So, where did this come from? Well, at the time I am writing this, I am also in the process of updating the Guild website. It was this which inspired me. For a start, I had put a full list (as far as I knew) of the past productions on a page and the more recent ones had links to pages with pictures, cast lists, etc.
Now, I never entertained the notion that I might get photos from every production, but I did think that a few photos from older ones might be in order. To this end I scanned in several photos from the assorted stuff up at the hut. These were then placed on the web for all to see.
One day, I had acquired a box of photos from past shows, some very old, others a bit newer. I was looking through these and found many face shots of people I didn't recognise. My instinct was to forget these, since they didn't really depict any specific production.
So I carried on sorting through the box and found a few old programmes. These I thought deserved to be transcribed and put on the site for posterity. So I started typing up the cast and crew lists. It was during this work that I started to notice the trend for certain names to appear in many productions. This made me think of a website called the Internet Movie Database (IMDB). This can search on film name, actor name, etc. This made me think a nice idea would be to take the information I was gradually collecting and to put it into a database. Once done I could generate a few queries, probably none so fancy as IMDB, but perhaps interesting. To further this cause, I reasoned I would have to scan in the face shots, find out who they were and then the information on each actor would be more complete.
And that was when it occurred to me. As I write this, the Guild has been in existence for approximately 58 years. In fact, since the first play The Cradle Song was put on in March 1944 it is reasonable to assume that they were in rehearsals for it exactly 58 years ago.
I realised that the task I was considering was rather tricky, for a number of reasons. Not least is the fact that the people rehearsing 58 years ago are very probably dead. I don't mean to be morbid, just realistic. This same applies to subsequent generations of Guild-ers. Even those in plays as little as 30 years ago could well now be quite old.
This made me realise that if a history of the Guild was ever to be written, then now was the time, before it was too late. If it wasn't already.
So, where to begin? Well, I decided that the first port of call would have to be old minutes from committee meetings. The intention being to try and formulate some kind of time line of the Guild. Armed with this I could then track down people to interview and ask them meaningful questions. I was very aware of not wanting to ask people to simply reminisce about their time in the Guild, I am interested in how they and their peers shaped the Guild.
Examples of questions I had already formulated are:
Well, it's been a little while since I started writing this and I haven't stood still. For a start I have discovered that the Guild was actually started thanks to a public meeting held in 1943, which makes us a year older than I thought. On hindsight, if they put on a production in March 1944, they must have begun preparations in 1943, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
So, what else have I found out? Well, it is certainly of interest to note that in the same year (1943) the Kidderminster Three Arts Guild was formed. The earliest reference to this I can find is in The Kidderminster Shuttle, Saturday June 19th 1943:
A programme which promises to claim considerable support is the one being promoted by the newly formed Three Arts Guild in conjunction with CEMA
While I do not propose to research a history of Kidderminster Three Arts Guild, it is interesting to pick out a few salient points. Take for example this letter from Kidderminster Shuttle and Stourport Courier:
Saturday June 19th 1943
THREE ARTS GUILD
Sir - One is glad to read in the manifesto of the Three Arts Guild that they propose to work in co-operation with existing societies, though in that case would it not have been advisable to have first approached these societies in order to find out their plans and the lines on which they would welcome co-operation?
This has not been done in the case of the Nonentities, a Society which has worked hard in the last few years to create an intelligent interest in the Drama, with the aid of Music and the visual arts. It has an ambitious programme arranged for the autumn and winter months, dates and details of which will shortly be announced in the Press; and it would welcome what would appear to be the simplest measure of co-operation, yet is in practice one of the hardest to obtain - the non-clashing of fixtures.
One cannot help thinking that an open meeting preceded by an advertisement similar to the one now issued would have been a better way of securing the support the Guild seems anxious to obtain and which incidentally in (sic) likely to remain nebulous as long as an appeal carries no secretarial name or address.
There is, by the way, an existing Arts (and Crafts) Society, though this is not referred to in the Guild's preamble.
K. W. Rose
Chairman, Nonentities Society.
Now perhaps I am reading in something which isn't there, but that seems to me to indicate a degree of annoyance on behalf of Mr Rose, an annoyance which I doubt he was alone in feeling. After all, if WFDC started another society now, I'm sure we and the other societies in existence would be less than impressed.
A further article of interest seems to speak of the formation of the Guild. Interestingly, this is in the same issue as Mr Rose's comments, so it would be nice to know where Mr Rose got his information.
Kidderminster Shuttle and Stourport Courier
Saturday June 19th 1943
KIDDERMINSTER THREE ARTS GUILD
Although Kidderminster is most efficiently catered for artistically in a number of directions, e.g. by the Choral and Operatic and Dramatic Societies of the town, further developments in music and drama might not come amiss. The Three Arts Guild has therefore been formed by a small group of enthusiasts, who are very anxious to add to their numbers, and whose object is to support any efforts which will encourage added enjoyment and understanding of Music, Art and Literature and Drama. The Guild wishes to work in co-operation with, not in competition with, existing Societies.
One of the most interesting and inspiring developments of recent years in England has been the formation of CEMA (the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts), and the Kidderminster Three Arts Guild has for one of its immediate aims the canvassing of local support for any CEMA activities in Kidderminster. They want CEMA to feel that its efforts are appreciated and will be well supported.
It would no doubt be of interest to find out more about this CEMA thing. All it says is 'recent years', which could mean anything. Although as I have already said it is not my intention to research a history for other organisations, it would be nice background to know more about where CEMA came from and what they were doing.
Bearing in mind Mr Rose's Comments, it is interesting to find the original advertisement from which it all sprang:
Kidderminster Shuttle and Stourport Courier
Saturday July 10th 1943
THREE ARTS GUILD
The Chairman of the UDC (Mr R P Vale) has promised to preside at a public meeting in the Town Hall on July 16th, when the speaker will be Mr T. Harrison, Regional Officer for the Council for Encouragement of Music and Arts. The objective of the meeting is to form a Three Arts Guild similar to the one already formed in Kidderminster.
It is tempting to speculate that the reason behind the public meeting was to fend off further criticism from the likes of Mr Rose. Sadly, this information will probably never be forthcoming.
I am also intrigued to know who the UDC (Urban District Council) were. Is this a precursor to the WFDC? This sounds like a pointless question, but again, I'd like to know who the formative parties were, but also I'd like to know if a copy of the minutes are available and if so get a look. To do this I'd need to know who the UDC were and where they went.
A further article of interest is:
Kidderminster Shuttle and Stourport Courier
Saturday August 21st 1943
CEMA - A branch of the Three Arts Guild has been formed at Stourport with Mr S.W. Fisher, 4 Francis Road as hon general secretary. Sub-committees for music, drama and art have been chosen. Mr L.W. Lashford, 17 Francis Road (organist and choirmaster at the Congregational Church) is acting secretary for music, Mrs W.A. Trippass for drama and Mr Fisher for art. Persons interested and desirous of taking an active part in this new venture are asked to get in touch with the general secretary.
So we now know the original secretaries.
It had been my original intention to make this document a sort of foreword. However, I think it will be more useful as a sort of 'investigative diary', where I can put my thoughts down so I don't forget them.
As it stands, my list of priorities is as follows:
Right, that's enough for now.
Well, since my last entry I have found out a couple of interesting things. First I have discovered I am not walking on virgin ground. I am not first to attempt a Guild history. Vicky Bagnall and Jane Finch wrote 'An account of the development of Stourport Three Arts Guild'. Catchy Title. From the preface it seems they started writing it in the summer of 1987 and finished it in 1988, sometime after April. Part of me felt that some of the challenge was gone, but then having read it I found it to be incomplete and inaccurate. For a start it begins with reference to the founding of Kidderminster Three Arts Guild. An easy mistake to make, to be sure. I nearly leapt to that conclusion myself. With this in mind, I determined to check out the veracity of the rest of the document and, more importantly, to expand upon it. I must point out that they themselves were quick to point out:
However, this document is not intended as a "history book"; it is a story written by Guild enthusiasts with as much accuracy as we could muster.
I will take note of this comment and treat the document as such. On reflection I am glad of their efforts, it gives me a good head start. I may well have to find them and interview them for this history. I will have to pass on my gratitude when I get the chance. First, I intend to scan the document in as is.
I have also had some success researching CEMA. I have discovered the following: After the outbreak of the second world war the Pilgrim Trustees made, in December, 1939, a grant of £25,000 to maintain and encourage in wartime the practice and enjoyment of the fine arts - music, painting and the drama - and set up a small committee to administer the grant. On 10th April 1940, His Majesty's Government announced that the Treasury would provide £50,000 to further the work initiated by the Pilgrim Trustees and thereupon the Board of Education (seemingly providing another £50,000) constituted a body called originally the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts (commonly known as C.E.M.A.). The Council consisted of Lord Macmillan (the chairman of the Pilgrim Trustees) and eight other members appointed by the Board of Education.
Its policy is summarised in the press statement as: "To carry the Arts - Music, Drama and Painting - to those places which for one reason or another are cut off from the enjoyment of the best." As regards drama it is stated that: "It will make possible visits of first-class touring companies to give worthwhile plays in towns where only the cinema is available. It will not at present touch London or any of the larger towns."
In June, 1945, C.E.M.A. changed its name to "The Arts Council of Great Britain", the Chancellor of the Exchequer announcing that it would go on as a permanent organisation with that title: it would be incorporated as an autonomous body, leaving the shelter of the Ministry of Education and receiving its grant-in-aid direct from the Treasury. A Royal Charter was granted to it on 9th August 1946, the Order for which bears date l0th July, 1946.
In 1994 the Scottish and Welsh Arts Councils became autonomous and the Arts Council of Great Britain became the Arts Council of England.
Well, that's about it for now, I think.
Okay, I have scanned in Vicky and Jane's History. The result can be seen here. That's about it for today, I had to spend a while correcting the OCR's interpretation of the text.
Well, not had much chance to update this recently. I have a spare half hour, so I'm going to do some anyway. Just wading through some old newspaper cuttings.
Quite a while since the last update. Well, not much more to do apart from to wade through some old paper cuttings still. I have been rather lucky to have a book containing cuttings from November 1957 to June 1964. This was donated by Hettie Bullock when she resigned. The idea was to keep cuttings and create a 'memoir'. This is of course very useful for me now. So, job one is to assimilate all the information into my timeline and list of past productions.
As well as that, I have some minutes from May 1962 to October 1969 and October 1969 to November 1973.
So, all things considered I have quite a lot on my plate just to get through it all. I have yet to enquire of Alan what minutes he has. I know he has minutes from the last few years. Whether he has minutes back to 1973 is another question.
Still, before I can realistically get back to the library archives, I need to sort out what I already have in my possession.
Anyway, I'm wasting time rambling. Back to the plot.
Well, I have some more to be going on. I have some more minute books, covering the ranges January 1950 to October 1961, May 1950 to August 1971, October 1970 to January 1973 and a positive handful of old programmes. Of course, I also wonder why these particular books overlap in date ranges. Maybe it will become clear when I read them.
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