Reading Women's Home and Garden Lives: A Folkloristic Examination of the English Gardening Books of Marion Cran by Cynthia Boyd A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Folklore Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador October 2013 ll Abstract Building on scholarship from folklore and literature, everyday autobiography, women's traditional culture, and women's garden history, this thesis examines how Marion Cran documented home and garden experiences in Surrey and Kent through a series of gardening books she wrote between 1913 and 1941. While providing useful information on plants and gardening practices, Cran' s writing was fragmented and tangential: her books were filled with planting references suffused with culinary tips and recipes and traditional lore that evoked meaning and "encoded memories" (Kirshenblatt-Gimblett 1989). Although Cran was fascinated by garden styles indicative of the period, such as the English cottage garden, she also valued individuality in garden making, and implored her readers to create gardens that fulfilled their own expectations. In her everyday autobiographies, Cran revealed her innermost thoughts based on her own experiences and what she learned through her observations of and interactions with fellow gardeners and homemakers. Cran inspired a predominantly female audience to create and maintain homes and gardens that benefited their own lives as well as those of their families and members of their communities. In direct correlation, women corresponded with Cran, confiding to her their own home and garden experiences whether they lived in England or South Africa. While exploring Cran's appeal to women readers, this thesis focuses on several themes: community and fellowship in gardening practices, implicit coding, female performativity, and women's sense of empowerment through creating a home and garden. Ill This thesis examines not only how Cran and her books inspired gardeners and homemakers' lives during the interwar period, but also, it recognizes her relevance to contemporary readers and present-day gardeners. Not unlike many gardeners today, Cran was committed to natural gardening practices and growing her own produce. Cran can be found not only between the pages of her books, but through the existence of her former home and garden, "Coggers," in Kent. By preserving Coggers and welcoming visitors, the current residents have fostered a growing community of readers and gardeners whose enthusiasm in Cran and her writings will continue her legacy for future generations. Marion Cran and her garden literature offer folklorists an alternative resource through which to understand and appreciate how women expressed themselves creatively through common, everyday tasks in homes and gardens of the early twentieth century. IV Acknowledgements When something as engrossing and all-consuming as a PhD dissertation takes nearly a decade to finish, there are bound to be so many wonderful people to thank when it is finally completed. Before I thank all these people, I would just like to extend my appreciation to several organizations for their financial assistance while I was a graduate student: Thank you to the School of Graduate Studies and the Department of Folklore, Memorial University of Newfoundland for awarding me a fellowship. I also thank the Department of Folklore for the graduate assistantships and per-course teaching assignments that I was awarded over the years. As my research and fieldwork required me to travel to England on several occasions, I was very fortunate to receive many scholarships and awards. Along with the School of Graduate Studies and the Department of Folklore, my thanks to The Bowring Harlow Foundation, the Very Reverend Edward and Marjorie Rusted Harlow Travel Award, The Scotia Bank Bursaries for International Study, The David Buchan Graduate Research Award in Folklore, and The Mary A. Griffiths Memorial Award for Folklore Field Research. To Diane Tye, my supervisor, thank you so much for taking on such an incredibly eccentric PhD topic! Your faith in me--that I would find a focal point in Marion Cran's fragmented writing/gardening life--was incredible and I am so grateful! Many thanks to Holly Everett and Paul Smith, my supervisory committee, who provided insightful comments and excellent suggestions. My thanks must extend to many other folklorists who have assisted me throughout my lengthy time as a graduate student: Philip Hiscock for answering so many questions over many years; Jillian Gould, Cory Thorne, Martin v Lovelace, Barbara Rieti, Diane Goldstein, John Widdowson, and two wonderful folklorists who I will always remember for their knowledge and because of their kindness to me: the late Peter Narvaez and the late Letty Halpert. Thanks so much to Gerald Pocius for his amazing English Cultural Landscape program at the Harlow campus! It truly was a life changing experience! I so appreciate all the hard work that the staff of the Department of Folklore does on a day-to-day basis. Thank you Sharon Cochrane, Melanie Sears, Pauline Cox, Patricia Fulton, and to Barbara Reddy, Cindy Turpin, and Eileen Collins who are enjoying retirement but have been great supporters of me all along! I want to say a very sincere thank you to Pauline Greenhill at the University of Winnipeg for reading a very early chapter of this thesis. Thank you as well to Jo Shawyer (Department of Geography, MUN) for your encouragement. In England, I have many delightful people to thank for their incredible memories of the gardening and writing life of Marion Cran. Cran's nephew, the late Dudley Graeme, welcomed me into his home in Chichester and answered my questions for several days. In between interviews, we visited some pretty fantastic places and I will never forget the short trips or the conversation. I am so sorry that Mr. Graeme passed away before seeing this thesis completed. I want to also thank his daughter, Sue Sandison, who has kept alive Marion Cran's memory by treasuring her books and her garden statues, especially Sally. I also appreciate the phone conversations I had with Mrs. Sandison's brother David Graeme and his son, Philip Graeme, in Toronto. I wish to thank Fairless Masterman, and the late, Dodie Masterman for sharing their memories of VI Lesley Templeton, and for their hospitality. After visiting Marion Cran's former home, Coggers, in Kent, I was so utterly enchanted and I have the current owners, Arianwen and Christopher Neve to thank for preserving that amazing medieval "Ruin"! The Neves have been wonderful in their dedication to Cran and her legacy as a gardener and writer. Thanks so very much for telling your stories and sharing your memories of all the "Crannies" who have come your way. Without your continued love of Coggers, Cran would only be found on the pages of her books! My thanks to Dr. Brent Elliott, Liz Gilbert and the staff of the Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library, Vincent Square, London. I wish to thank the helpful staff of the British Library as well. Thank you Peter Allen, Cranbrook History Society and Betty Carmen, Archivist of the Cranbrook History Museum and Archives, Cranbrook, Kent--I am so glad there are keen historians like both of you, keeping things preserved and thus, remembered for future generations. Thank you so much Dominic Cole, Tim Richardson, and many other members of the Garden History Society, London. I want to especially acknowledge Dominic Cole and Robert Peel for asking me, sight unseen, to speak about Marion Cran at their study day in London, November, 2005. Thanks to Jan Anderson, Robert Peel, and Sarah Couch for your hospitality while I visited England on several occasions! Cheers! Heartfelt thanks to members of the Society for Folklore Studies who listened to my presentations about Marion Cran in Swansea, Wales (2007) and Kerry, Ireland (2008). Thank you! My warmest thanks to all the staff at MUN Harlow Campus for your Vll assistance and your companionship while I worked on my fieldwork in the autumn of 2007 and 2008. To Jane and Gordon Whittle, "Nunn's" on Market Street in Old Harlow, thanks so much for letting me stay in your lovely home and for your hospitality on so many other occasions while I worked on various aspects of my thesis. You provided this wayward traveler with a home away from home and I will always remember your kindness to me! There are many folklore graduate students, past and present, who have been supportive and I would like to thank them all so very much, especially Linda D., Ginny F., Anna G., Meghann J., Heather K., AnnaL., Jeff L., Lynn M., Ben S., Emily U., Ayako Y. , and particularly Evelyn 0. for listening. My sincerest thanks to all the employees at Chapters 943, St. John's for their camaraderie as my co-workers from October 2011 until May 2013. Many nods of appreciation go to friends, Leslie Fram and Chris Pan·ish, for being so completely supportive. Thanks Penny and Stewart Gillies for your kindness to myself and my family over many years. Thank you Gail Pearcey and Bmce Ryan for your friendship, computer knowledge, and gardening expertise! Thanks Jackie Healey for watching over my boys when I first started graduate school. To Linda and Wish Downey for being super friends and neighbours who help me out so often, I am so thankful to you both. And to Loretta Kearney, you have been just amazing. I appreciated the kind words of encouragement from the late Patricia "Pat" Cowan early on in my research. Thanks to the many gardeners and floral arrangers of the Newfoundland Horticultural Society and the Floral Art Group. I am so glad I've had the privilege to know Pam Bmce, Susan VIII Bishop, Betty Hall, Elizabeth Hall, Ian and Joy Senciall, Louise and Murray Swantee, John Hearn, Frank and Margarete Smith, and the late Ken Proudfoot- you've all taught me so much about Newfoundland and English gardening practices! Thanks to my parents, Roberta and Peter Boyd, for being amazing teachers through this very long process called "my education"! While Mom spurred on my creativity, Dad ignited my curiosity in wanting to learn more.