Number 3, August 2007
Letter from Chawton House Our two newest staff members tell us about their first impressions We recently welcomed two new recruits into the fold. They tell us about their experiences so far... Tessa Bartlett, Support Services Officer Accepting the position of Support Services Officer at Chawton House Library was a big change in career direction for me having previously worked in the World Class Yachting area for eight years since graduation. Although many of the operational practises are similar, the backdrop could not be more different. The location is so idyllic and the work is varied and fascinating. Being involved in all things operational means that from one day to the next, I could be doing anything from restoring leather fire buckets to helping organise an international conference. The purpose of my job is to make sure that all the nuts and bolts of the charity, house and estate are working smoothly. Having someone who can oversee all of the logistics, including housekeeping, catering, and health and safety requirements, means that everyone else can concentrate on furthering the aims and objectives of the charity. So this means that although I’m not carrying out the academic work at say, a conference, by ensuring that all of the details are taken care of, right down to the flowers on the tables, I can ensure that the scholars can concentrate on their discussions without having to worry about whether a projector is going to work or that there are enough chairs for everybody to have a seat. It has already been a busy few months since starting and I look forward to more of this ‘behind the scenes’ work which underpins the many and varied activities that will help us to grow and develop as a charity. Helen Thirlway, Fundraising Officer I started work at Chawton House Library just before a particularly event-packed period so my first few months were very much about publicising all the events we were doing and helping to make sure they ran smoothly. There is no better way to learn about an organisation than just getting stuck in, and this has been the perfect process for me to learn all about the work of the library, the house and the estate and how it all fits together. Obviously, our main mission is the library. As an English Literature graduate myself, I have often felt frustrated by the way women writers have been so neglected in our history books, despite many being huge successes in their time. Mary Robinson, one of the writers in our collection is a prime example; her debut novel sold out in a day in 1792 amid a frenzy of publicity. In my quest to seek out more statistics to demonstrate how under-represented women have been, I came across a particularly shocking figure: that in 103 years of the Nobel Prize for Literature, only 10 of the winners were women. It is this startling imbalance that we seek to redress and I relish the task of promoting early women’s writing and making people aware of how much these writers over the years have contributed to the discourses of their day. A lot of my work so far has also been, to exploit an over-used phrase, looking at ‘the bigger picture.’ By that I mean getting to grips with how the library, the house and the working estate all form part of one cohesive project. This is very important when seeking funding because when I’m asking for financial assistance for a particular aspect of our work, I need to explain not just its value on its own, but how it will help us to develop the organisation as a whole. Education is the thread interwoven through all of our activities, whether it be teaching children about organic gardening or assisting academics in their library research, and it is this holistic approach that I think makes us a unique and fascinating organisation.
Chawton House Library, Chawton, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 1SJ T +44 (0)1420 541010 F +44 (0)1420 595900 E info@chawton.net W: www.chawtonhouse.org Registered Charity No. 1026921 Company Registration No. 2851718
Organic Gardening Events
‘With Bewick on my knee I was then happy’
We held our first Organic Gardening seminar on 1st May and it was a huge success. Visitors were taken on a tour of the gardens and heard all about the history of the estate and the ongoing restoration work. Guests also had the chance to participate in a hands-on session in the walled garden and quiz our experts on various aspects of their work. Tea and cake were included and served in the historic Old Kitchen, giving people a chance to glimpse the house and soak up the atmosphere. We intend to organise more similar events in 2008 so watch this space!
So says Jane Eyre in Charlotte Bronte’s famous novel. On 15th June, Jenny Uglow gave a fascinating talk on Thomas Bewick, the subject of her latest biography. Bewick was a farmer’s son who revolutionised wood-engraving and became hugely influential and popular, as this quotation demonstrates. Using slides of some of his most detailed and beautiful pictures, Jenny described the life and times of the celebrated artist whose influence on book illustration is immeasurable.
Sandford Award Winners!
School Gardening Project On the subject of organic gardening, we can now announce that Chawton House Library, together with the Hampshire Gardens Trust, will be running a new education project with Chawton Primary School starting in September 2007. The school are being given a plot of land in our Walled Garden, and with the use of tools provided by the Hampshire Gardens Trust, our Head Gardener will be teaching them how to grow their own organic fruit and vegetables. The project forms part of a nationwide ‘Food and Farming in Education’ initiative and is hoped to serve as a model for further projects up and down the country. It has already attracted two high-profile patrons, Alan Titchmarsh and Tamasin DayLewis. Tamasin will be visiting us on 15th November to read from her new book and attend a literary supper using recipes from her popular cookery books. Profits from this event will go to the garden restoration projects which will allow us to offer more facilities to schools.
Conferences go from Strength to Strength Two more conferences were held at Chawton House Library over the last few months, both resounding successes. The Jane Austen & Contemporary Culture conference was a day conference purposefully kept to limited numbers allowing for more detailed discussions and analysis. The Collectors and Collecting Conference in July attracted delegates from all over the world and was described by many attendees as our best yet.
Chawton House Library and Jane Austen’s House have together been given a Sandford Award by the Heritage Education Trust which recognises quality and excellence. In particular, the judges stated the following: ‘The education service at Jane Austen’s House and Chawton House Library provides high quality educational visits for primary and secondary schools, and for students working at higher levels. Effective collaboration ensures that these sites present a wealth of material for study linked to the schools’ curriculum and beyond. Education personnel and House staff deliver proficient, stimulating and relevant programmes that encourage full engagement through close observation, handling sessions and the use of costumes.’ To organise a school trip to the two centres, contact Jane Austen’s House on 01420 83262.
Events Programme Autumn 2007 Evening events are now listed in the separate Evening Lectures and Events Programme. If you do not have a copy, please ask a member of staff or call 01420 541010. Heritage Open Day — Saturday 8 September FREE Entry to the library, house and estate. 10.30am-5pm (last admission 4.30pm). Includes Hampshire Regency Dancers, readings from Jane Austen, literary quizzes and treasure trails. Refreshments are available in the Old Kitchen. Lessons in Tudor Monarchy Conference: Mary and Elizabeth — 10-12 September Organised by the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Culture at University of Southampton. See flyer for details. Estate Walk & Pumpkin Soup — Thursday 25 October An opportunity to explore the estate and gardens on a thorough guided tour, learning all about the history of the estate, the restoration, the ongoing gardening and farming work and the various forms of wildlife. This autumnal walk will be followed by heartening pumpkin soup and hot and cold drinks in the atmospheric Old Kitchen. £10 each. 2-5pm To book or for more information, please contact Corrine Saint on 01420 541010 or email corrine.saint@chawton.net