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www.guildofstgeorge.org.uk ISSN 2053-8715 (print) ISSN 2053-8839 (online) The Guild of St George The Companion No. 14 (2014) Number 14 (2014) ‘THE WORLD IS CREEPING AFTER RUSKIN’ It is true there are people in England who share Tolstoy’s views, but one of the chief characteristics of these views consists in the conviction that each man should be guided, not by the mental or moral authority of another, but by his own reason and conscience; and thus one of the special features of those who have these views is independence of opinion and character. In their conceptions of life they are not followers, but companions of Tolstoy. —Vladimir Chertkov, ‘If Tolstoy were tsar’ in Brotherhood vol. 5, no. 6 (October 1897) p. 63 qtd in Charlotte Alston, Tolstoy and His Disciples: The History of a Radical International Movement (London, 2014) pp.2-3. As Companions of Ruskin in his the events to mark the centenary Guild of St George, we too must of Ruskin’s death and found him guard against merely following. It as charming as he was is instructive to what extent impressive. Chertkov’s words, though they Dr Janet Barnes, formerly the are couched in terms of reason Keeper of the Ruskin Collection rather than religion, nonetheless at Sheffield, currently chief echo Ruskin’s: ‘no true disciple executive of York Museums of mine will ever be a Trust, a Director of the Guild “Ruskinian”!—he will follow, who now chairs the steering not me, but the instincts of his group of the Ruskin-in-Sheffield own soul, and the guidance of project (see pp. 29-30), has been his Creator’ (Works 24.371). recognised for her dedicated Tolstoy and Ruskin shared a service to museums in belief in the power, symbolic Yorkshire. It was with enormous and inspirational, of exemplary pride that we learned that she conduct. In various ways they had been made a CBE in the became examples themselves— New Year Honours. examples, above all, of Christian Sometimes a place—a dedication to service. physical location—exerts a kind We have many instances of of magnetic pull, attracting to it exemplary conduct and service a certain type of person and in the Guild, but I’ll confine encouraging a particular way of myself to just two of them here. life. One such place is Professor Van Akin Burd, to Gloucestershire. I am thinking of whom an entire souvenir its myriad Ruskinian associations supplement of The Companion is —for example, among those happily dedicated—in other Guildsmen, in C. R. celebration of his hundredth Ashbee’s Guild of Handicraft, birthday—is an exemplary who migrated from Whitechapel scholar. For such a pioneering to Chipping Campden in the and dedicated researcher, it is early 20th century. Of yet other just the latest milestone in a Guildspeople, in the lifetime of notable Gloucestershire Guild of achievements. I was fortunate to The bookplate dedicating what one newspaper called the ‘de luxe’ Craftsmen, whose 80th Library Edition set of Ruskin to James Batten Winterbotham. meet him at Brantwood during anniversary celebrations you can read about on p 36. Of the historian, R. H. collected together with essays and biography, How Different From Us: A Biography Tawney, whose country retreat was in published as Moretum Alterum (1909). A of Miss Buss and Miss Beale (1958), that Beale Elcombe and whose Ruskin credentials were Baptist-turned- could ‘bring her explored. in a fascinating lecture to The Congregationalist, he . psychological insight to Ruskin Society last year by Dr Lawrence was also a generous bear’ on a case which Goldman. Of Companion Aonghus Gordon benefactor to the called for the benefit of and Ruskin Mill in Nailsworth and their Anglican St Mary’s her experience. ‘A innovative approach to education. Of the Church. As a former pupil recollects Guild’s St George’s Field in Sheepscombe freemason he was a how, as an overgrown (neighbouring the Tolstoyan colony at Senior Grand Warden adolescent, she had Whiteway) whose donor is the subject of a and a Past Master. given cause for her forthcoming pamphlet. He became a parents to complain to As the Guild’s Secretary, I felt that I councillor and Miss Beale that she was ought to have volume 30 of Ruskin’s alderman in doing no work. In her Complete Works to refer to—what we can Cheltenham in 1881, reply Miss Beale think of as Ruskin’s Guild ‘manual’ (whereas and councillor for reminded them their volumes 27-29 containing Fors Clavigera are Gloucestershire when daughter was growing its ‘Bible’). The copy I duly purchased for county councils were very rapidly and told myself boasted an intriguing notice on the first formed in 1888, them she thought it inside cover (see cover illustration). Indeed, returning in 1897 to unwise to expect a ‘Each volume … has a front page specially Cheltenham Town simultaneous mental printed by the publisher’ the Cheltenham Council which he development.’ Kamm Looker On announced (June 5, 1909). Stating served until his death. Clara Winterbotham donated the notes, ‘Miss Beale was that the book was part of a presentation He painted Library Edition to the justified: the pupil in Pate’s Grammar School for Girls, Cheltenham. made to James Winterbotham in competently in oils and question—Miss Clara appreciation of 21 years’ of secretarial for many years was the Chairman of the Art Winterbotham—became Cheltenham’s first service, it struck me as an auspiciously Gallery and Museum Committee. He was woman Mayor and second woman Freeman, appropriate copy to have found. The Chairman of the Town Improvement Miss Beale herself having been the first.’ We mention of the masonic Provincial Grand Committee, overseeing the construction of are privileged in the Guild to have another Lodge of Gloucestershire piqued my the Town Hall in 1902-3. He formed and former Mayor of Cheltenham on the Board interest, so I set out to discover more about chaired the educational authority, inititated of Directors, Mr Robert Wilson. the recipient of what one journalist described under the provisions of the Education Act I asserted that Winterbotham’s career was as this ‘“edition de luxe” of Ruskin’s of 1902. For 20 years, he was chairman of not untypical of many late-nineteenth- works’ (Cheltenham Chronicle, March 28, Governors of Pate’s Grammar School, century Ruskin disciples who involved 1914) and what I found was a which he also served as themselves in civic life. In Manchester, for civic-minded pillar of the secretary, and he was a example, T. C. Horsfall (1841-1932) community not untypical of the member of the Council of founded his own Art Museum and was a Ruskin disciples I wrote about in Cheltenham College, whose pioneer of town planning. You can read After Ruskin (OUP, 2011). Principal, Rev Canon more about how the Guild supports his living James Batten Winterbotham Waterfield, was among those legacy on pp. 32-35. His friend and (1837-1914) was a solicitor, a who led Winterbotham’s colleague, J. Ernest Phythian (1858-1935), local Liberal politician, and a funeral service. originally a solicitor like Winterbotham, and writer of prose and verse, who It seems likely that a non-conformist Liberal town councillor became Deputy Mayor of Winterbotham would have who served as chairman of the city art gallery Cheltenham. By one of those known a former Principal of committee too, provides the closest twists of fors, he shared his the College (1868-1874), comparison. Phythian was a Companion of birthday with Ruskin and was Thomas William Jex-Blake the Guild. His daughter, the educationist, exactly 18 years his junior. He (1832-1915), who went on to historian and local politician Dame Mabel was described on his death as James Batten Winterbotham be headmaster of Rugby Tylecote (1896-1987), who sent her son, ‘one of Cheltenham’s most (Gloucestershire Journal, School (1874-1887), a man John, to Bembridge School, was herself not gifted and most honoured 28 March 2014) who acknowledged a debt to dissimilar to Clara Winterbotham. Not sons’ (Gloucester Journal, April Ruskin. Another acquaintance, infrequently the network of people indebted 18,1914). A Conservative councillor wrote: probably also a friend, was Dorothea Beale to Ruskin share key characteristics and ‘We mourn a veteran in borough and county (1831-1906), someone Ruskin admired. associations. government, a man of rich intellectual She was the Principal of Cheltenham I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to endowment and many-sided culture; one Ladies’ College, to which Ruskin donated everyone who has contributed to this issue of who was professionally of high standing, and books and manuscripts. Among Beale’s the magazine and in thanking them I one whom, political opponent though he pupils was Winterbotham’s daughter, Clara acknowledge the time, effort and expertise was, we recognised as the wielder of an Frances Winterbotham (1880-1967). She they volunteer for our benefit. Ruskin’s ennobling influence alike in public and in became the first Lady Mayor of reach was great and extended far beyond private. The word influence, indeed, stamps Cheltenham in 1921, serving until 1923 Gloucestershire. You will read articles here and characterizes his career.’ (Cheltenham and for a second term between 1944 and that discuss the Wyre Forest and Westmill, Chronicle, March 28, 1914.) 1946. She was appointed an MBE. It was Matlock and Manchester, Sheffield, Italy and Educated by his uncle, he made his living Clara who in 1950 gave her father’s Library the United States. But there is a danger in in his family’s successful legal firm. From the Edition of Ruskin to Pate’s Grammar School finding Ruskin lurking in every shadow.