Document A: John Betjeman, in Architectural Review, 1933.
Document B: Edward Thomas, from Poems, 1917. Adlestrop.
Introduction
In 1914, there was a demolition of a monumental part of railway infrastructure in London. Such act marked a new era of practice and research. Various buildings were demolished along the North London railway station. For instance, The Euston Arch, which weighed 4 and half thousand tones and stood over 60 feet high was demolished. Its architectural design was not of an arch in anyway. Instead in it was a Doric Propylaeum designed in Greek Revival style. The documents by John Betjeman and Edward Thomas are sharing diverging views over the railway station infrastructure. Betjeman texts emphasizes on the design and architecture of the station. On the other hand, the poem by Thomas talks of the surrounding factors of the station that may create a particular perception.
In document A, Betjeman talks about various rival trains that approached the railway station in London. These trains included Cornish Riviera Express from the Great Western Railway and Atlantic Coast Express from the Southern Railway lines (Aitchison 16). The two rivalry trains are said to be popular fixtures during the English summer holiday.
Analysis of Betjeman’s Text
The text seeks to address the difference that the two trains (Cornish Riviera Express and Atlantic Coast Express) had on the people’s lives especially the passengers. The Great Western Railways first operated in 1907 and is still present. Nonetheless, the Atlantic Coast Express sop operating in the year 1957. As a result, there public outcry as it made it difficult to travel to the surfing beaches and fishing areas towards the North of Camel Estuary (Aitchison 18). To access these areas, a person will have to drive for more than 5 hours. The whole idea about the railways station especially the sudden collapse of the Atlantic Coast was personal to Betjeman because he used to go to the Surfing beaches and fishing villages using the train. However, he continued going to those areas until his demise.
In the first document written by John Betjeman, a vivid picture is painted about the modernism concept of architectural preservation after the First World War. In 1930, Betjeman became the assistant editor of architectural review and he was of the idea that modernism and traditional styles could be utilized in new ways (Lowe244). Due to his modernism ideas, Betjeman campaigned for building conservation from the past that was worthy of preservation (Aitchison 18). Betjeman has been regarded as a national treasure due to his cosy character.
In the second document written by Edward Thomas an English poet who was on his way to Worcester from Oxford in 24th
June 1914 a few weeks from the commencement of world war one. Thomas was previously a reviewer and critic before venturing into poetry. Robert Frost was Edward’s mentor who encouraged him to venture into poetry (Lowe244). On his way to Robert Frost’s home, Edward’s train made an unexpected stop at Aldestrop. The poem’s theme is about England’s beauty.
It is worth noting that the events of both documents are associated with world war one. There is a clear distinction of England’s landscape before world war one and after the war. The events before the war will be discussed in detail and the existence or disappearance of postwar landmarks like Adlestrop railway station will be looked.
Pre-world war one landscape in England
Document A describes England’s architecture before world war one. A photograph of church architect, Sir Ninian Comper (1864-1960) emerges whereby according to Betjeman, Comper made a fusion of gothic and classical styles for the church architecture. George Whit another architect of the old balley which was a combination of business-like dignity and tough appearance stripped classical extension in his style. These architects proved that architecture could be done outside modernist’s orthodoxy confines (Lowe244). Betjeman also talks about a train station that spreads like a map in his architectural review article.
In the second document by Edward Thomas, on his stop at Aldlestop a tiny village, whereby the beauty of England’s countryside is described and the flora and fauna of the tiny village. Since Edward was a prolific journal keeper, he took notes about nature as he admired the peace, tranquility, and stillness of the village. He describes it as, “meadowsweet and haycocks dry “Thomas, therefore, paints a bright picture of England and England’s natural elements and therefore creates a link between nature and society (Andrew 96).
Post-world war one landscape in England
In the first document by Betjeman, modernism is approved by fighting for the preservation of new parks hill flats in Sheffield. another earliest campaign was in the preservation of Bedford park an estate which was built in 1889. He also proposed the 1933 county Shell Guides which had an archaic topography and avant-garde topography (Lowe 246). The Murray guides was one of his biggest contributions after the war, a striking example of this is the Buckinghamshire 1984 guide which has a superimposed Dinton church door with a background of black and red. In the document, he describes the Wellington train station as almost hidden Betjeman was able to wage campaigns against negative modernism and he wanted people to take a keen look on buildings and to spot unnoticed things or things taken for granted. In the document, Betjeman gives a description of modernistic posters, the amalgamation of the railways, branch lines that were disused and empty trucks (Lowe 246).
In the second document, after the war, the Adlestrop railway station is no longer in existence. Edward reflects on the loneliness by war victims and the torment experienced. After world war one poetry style would also experience some changes and Thomas himself was murdered in the world war in 1917 (Andrew 96). Thomas also takes into consideration things that may be overlooked and looks at the co-existence of England’s beauty and nature.
The contributions of Betjeman and Edward in England
Betjeman played a role in the creation of the most modern figure since he possessed both style and substance. He was a conversationalist who had an enthusiasm for ancient architectural style, to begin with. He was therefore regarded as a national treasure due to his cosy character.
Conversely, Edward who was encouraged by Frost to pursue poetry takes a personal discovery journey whereby there is a vivid conversation between Edward and the reader. He creates a connection between nature and society by using birds which function as metaphorical glue. He depicts England as peaceful and beautiful by using repetition as emphasis. In his death in 1917, poetry experiences major changes. His death occurs before the publishing of his work. One of the reasons for this poem’s popularity is because the events occur six weeks before the beginning of world war one. Additionally, the train in the poem symbolizes modernity and movement.
Works cited
Lowe, Peter. "Englishness in a Time of Crisis: George Orwell, John Betjeman, and the Second World War." The Cambridge Quarterly 38.3 (2009): 243-263.
Motion, Andrew. The Poetry of Edward Thomas. Random House, 2011.
Aitchison, Jean. Words in the mind: An introduction to the mental lexicon. John Wiley & Sons, 2012.
