1909, pg 3

“In making this choice [Bernard Wale, BSc. of the South Eastern Agricultural College at Wye, Kent] the governors have no doubt selected a gentleman particularly qualified for the post. He has had a brilliant career, and has come through numerous examinations with flying colours, and, what is very important, he has a thorough practical knowledge of agriculture. Naturally, as the son of a farmer, he had every opportunity to become intimately acquainted with this work, and four years he spent exclusively on a farm of some 200 acres, where all kinds of agricultural work were carried out, including the breeding and rearing of farm stock, sheep feeding, corn and root-growing, and dairying. For eight years he had the management of the land in connection with the Brewood Grammar School, Staffs., and during that time he purchased the stock, seeds and manures which were needed. Mr Wale has, further, had extensive experience in experimental work, including the manuring of grass, roots, and cereals, pig feeding, milk production and research work on cheese discolouration by bacteria. Nor is the new Principal unknown as a writer, for in the agricultural press have frequently appeared articles from his pen touching, amongst other things, catch cropping, the financial aspect of sheep washing, and the variation in the quantity and quality of milk.” – ‘Western Times’ 26 November 1909, pg 7

But it is the report a week earlier in the same newspaper – ‘Western Times’ 20 November 1909, pg 2 – that clearly links Bernard Nixon Wale with Loughborough:

“The new Principal, who is 38 years of age, has had a distinguished career, and was highly recommended. Educated at the Grammar School, Loughborough, Leicestershire, he was for three years, 1892-1895, at Cambridge University as a student of the Cambridge and Counties Agricultural Scheme.”

According to this report he was also a student at the Midland Agricultural and Dairy College in Kingston, Derby, and at the University College, Nottingham. The article goes on to mention every possible educational attainment and accolade that Bernard Wale had ever achieved, as well as information about his practical knowledge, which it said was:

“ … extensive. As a farmer’s son he has always had a very intimate practical acquaintance with farm work and farm management of every description. Four years were exclusively spent on a farm of 200 acres … For two years (1896-1898) he was in close touch with the method of farming adopted on the Midland Agricultural and Dairy College Farm; and for eight years (1898-1907) he was managing the land in connection with the agricultural side of Brewood Grammar School, Staffs., including the purchasing of stock, seeds and manure necessary for the same. Since 1908 he has had the joint management of Wye College Farms of 460 acres.”

In addition to his lecturing work, he has been engaged in experimental work:

“In regard to his experimental work and organization he has been engaged at the Midland Agricultural and Dairy College in carrying out experiments on manuring for hay, pig feeding, and milk production; research work on cheese discolouration by bacteria; and the tabulating of results and drawing up reports on the same. Organising experimental work on the agricultural side at Brewood included – the manuring of grass, cereals and roots, a comparison of yields from different varieties of farm crops, and sheep feeding experiments. He has also been engaged in the planning of pupils’ garden and field plots, bee-keeping and poultry; in field days and demonstrations to farmers on the experimental plots, and charlock spraying on selected farms; in arranging of local classes in dairying and hedge layering (including a course of lecture to elementary school teachers on ‘Insect pests’.). Being the first agricultural instructor appointed to Brewood he had the sole organisation of classes and subjects to be taught, with the general arrangement of timetables, the drawing up of prospectuses and reports of experimental work. At Wye College he was engaged in the organisation of the agricultural teaching in the lecture room and on the farm for four assistants, the latter including the arranging of classes in ploughing, mowing, sheep shearing, hedge layering, land draining, milking and butter making. …”

The report goes on to say that Bernard Wale also did advisory work with farmers and others, and has:

“…written a good deal for the agricultural press, his contributions including: reports on experimental work; variation in the quantity and quality of milk, catch cropping etc.; autumn cultivation as affecting the water supply of the soil; mendelism in plant and animal breeding; plants in enclosed spaces etc.; and the financial aspect of sheep washing … Mr Wale … has had a thorough theoretical and practical training … he is an enthusiastic teacher. ‘There are’ Professor Turner [says] ‘few men to whom I could more willingly commit a son of my own, as I should feel certain that his education would be well attended to, and that the moral effect of Mr Wale’s teaching would be excellent. I may add that Mrs Wale is a lady of educational experience and refinement, and that her interest in connection with the college would be of the very best.’”

The article finishes with a list of the testimonials received from many, many influential people, in support of Bernard Wales, including from Professor G D Living, MA, FRS, who was Professor of Chemistry at Cambridge University.

Reading about Bernard Wale’s experimental work and advisory work, particularly into plant and animal breeding reminds me so much of the work that Robert Bakewell of Dishley did into the breeding of sheep, cattle and heavy horses, and his work with turnips! More about Robert Bakewell is in an earlier blogpost.

Robert Bakewell in mosaics

Back to Bernard! Although Bernard Wale was appointed to be its Principal in 1909, Seale-Hayne college was not actually built until 1919, its construction timescale being disrupted by the First World War. Thus, Bernard Wale found himself undertaking a variety of duties which included lecturing in various places, like Linfield, and Torquay Museum, and to groups like the Mutual Improvement Association of Ashburton. He also judged agricultural and horticultural shows, like that at Islington. Bernard Wale presided over the annual event of the Newton Abbott Men’s Own Brotherhood, chaired the YMCA meetings, and was part of the Royal Sanitary Institute 28th annual congress executive committee, which event took place in Exeter.

In his capacity as joint livestock officer for Devon and Cornwall he visited Helston where he explained about the government’s Development Fund to the Helston Farmers’ Union. Bernard Wale was a member of the Primrose League and attended the annual meeting in Sheffield. He also attended and presented at farming conferences, e.g. at Newton Abbott.

During the First World War, Bernard Wale wrote a letter to the “Western Morning News” of 22 February 1916 expressing astonishment that the council allowed the lights of Newton Abbott to shine out: far from being as glaring as ever, he suggested they were even more glaring than a year ago. He questioned the use of lighting in specific locations, including Wolborough and Knowles hills, which, in his opinion, would:

“… invite the attention of the enemy. This was not the time to consider the dividends of the lighting companies.”

Bernard Wale was not alone in his concerns, which were shared by various inhabitants, like Mr W Eggington suggesting that “it was indiscreet to have the place all lighted up again, just when the raids had commenced”

Unlike Loughborough, which was hit by Zeppelins bombs on the night of 31st January 1916, Newton Abbot was not targeted by Zeppelins.

Zeppelin raid on Loughborough, commemorative plaque unveiled January 2016

As Loughborough trained women to become munitions workers, so Bernard Wale offered the opportunity to women to be trained to work the land. In a letter printed in the “Exeter and Plymouth Gazette” of 8 May 1916, pg 3, Bernard Wale makes an offer from his college:

“… it becomes increasingly important to safeguard our home-grown food supply, and if the men must go [to the Front] … women must take their place. Already there are many women who have volunteered for farm work, or have shown their readiness to learn, but many more will be required … The women of our Allies, and also of our enemies, are working on the land and thus setting free their relatives for the fighting lines, and I believe that our women will do the same …”

However, Bernard identified a problem:

“ … there is one thing lacking amongst our farmers – a more sympathetic attitude towards women’s employment on the land.”

He did however acknowledge that:

“ … Many [farmers] see quite clearly the necessity of utilising women on their own farms … some women … can do really efficient work on the land after a short training, combined with patience and sympathy on the part of the farmer.”

Bernard was keen to make an offer:

“ … with the approval of the Board of Agriculture and the County Councils of Devon and Cornwall, and also as a war emergency measure, the Governors of Seale-Hayne College are providing a month’s course of practical instruction for women in farm work on the College farm. There is to be a succession of courses, each of four weeks’ duration, and after their training it is stipulated that these students shall work on farms for a period of at least three months, provided a suitable offer of employment is made at a reasonable rate of wages”

The instruction on offer was pretty extensive and included:

“… milking, dairying, calf, pig and poultry feeding, grooming, feeding and harnessing of horses, harrowing, rolling, hoeing and harvesting according to season, and other lighter branches of farm work.”

Following the publication of this letter in the newspaper, at meeting at Kingsteignton, both Bernard Wale and his wife Edith talked about training women to work on the land:

“… Mrs Wale … urged the women to augment the food supply by working on the land, whole or part-time, by cultivating their gardens, by keeping poultry or pigs, and by helping in the harvesting, and always do what they could to prevent waste.” – ‘Exeter and Plymouth Gazette’ 2 June 1916, pg 12

According to the ‘Military Times’ of 30th November 2018, the First World War was arguably the first ‘total war’. John Heathcoat’s factory in Tiverton, which had moved to the town in 1816, following the Luddite attacks, was Tiverton’s largest employer in 1914, and it switched from the production of the lace for which it was well-known, to the production of munitions, and with many men away from home, fighting abroad, it was women who were working the machines.

Re-enacting the Luddite attacks on Heathcoat's factory in Loughborough, Chorus Theatre

Throughout the period 1909-1914, work on the actual Seale-Hayne college buildings was either proposed or taking place. In 1911 between 60 and 70 applications were received for the college building design. Prizes of £100, £50 and £30 were offered by the college governors for the best sets of plans. The cost of the proposed building was not to exceed £20,000, although future extensions, at a cost of £10,000 were an integral part of the submissions.

In 1912 the college was inviting tenders for the laying of about 2,800 yards of 3-inch cast-iron pipes! The plans were available to view at the public library, and the exact specifications were available from Bernard Wale.

In the event, the Seale-Hayne college buildings were completed between 1912 and 1914, but the first students did not attend until 1919.

Although we have seen some connections with Loughborough – Bernard Wale’s attendance at the Grammar School, Zeppelin bombing during 1916, and Heathcoat’s lace-making factory in Tiverton, and similarities with Robert Bakewell, come by next week to learn more about Bernard Wale’s family, his connections to many different Loughborough families and about his residence in Loughborough.

In relation to Zeppelins, Heathcoat and Robert Bakewell, you can follow the virtual plaque walk which will take you to the commemorative plaques related to these people and events, and there is a virtual walk specifically related to the Zepplin raid, and to the Luddite attacks.

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2020). Who was Bernard Nixon Wale? Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2020/10/so-who-was-bernard-nixon-wale.html [Accessed 4 October 2020]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

You can leave comments below, but do check back as my reply will appear here, below your comment.

Thank you for reading this blog.

Lynne

Sunday, 27 September 2020

Where in Loughborough is the Miff Tree?

This post features a lecture delivered by Thomas Napoleon Smith, a Baptist Minister, on the subject of “The Miff Tree”.

Loughborough Baptist church, Baxter Gate

So, let’s start with some personal information about Thomas Napoleon Smith: who was he?

Thomas Napoleon Smith’s birth at Wisbech, Lincs, was registered in the fourth quarter of 1855, and he was baptised on 4 May 1856. His parents were Thomas, born in Chesterton, Cambridge, around 1827, and Ann Eliza, born in Cambridge, around 1824. His elder brother, Henry, had been born three years earlier, in 1852. At the time of the 1861 census, the family were living in Whittlesey, in the police station as his father was the superintendent of the police. The house next door was the Old George pub, listed as being in Old Whittlesey.

It’s possible that the Thomas Smith listed as a nephew and lodging with aunt, Mary Jane, and uncle, James, in Walcot, near Bath as appears on the 1871 census, is our Thomas Napoleon. His birthplace is given as Wisbech, and he is listed as a draper’s assistant.

It is certain that Thomas Napoleon Smith marries Annie Maria Goldsworthy on the Isle of Wight, in the fourth quarter of 1879, and daughter Anna Maud is born in 1880. At the time of the 1881 census, the family are living in Monks Kirby, a village in Warwickshire, close to Rugby, Coventry and Lutterworth.

Anyone who is familiar with family history research will realise that searching for someone with the surname of Smith is a difficult task, even when they have a forename like Napoleon! The next confirmed event in the life of TNS is the birth of son, Ludlow P. Smith, around 1890, and son, Ewart Gladstone Smith, around 1892: both were certainly born in America, and maybe more specifically at Mason, Ingham, Michigan. Whether or not there were any other children born to Thomas and Annie between 1880 and 1889, while they were in America, I have not been able to prove.

Anyway, by 1895 the family were back in Britain, and in March 1895, TNS accepted the position of Baptist minister at the Particular Baptist Chapel in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, following the Rev. Robert Bray who was minister from 1881-1892. It was in Tetbury that two more children were born, Frank in 1897, when the family was listed as living at New Church Street, and Albert in 1899.

This post in Tetbury was not a long-standing position, and by the time of the 1901 census, the family have moved to 24 Agnes Road, Northampton, where TNS is listed as a Baptist minister, as is the head of the family living next door. Again, the family only stayed here a relatively short time, and by 1906, local directories listed TNS as living at 59 Poppleton Road, Leytonstone, Essex, where he was a Baptist minister and where he continued to live until his death. A 1910 directory listed his occupation as a non-conformist chaplain, West Ham union & Whipp’s Cross Infirmary: the Union Workhouse had been erected in 1839-41, and extended in 1845, and a 200-bed infirmary added in 1864, while the Whipp’s Cross Hospital was built between 1900-1903. This is confirmed by the census return of 1911, and this position continues to be listed until at least 1915.

On 27 September 1916, son Ewart Gladstone Smith dies, and it is around this time that TNS pens poetry, under the pseudonym, Tonosa. Entries in local trade directories in 1917, and 1922 confirm that TNS is still living at 59 Poppleton Road. Thomas Napoleon Smith died on 26 January 1941: probate was granted at Llandudno on 19 May 1941 to daughter Ada Maud Smith.

The delivery of “The Miff Tree” lecture appears to be Thomas Napoleon Smith’s life work! Some of the publicity statements that appeared in adverts for the lecture, from 1895-1931, show that it was clearly very popular wherever it was delivered:

“popular lecture”

“Come, Look, Listen, Laugh and Learn”

“all should hear the celebrated lecture”

“received with acclamation wherever it has been given and by now he [TNS] has visited places in all parts of the kingdom and has delivered in America too.”

“This will be one of the pleasantest evenings of the whole winter. Crowds in large towns have seen it and pronounce it astonishing. Repeat visits are called for wherever it goes.”

“popular lecture. Highly spoken of by the clergy and ministers and the press in all parts of the country. The title is somewhat mysterious [and] for variety, humour and practical help is unique.”

“[TNS] will deliver his amalgama on the ‘Miff Tree’, and entertainment which has evoked the highest encomiums from the press in many provincial towns. We anticipate that the great popularity of the lecturer will ensure a crowded attendance.”

“Newtonians will be afforded a rare treat … The lecture is full of wit, wisdom, pleasure and profit and should on no account be missed.”

“[delivered] with its latest improvements!”

“A rare treat! Don’t miss it!”

“this lecture has been given upwards of forty times in London alone, and is highly commended”

“unique entertainment”

As the adverts above indicate, Rev. Thomas Napoleon Smith delivered his lecture across much of Great Britain, Ireland and even in America. Many of these places were in clusters around places that TNS had either lived, or with which he had some connection. So, for example, he embarked on a lecture tour of the Isle of Wight: Ryde, Newport and Sandown in November 1897; there were many visits to Gloucestershire villages – Fairford, Cirencester, Lydney, and Stonehouse in 1895, Stroud in 1896, Gloucester in 1897, Chalford in 1898, and Nupend, near Stroud, and Stonehouse, in January 1899; and a series of deliveries in Northamptonshire – Hillmorton and Long Itchington, near Rugby, and Rugby itself in 1896, Northampton in 1900 and Long Buckby in 1903.

Other clusters of places where Rev. Thomas Napoleon Smith gave his lecture included: Blaenavon, Merthyr Tydfil, Abergavenny, and Longhope near Ross in late 1896, and Abergavenny and Brecon in the autumn of 1898. The Scottish cluster occurred in March 1896 when Smith lectured at Galashiels and Selkirk. The Ireland tour took place in late 1896, just before the visits to Merthyr and Blaenavon.

Smith also visited a variety of other places, including many in Middlesex – Hanwell and West Drayton, both in 1898; many in London – Lambeth in 1895, Whetstone, Woolwich and New Barnet in 1896; a few in Oxfordshire – Banbury in 1896, Faringdon in 1898 and Chipping Norton in 1899. Visits were also made to Southend, Bristol, and Reading (all in 1896), Bedford, Poole and Newton Abbot in 1899, not to mention a whole variety of other places.

Smith also lectured at places closer to Loughborough, which included Derby, Melbourne Hall and Leicester, all in 1896. Smith’s visit to Loughborough was reported in the Loughborough Monitor and News of 8 December 1898, his lecture being delivered to the Young Men’s Guild at the school rooms of the Baxter Gate Baptist Chapel. Sadly, the public library and the Record Office are currently closed, so I have been unable to read the report, but here are some examples of reports from the other of Smith’s lectures across the country: I cannot imagine that the delivery at Loughborough could have elicited anything but the same excitement as it seems to have done across the length and breadth of the country.

The following report is from ‘The Shoreditch Observer, Hackney Express and Bethnal Green Chronicle’, dated 12 November, 1904, pg.3

“’The Miff Tree’ The ‘Miff Tree and the Miffers’ was the title of a most amusing and instructive lecture, given by Rev. T. Napoleon Smith on Monday last, at the Shoreditch YMCA. A large pictorial pamphlet was before the audience. On this, was a picture of a tree whose branches were birds of different natures (16 in number), which represented those people corresponding natures, who take offence at the least thing said or done contrary to their own views. The following illustration may be given in the lecturer’s own words:

“Number four is an unconverted choir member, who says the minister is an ‘idiot’ for inviting the congregation to join in the singing, and is cross with the choir-master for not allowing her to render a solo every Sunday night, and because he has suggested that she should spend less time and more sense on the last note. To fully appreciate this lovely creature, we must hear her sing:

“That pulpit man has got no sense,

To say ‘all swell the song’:

And I can’t stand the impudence

Of that choir-master long!

I’ll leave the choir! Yes, leave again!

If I can’t have my way,

The final note I will sustain,

And give my voice fair play."

“Picture number six is of three birds who belong to the crank tribe, sometimes called ‘kickers’, Do not think they are making love to each other. They never make love to anybody …There is to be a church meeting down below, and three crows have put their heads together. Their general plans are to join loudly in singing ‘Blest be the tie that binds’, and then to ‘caw’ against the existing order of things, whatever that order may be: and to oppose every measure, good or bad, which may be proposed.”

And so right through his project, Mr Smith has a bird to represent the pugnacious attitude of so many so-called Christian people. The lecturer has a marvellous falsetto voice, which enables him to imitate different sounds, whether it be birds, dogs or instruments. The significance of the lecture lay in the important moral lessons which he drew from his ‘birds’”

The following is from the 'Oxfordshire Weekly News', of 29 March 1899, pg. 5 and reports on the lecture delivered at Chipping Norton:

“ ‘An oratorical, mimical, musical, and moral amalgama on the ‘Miff Tree, or a night with the birds’ ” was the description of a somewhat unique entertainment … The Chairman, in introducing Mr Napoleon Smith, said he had seen a great many trees in various parts of the world, but he had never yet met with a Miff tree. That was a variety, as a florist would say, which had not come under his notice, but he and they would learn something about it before leaving the building. The Rev, Napoleon Smith then exhibited his Miff tree, which was a rough drawing of a tree on a canvas about seven feet square. The ‘birds’, 15 in number, were supposed to represent various vices, such as backbiting, slandering, envy, uncharitableness, and the numerous characteristics of the class of persons who possess the unenviable faculty of making themselves obnoxious and disagreeable, treated more particularly in religious circles and church life. All such persons are ‘up the miff tree’ and the entertainer drew their characteristics, showed their mischievous propensities and held them up as examples to be avoided. There was a good deal of racy humour in the lecturer’s remarks, whose faculty for ‘punning’ was considerable … His singing might have been curtailed with advantage, for he would hardly shine in a school room as a vocalist, but he had a very clever knack of producing familiar sounds, the whistle and puff of the locomotive, the bark of a pug, the buzzing of the bee, the voice of the peacock, and the distinctive notes of song birds …”

The review of the lecture at Faringdon was covered by the 'Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette' 14 May 1898, pg 4, and read as follows:

“For a fortnight previous to Monday last the town was placarded with bills announcing that ‘The Miff Tree is coming”, and giving particulars of an entertainment … to b given by Rev. T. Napoleon Smith, a Nonconformist Minister. Most people were in doubt as to what kind of an entertainment would be provided, for ‘Miff Tree’ is somewhat shrouded in mystery until explained … [TNS] proceeded to give his entertainment, which consisted of a lecture upon the quibbles and crotchets of individuals who are found to be in every religious community, together with hints for the guidance of the Christian, with special reference to the drinking and smoking customs of the country, the evil results of cigarette smiling by boys being particularly enlarged upon. The ‘Miff Tree’ was represented by the picture of a tree, on the branches of which were representations of birds, which their turn were used by the lecturer to illustrate those individuals who were apt to take offence, or to be ‘miffed’ because their ideas or suggestions had been ignored. The lecture was cleverly written …”

The 'Chelmsford Chronicle' of 6 December 1895, pg 8, described the lecture thus:

“Those who turned out on Wednesday evening to attend, in the school room of the Baptist Church, the ‘Miff Tree’ lecture-entertainment. Given by the Rev. Napoleon Smith of Tetbury, enjoyed a rare treat, which they evidently appreciated, for their applause was most demonstrative … IN addition to numberless flashes of with and humour, and appropriate and striking gestures and facial expressions, the lecturer and entertainer surprised the people with some remarkable vocal imitations of musical instruments, &c., and, with his English concertina, played the accompaniment to his numerous original songs, and rendered a marriage peal, imitation of the bagpipes, and what he called ‘The Jangle’, the latter literally convulsing the audience.”

But, none of the above really explain what the lecture was all about, so here are a few snippets from the reports which are a bit more illuminating:

“Much amusement was caused by the numerous songs and recitations, supposed to be the sentiments of those, who from various causes, flew into the ‘Miff Tree’. In conclusion, those present were urged not to be so easily sent into a ‘miff’ by such trivial matters as mentioned by the lecturer.” - 'Stroud News and Gloucestershire Advertiser' 21 February 1896, pg 4

“[TNS] had to explain what ‘miff’ meant. A ‘miff’ is a huff, a slightful, resentful frame of mind. To be in a ‘miff’ is to be in a mild state of resentment, so that the audience found that miffers meant grumblers, huffed people, the cranks and crotchets who are to be found in churches and elsewhere.” - Barnet Press 10 October 1896, pg 5 (30)

This account from the 'Rugby Advertiser' 26 September 1896, pg 5, goes into great detail about what was covered in the lecture:

“Mr Smith began his lecture by saying that he met with the diagram of ‘The Miff Tree’ (an enlargement of which he paced before the audience), when he went to America … it seemed to him to be of such wide-spread application that he had devoted a good deal of attention to it, which had resulted in the composition of 7.5 verses upon it, with sixteen original tunes. The American colloquial expression ‘miff’ was explained by Webster [presumably the dictionary compiler?] as meaning ‘a slight degree of resentment’. It signified a slightly offended condition, but some who had the ‘miff’ spirit, were a good deal more than slightly offended … The late Mr Spurgeon had said that his church was so busy working for the Lord that they had no time to quarrel. Some churches might say they were so busy quarrelling that they had no time to work for the Lord … In describing some of the varieties of birds who betook themselves to the miff tree, [TNS] did not wish those present to be seeking to find whether their neighbours were included amongst them, but to ask themselves whether they themselves had anything of the ‘miffish’ spirit. If they found they had, he hoped they would receive the treatment kindly, and profit by it, not blaming the physician, but receiving the medicine for their own good. Fourteen varieties of ‘miffers’ were portrayed:

(1) The bird who was dreaming of the ‘good old times, twenty years ago’ when the sound advice of a pious deacon was not ignored by the management of the church.

(2) The brother who had ‘turned his back on the whole business’.

(3) A miffer who flew up the miff tree during an unpleasantness in a business meeting, and had been ‘jawing’ ever since.

(4) the birdie ‘soprano’ who flew up the tree because she was not allowed to sing ‘Nellie Gray’ at the memorial service of a deceased brother, although she considered it the best piece to show off her vocal powers.

(5) A bird who was too disagreeable event to explain why he took to the miff tree, and who always had a down-in-the-mouth appearance.

(6) Three birds of the crank tribe.

(7) The king of the miffers, a pastor who had taken to the tree because his curate drew larger congregations than he did himself. A minister showed his miffish spirit by resigning because one of the members told him she did not get good from his sermons, although many other did get good, and wished him to stay; also by preaching at people, instead of to them.

(8) Supremacy Longpurse, Esq. who, offended by the pastor, betook himself to the Established Church. (9) A bird belonging to the ‘giggle-much’ tribe, who generally sat in the gallery, or a sear near the door and giggled until the pastor complained.

(10) Birdie Rosebud Tenor, who was periodically offended because it gave him a chance to display his voice in other places of worship in the town, although he generally came back to his old seat in the choir sooner or later.

(11) A bird who had been offended, but who had been cured by a sermon he had heard, and was now coming down from his perch.

(12) A bird who came down from the miff tree, and bathed in tears at revivals, but at other ties was to be found amongst its branches.

(13) An owl, with spectacles on to discover all slights, real or imaginary.

(14) A bird only kept from flying up the miff tree by the chain of ‘official position’.

The lecturer described the birds at considerable length, pointing them out with diagram, and singing verses illustrative of the sentiments of each, accompanying himself on a concertina. He incidentally introduced remarkably good vocal imitations of the notes of the chaffinch, starling, yellowhammer, nightingale, and many other birds. In conclusion, the lecturer disclaimed any local allusion; the lecture, he said, was prepared for delivery in America, and had been given word for word in many places both in that country and in England.”

This is Rev. Mayer, who was in charge of one of the Miff Tree meetings

This review of the event that took place in the Baptist Chapel on Frogmore Street, Abergavenny explains a bit more about the ‘Miff tree’:

“The object [of the lecture] was to expose and denounce the spirit, only too prevalent in many communities, which, through over estimates of self-importance, takes offence at moral trifles or even imaginary wrongs, and results in the misery and strife which break the hearts of the faithful men and hinders the work of God. The speciality, however, of the lecture was the way in which this state of things was dealt with. Instead of mere denunciation and aggravating censure, the portrait of one after another of those individuals was so skilfully drawn in speech, gesture, and song, that the offender could hardly fail to recognise his own likeness. At first he would be led to laugh at the absurdity of his conduct, but on reflection he would surely mourn over his sin. To avoid anything like tediousness in dealing with this delicate and difficult subject, the lecturer introduced a great deal of humorous remark, and with extraordinary ability imitated the notes of many well-known birds and instruments of music &., so that he was able to sustain the interest of a large audience for nearly two hours without any signs of weariness.” - 'Abergavenny Chronicle' 11 December 1896, pg 5

And to finish with, here are some wonderful quotes following Rev. Thomas Napoleon Smith’s lectures:

“Mr Smith’s power of imitating is quite wonderful.”

“The audience were held in rapt attention”

“Mr Smith’s lecture was both intellectual and interesting.”

“There was a good attendance, and the lecture was highly appreciated.”

Hopefully, when access to physical resources is restored, I will be able to bring you details of the event that took place in Loughborough!

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2020). Where in Loughborough is the Miff Tree? Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2020/09/where-in-loughborough-is-miff-tree.html [Accessed 27 September 2020]

Take down policy:

You can leave comments below, but do check back as my reply will appear here, below your comment.

Thank you for reading this blog.

Lynne

Sunday, 20 September 2020

Changes in Loughborough over the past 6 months

100 years ago, in 1920, the country was just moving into a decade known as the 'Roaring Twenties' - a brief interlude between two world wars, and a brief period before the 'Great Depression' - which saw people having as much fun as they possibly could!

Here we are, 100 years later, in 2020, but it doesn't look as though the 2020s is going to be anywhere near as much fun as the 1920s. However, the 1920s saw lots of development in Loughborough, which resulted in the rich heritage of Art Deco buildings we see in the town today.

Over the past 6 months, the country has been in various degrees of lockdown, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. People have taken the opportunity to prep, plant, and prune their gardens; to paint their house; to improve their kitchen, bathroom, and loft space, and to convert the garage into living space, and the attic into a bedroom.

In fact, over the last 6 months, there's been evidence of huge new buildings being erected, of major improvements to other buildings, going right down to small changes. Here in this blog are a selection of changes I've spotted as I've been walking around Loughborough on my 4-times a week, 1-hour walks. It did occur to me that although this range of photos is over the past 6 months, there are some months without photos, which is probably because I'm not good at taking pictures in the dark, and during the early days of lockdown it was still quite dark in the evenings while I was working. Apologies for the order of some of the photos below: the software wouldn't let me add pics where I wanted them.

Let's look at the big stuff first!