Our annual conference will be held
at St Hilda's College Oxford, on Saturday 6th September 2008. The theme of the conference is "Everyone Sang".
In 1916 Siegfried Sassoon arrived in Oxford to recuperate from wounds received on the Western
Front. He was soon introduced to Lady Ottoline Morrell, whose home at Garsington Manor, just outside the city, had become
a haven for writers and artists unwilling or unable to serve in the war. Through the Morrells, Sassoon met Bertrand
Russell and others who would encourage him in his own anti-war protest of 1918. He also made the acquaintance of kindred spirits
such as W B Yeats and John Masefield.
It was at Garsington that Sassoon later heard the news of the Armistice. After the war,
he decided to return to Oxford, this time as a student. He went as far as renting rooms in Merton Street, but there
is no record of his being associated with any college or doing any actual studying! He spent much of his time
with his friends, including Masefield, Robert Graves and Robert Bridges, all of whom lived at Boar's Hill.
We plan to commemorate
the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War by looking at Sassoon's Oxford connections and his activities in the
immediate aftermath of war.
CONFERENCE FEE: £30 (includes self-service lunch and refreshments)
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS
Margi Blunden, daughter of the poet Edmund Blunden who was, like Sassoon,
a veteran of the trenches and later became one of his closest friends.
Alice Burley, completing her PhD at Queen Mary London, will talk about WH
Rivers and the Diffusionist school and their influence on Sassoon.
Jess Owen, who has previously written on John Drinkwater for Siegfried's
Journal, will speak on anti-war poets.
Stuart Lee, Head of the Centre for Humanities Computing at Oxford University,
will give an illustrated talk on Oxford's First World War Poetry Digital Archive, with assistance from Project Manager
Kate Lindsay.
St Hilda's College is conveniently located close to the city centre, and is set in beautiful
grounds where our members will be welcome to stroll between sessions. Limited car parking is available within the college,
and there may be an option to stay overnight in student accommodation, for those attending the annual dinner on Saturday
evening. On Sunday morning, we hope to include a visit to an appropriate location in the Oxford area with Sassoon connections.
Paid-up members should have received their booking forms. If in doubt, please contact
the Secretary.
