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Writing on English folk dance, Elsie J. Oxenham, Jane Austen, May Day and maypole dancing, Elsie J. Oxenham and more!

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Archives for August 2020

Some Musings on Elsie J. Oxenham and her World

August 30, 2020 By allisonmthompson Leave a Comment

Gym Tunic 1920S

A gym tunic (aka gym slip) like this costs from ten shillings and sixpence, and is available in brown or navy, other colours to order.

For those who have recently joined in, we are reading Oxenham’s Abbey Girl series in reading order, which is not the same as publication order. Today, though I’ll digress to explore some themes that are found in all of EJO’s books, but especially the Abbey Girls series: these include Hair, Gymmies and Tunics, Names, the meaning of the word “girl,” and more. Let’s start with . . . .

Parental Morbidity & Mortality

It’s tough being an Abbey Girl parent, especially for mothers! As with other novels that deal with young people (think of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Heidi, Pollyanna, Anne Shirley of Green Gables, Mary Lennox of The Secret Garden, etc.), a child has to be detached from home and the parental units in order [Read more…]

Filed Under: Abbey Girls, Uncategorized Tagged With: Abbey Girls, Cecil Sharp, Elsie J. Oxenham, English folk dance

Elsie J. Oxenham and A18_The Abbey Girls at Home

August 23, 2020 By allisonmthompson Leave a Comment

ag at home

Published in 1929, A18_The Abbey Girls at Home begins three weeks after the last installment ended in May of 1923 and runs through Valentine’s Day of the following year. It is a rather somber book with, if I have counted them correctly, five deaths, a serious accident, and even some mental health issues. While the Hamlet Club does hold a dance out of doors, there is not much in this installment for folk dancers.

Left: Maidlin is about to be run over! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Abbey Girls, Elsie J. Oxenham, Uncategorized Tagged With: Abbey Girls, Cecil Sharp, English folk dance, Morris Dance

Elsie J. Oxenham and A17_The Abbey Girls Win Through

August 16, 2020 By allisonmthompson Leave a Comment

ag winThe Abbey Girls Win Through was published by Collins in 1928 and is tenth in the First Generation set. It takes place “Abbey Time” between April and May of 1923,slightly overlapping its predecessor installment. For those of you who are new to this blog, we are reading these books in reading order (meaning how the stories make sense with time and the ages of the characters) which is not the same as publication order. 

 Some readers feel or have felt that there is too much pi-jaw [“pi” = “pious”; “jaw” =  “talk”) in EJO’s novels and The Abbey Girls Win Through is one of the books that strongly exhibit this trait—for bad, if you find it didactic, or for good if you find her words comforting. Generally, in these books God is not explicitly invoked—a girl simply looks for “help” and then feels that she has found it—but here there are quite a few religious discussions. The off-stage deaths have to be understood as either part of God’s plan or the reverse, although the reverse takes us into Manichaean heresy of believing that there is an active agent of evil. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Abbey Girls, Uncategorized Tagged With: Abbey Girls, Elsie J. Oxenham, English folk dance, Hey Boys Up Go We

5 Things… Inside the Dancing Mind of Allison Thompson

August 11, 2020 By allisonmthompson 1 Comment

Dear friends

I am very pleased and honored to be the guest speaker at the Historical Tea and Dance Society of Pasadena’s webinar this Saturday, August 15, 2020 at 1:00 EDT. The chat is free but you must register in advance to get the zoom code.

http://historicalteaanddance.org/ThirdSaturdayWebinar.html

What are my five things? Several of them you should easily be able to figure out! Yes, l’ll certainly be talking about Elsie J. Oxenham and May Day. The others might surprise you a little!

It’s been a real pleasure to look back on my past (and towards my future!) and to see how my projects are interconnected. I would be delighted if you could join me on Saturday.

Allison

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Elsie J. Oxenham and A16_Queen of the Abbey Girls

August 9, 2020 By allisonmthompson 4 Comments

cricket 2A16_Queen of the Abbey Girls takes place in May to November of 1922 and was published by Collins in 1926. It is a strong story with a lot of dancing in it. This installment features Jen Robins—her crowning as the Brown or Beech Queen, her romance, and her presentation to the reader as one of the real spirits of the Abbey. Throughout the rest of the series Jen will retain her bright and merry spirit and she will increasingly become a wise counselor. Queen of the Abbey Girls also features some of the dark side of Joy Shirley: her selfishness and her inability to recognize other people’s emotions. This is another of the series that addresses Faith and God.

Oxenham is now well-set in her series. She is writing for the age group that she preferred: the older teenager or young woman, typically one who must resolve a problem. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Abbey Girls, Uncategorized Tagged With: Cecil Sharp, Elsie J. Oxenham, Flamborough Sword Dance, Hey Boys Up Go We, Kibbo Kift, May Queen

Elsie J. Oxenham and A15_The Abbey Girls in Town

August 2, 2020 By allisonmthompson Leave a Comment

ag in town coatPublished in 1925, A15_The Abbey Girls in Town begins in December 1921, Abbey Time, and concludes in May of 1922. It is the third novel in the Mary-Dorothy and Biddy Devine story arc and one that mostly resolves Mary’s “problem”—that of both unhealthy dreaminess and an over-idealization of Joy Shirley. After this installment, Biddy largely disappears, though she will get her own novel in A21_Biddy’s Secret. There are two major dance episodes in it: one at the Chelsea Polytechnic Christmas dance school, where we meet again with Cecil Sharp (“the Prophet”) and his teachers, and one of a children’s dance performance.

In 1925, Elsie J. Oxenham was forty-four and was well-established as one of the leading writers of books for girls, having published 30 books [Read more…]

Filed Under: Abbey Girls, Uncategorized Tagged With: Abbey Girls, Cecil Sharp, Elsie J. Oxenham, English folk dance, Helen Kennedy North, May Gadd, Morris Dance

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