John Drinkwater
Links relevant to John Drinkwater:
Organisations:
Publications and essays:
| Publication |
Description |
Content |
Home Page |
| John Drinkwater’s “Abraham Lincoln:” People and Events |
Somehow connected to something called wordpress.com |
Essay on JD's play Abraham Lincoln by Barry Honold, Dramaturg. |
The Komodo Dramaturg |
| “Abraham Lincoln” Essay |
Some kind of blog...hard to tell. |
Useful info on the original dramatis personae of Abraham Lincoln. |
The Komodo Dramaturg |
| Ego or Justice? The Raging Fight in Every Man |
Essay by Len Bernstein, from a seminar at the Aesthetic Realism Foundation, 2005. |
References to and commentary on various characters in the play Abraham Lincoln. |
lenbernstein.com |
| Review of Abraham Lincoln |
First-night review in New York Times, December 21, 1919, by Alexander Woollcott. |
The first performance of Abraham Lincoln took place at the Cort Theatre, on Broadway, December 15, 1919. |
New York Times Archive |
| "Lincoln on the stage" |
Critical responses to the play Abraham Lincoln, mostly querying matters of historical fact. Interesting for the hostility
evidenced towards the supposed European component of the North. In fact, the entire article positively reeks of racism. |
Southerners outraged at any suggestion they might have behaved improperly during the Civil War, from the May 23, 1920 issue
of the New York Times. |
New York Times Archive |
| "New Play of Mary Queen of Scots" |
Details of a new play by JD, with other historical facts and commentary of interest. |
Lengthy article by Walter Prichard Eaton, February 13, 1921. |
New York Times Archive |
| "Some recent books of poetry" |
Favourable review of "Poems: 1908-1914" by unknown reviewer, in the New York Times Book Review. |
Reviewed with four other books, June 16, 1918. |
New York Times Archive |
| "Drinkwater's "Abraham Lincoln"" |
Interesting for the fact that it shows that American interest in the play was high, even before it appeared in New York. |
March 16, 1919 news article commenting on the Hammersmith production, mostly a reprint of the London Times review. |
New York Times Archive |
| Poetry from the Archive |
Brief overview of "Georgian Poetry", published by Eddie Marsh between 1912 and 1922, with JD's poem given as an example. Includes a description of
the dismissive response of the modernists (e.g. W.B.Yeats) to the so-called "Georgian Poets". The writer concludes with an encouragingly positive spin on JD's poem, however. There is also
an interestingly somber and reflective portait of JD by his great friend Sir William Rothenstein, ca. 1918. |
"The Ships of Grief", 1914 |
Times Literary Supplement |
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| Page |
Description |
Content |
Home Page |
| Pepys' House at Brampton, Huntingdonshire |
Site about Samuel Pepys and his Diary. |
information about Pepys' House, which JD rented or leased at some point. |
www.pepys.info |
| Birmingham Repertory Theatre Photograph Gallery |
Sir Barry Jackson and Birmingham Repertory Theatre Archive 1913-1970. |
Birmingham Central Library reference collection. |
Birmingham City Council, Information Services |
| Harold Monro (biography) |
Short bio of Harold Monro, the first publisher to take an interest in JD, publishing "Lyrical and other poems" in 1908. |
Biographical material, minimal. |
JRank |
| Poets: 'D' |
Poets' Corner; containing six poems by JD. |
Reference site, amateur-authored but seemingly comprehensive, containing out-of-copyright works of about 800 poets. |
theotherpages.org |
| Abraham Lincoln by John Drinkwater |
Lengthy article by JD about his play. Also further articles by others about the play, playwright, actors and producer. |
The Sunday Morning Star, Wilmington, Illinois, Jan 8, 1922. |
Google news Archive Search |
| Revive Civil War Plays! |
Article musing on the merits of revisiting various Civil War plays in the centennial
year of Lincoln's death. Also interesting for amusing anecdote about the late Frank McGlynn, who played Lincoln in the U.S. premiere (died May 19, 1951) |
From the Milwaukee Sentinel, Jan 30, 1961. |
Google news Archive Search |
| Lincoln Proves a Real Actor |
Article comparing various plays on the subject. |
From the Milwaukee Journal, May 19, 1940. |
Google news Archive Search |
| John Drinkwater's grave |
Picture of JD's grave in Piddington Churchyard, in Oxfordshire. |
Entry in a website devoted to gravesites, includes potted bio. |
Find a Grave |
| Daisy Kennedy |
This has a great deal of information about Daisy Kennedy's recordings, and includes interesting photos
and an interview with her by Rafael Kubelik. |
Damian Rogan is evidently an enthusiastic collector of old recordings. |
Damian's 78s |
| JD recordings |
Details of a recording of JD reading some of his poems, 1929, with brief bio. |
Another part of Damian Rogan's comprehensive site. |
Damian's 78s |
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Biographical Sites:
| Page |
Description |
Content |
Home Page |
| John Drinkwater (playwright) |
Poorly written and skimpy article with inaccuracies. |
Biographical entry, minimal. |
Wikipedia |
| John Drinkwater |
(Some free pages available) |
various medium-length biographies, available for a price. |
www.bookrags.com |
| Spokane Daily Chronicle |
News page of his death, with a reference to his recent Coronation film. |
News item, March 25, 1937. |
News archive search |
| Reading Eagle |
News page of his death, with biographical details. Also notable for its claim that Penny Drinkwater was born in
the former London home of Samuel Pepys: this is obviously complete nonsense. |
News item, March 25, 1937. |
News archive search |
| News article |
This was his trip to supervise the premiere of Abraham Lincoln at the Hudson Theatre in November,
followed by a lecture tour. |
Details of his trip on the Caronia, September 25, 1919. |
New York Times Archive |
| "Sail for Europe today" |
As Benno Moiseiwitsch is listed as one of the notable passengers, it is certain that it was on this trip that JD first met up with Daisy kennedy. |
News of various well-known people embarking on the Adriatic, April 6, 1921. |
New York Times Archive |
| "Daisy K's Wicked "G" String" |
A virtually blow-by-blow account of the divorce trial described with scarcely-veiled prurience in a New Zealand newspaper, NZ Truth, August 9th, 1924. |
Details of the proceedings in London which finalised JD's divorce from Kathleen Walpole. |
Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand |
| John Drinkwater |
Rather disparaging mini-bio by Martin Seymour-Smith, but containing first reference
to his interest, late in life, in stamp-collecting. |
A free encyclopedia site. |
JRank, Literature reference |
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After its debut with the Birmingham Rep, performances of "Bird-in-Hand" are known to have taken place at The Royalty
Theatre, London (7.Apr.1928-2.Mar.1929, 366 performances), The King's Theatre, Edinburgh (7.Apr.1930-?), The Grand Opera House, Belfast
(21.4.1930-?) and the Bolton Little Theatre (1933-34). Allan Wilkie also toured it throughout Queensland, Australia, in 1931. Ralph Richardson
played in "Abraham Lincoln" with Harcourt Williams, Robert Speaight and Alastair Sims at The Old Vic and the Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1931-32,
with John Drinkwater directing. In 1940 Hugh Manning played a baronet in "Bird-in-Hand" at the Birmingham Rep.
Archives and collections:
| Page |
Description |
Commentary |
Home Page |
| The National Archives |
List of UK archive collections of authors' works |
List of places where books, mss and other papers to do with John Drinkwater are held, worldwide. |
www.national archives.gov.uk |
| British Poetry Collections |
Lilly Library MS Collections, Indiana (The rare books, manuscripts, and special collections library of the Indiana University Libraries, Bloomington) |
Letters and writings of JD, 1912-1920 (41 items), also of Abercrombie (48 items) |
The Lilly Library, Indiana University |
| John Drinkwater search |
Internet Archive Search. A download site, with free access to researchers, historians, scholars, and the general public. |
About a dozen works available. |
Internet Archive |
| The Poet of Highgate |
The Sewanee Review is a literary quarterly published by the University of the South,
Sewanee, Tennessee (a renowned liberal arts college), since 1892. |
Article by Cyril Clemens, Vol. 40, No. 4 (Oct-Dec 1932) of the Sewanee Review.
Complete article available to scholars via JSTOR, a digital archive, through participating institutions. |
JSTOR |
| Article on play Abraham Lincoln |
The North American Review, published by the University of Northern Iowa. The first literary
magasine in the U.S., published initially in Boston from 1815. |
Article by St.John Ervine, Vol.210, No.769, (Dec 1919) of the North American Review. |
JSTOR |
| John Drinkwater Collection |
Yale University Library's 'Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library', containing over 1,000 letters mainly to JD,
plus one essay ("Poetry of the Seventies") and one playscript ("Mary Stuart"); includes some digital images. |
Ten boxes stored in New Haven, Connecticut. |
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library |
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Curiosities: