events / lecture
Hunter
Davies is one of Britain's most prolific authors,
having written more than 30 books on subjects as diverse as
the Beatles and Hadrian's Wall. He is also a well-respected
journalist.
Named after Cumbria's Celtic Kingdom, Rheged is
Europe's largest grass covered building and a winner of the global
" BA Tourism for Tomorrow Awards"
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THE WAINWRIGHT MEMORIAL
LECTURE 2003
at the Rheged Discovery Centre near Penrith
on Saturday, September 6th 2003 |
The inaugural Wainwright Memorial Lecture
was held on Saturday 6th September at Rheged, the Lake District Visitor
Centre near Penrith and was presented to a capacity audience by the
renowned author Hunter Davies. The lecture was open to the public
as well as members of the Wainwright Society, who made up the majority
of the 250 there.
The event included a visit to the Helly Hanson Everest exhibition and an
option to stay for a meal after the lecture. Well over 200 visited the
exhibition and a similar number stayed for an excellent meal.
Eric Robson, our chairman, introduced Hunter Davies to the audience, although
he was clearly familiar to all present.
Eric also reminded us that the Society newsletter was in real need of material,
stories with AW connections, fell walking or the Lake District. He also
reiterated the challenge to members for photographs for the photographic
competition promulgated in the September Newsletter. There will be
no "fancy classes" and entries can be in print, transparency
or digital form. The entries will be judged, hopefully by Derry Brabbs,
immediately after the closing date of December 1st.
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| Hunter
Davies signing books after the lecture. |
Hunter began by stressing that he was about to chat about
the life of AW as seen through his researches for the biography
which he published in 1995 and from subsequent examination.
For over forty-five minutes he held the audience in rapt
attention describing aspects of 'the man' which were unlike
his commonly perceived attributes, the fun of his 'Private
Eye' style notes and sketches of colleagues in the Borough
Treasurer's office in Blackburn, his love letters to Betty,
which, one day Hunter hoped may be published in full.
Hunter produced interesting copies of AW's 'flyer' for the first Pictorial
Guide which was signed 'Alfred Wainwright' in contrast to him always being
simply 'A. Wainwright' and also a copy of AW's death certificate which
was hand written in a type of script not dissimilar from AW's own characteristic
style.
We were reminded that AW's first wife left him on the eve of his completing
the Pictorial Guides and that the popular view was that his obsession with
the project had led to this estrangement. Hunter, however, posed the question
as to whether the fact that AW's marriage was effectively over after only
three years had led him to seek solace in the hills and that without this
we may never have had the Pictorial Guides at all.
The contrast of his second marriage to Betty could not be starker, with
a shared interest in his work and a relationship of depth and tenderness.
Peter Linney, Secretary to the Wainwright Society gave a vote of thanks
on behalf of all those present.
Over 200 stayed on for a meal during which Hunter passed round the copies
of various documents to the delight of all.
Altogether a great evening.
Peter Linney
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