This episode Mike & Will kick off Season 3 with ‘An Antiquary’s Ghost Story’ by Augustus Jessopp! Scroll down for a full list of the ‘James Gang’ authors we will be covering over the next 15 episodes.
Big thanks to our reader for this episode, Debbie Wedge!
Show notes:
- Collected writings of Augustus Jessopp (gothictexts.wordpress.com)
The ghostly writing of Augustus Jessopp and more can be downloaded for free on Kindle, Epub and PDF here, courtesy of friend of the show Dewi Evans. - The Antiquarian of Arcady, Augustus Jessopp (Violet Books)
This brief biography of Jessopp by Jessica Amanda Salmonson touches on his life, work and relationship with M.R. James. - Augustus Jessopp’s obituary (The Times)
Jessopp’s obituary mentions the supernatural experience described in this story, and its part in drawing Henry Walpole to the public’s attention. - The Arcadian Club newsletter archive (derehamhistory.com)
The Arcadian Club is a specialist group dedicated to Augustus Jessopp. You can download back issues of the clubs newsletter from their website. - ‘One generation of a Norfolk House’ by Augustus Jessopp (archive.org)
Augustus Jessopp’s book about the Walpole family. - William of Norwich (wikipedia)
The 1144 murder of William or Norwich was the topic of ‘The Life and Miracles of St William of Norwich’, the book M.R. James and Augustus Jessopp collaborated on and published in 1896. - Velázquez ‘Dead Soldier’ (nationalgallery.org.uk)
This is the story that Jessopp mentions in this story. Check out that hand! - Mannington Hall, Norfolk (manningtongardens.co.uk)
This picturesque country estate is the location for this story. - Images of Henry Walpole (Google Images)
Let us know your thoughts on whether you think the available paintings of Henry Walpole match Jessopp’s description of the ghost he encountered!
Season 3: The James Gang
Over the next 15 episodes we will be looking at stories from ‘The James Gang’, the group comprising authors which were either personal acquaintances of M.R. James, or whose stories were directly inspired by his work. The authors we are covering are:
- Augustus Jessop
- Adrian Ross
- Arthur Benson
- Robert Hugh Benson
- E.F. Benson
- E.G. Swain
- Ingulphus (Arthur Gray)
- H. Russell Wakefield
- R.H. Malden
- M.P. Dare
- Andrew Caldecott
- L.T.C Rolt
- A.N.L Munby
- Christopher Woodforde
- Noel Boston
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Tags: Augustus Jessopp, Ghost Story, Henry Walpole, M.R. James
Looking forward to this new theme.
but
Launceston is in Cornwall 😉
Thank you, Mike and Will, for presenting this cute tale, by an author who was previously an unknown to me. While it wasn’t scary: why do we assume that a ghost story has to be scary? Ghosts are no different from the rest of us, and most of us aren’t scary: at least, not most of the time.
I don’t think that you were reading too much into the story. There were undoubtedly influences upon James emanating from it, and in the absence of a clear explanation by James as to what they were, speculation is all we can do.
I’m looking forward to the new Podcast Season!
I’m glad you guys are finally back. This theme is VERY promising, there’s some great names in there. The Benson Bros. are all quite good. And there’s some in there I’ve never even heard of!
I was so excited to listen to the new episode that I didn’t read the story first… But I think you guys are certainly on to something. We all love that image of James as this genius who wrote a perfect story in one go, coming out of the study with the ink still wet on the page, but like all writers, he’s a culmination of inspirations and experiences, all filtered through his own imaginative power.
It’s great that you’re back, and a fun episode. Here’s the painting, A Dead Soldier, now thought to be Italian rather than by Velázquez: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Dead_soldier_-_Anonymous_-_Natl_Gallery.jpg
Henry and Horace Walpole both seem to have brown,tending to red, hair. I’d guess the paintings got darker over time:
– https://soul-candy.info/2012/04/apr-7-st-henry-walpole-sj-1558-1595-martyr-poet-priest/
– https://www.apollo-magazine.com/the-treasures-of-horace-walpole-come-home-to-strawberry-hill/
Mm, probably should have noticed that you’d posted these links!
Yes, you could do an entire podcast or maybe 7 podcasts about the Wiilliam of Norwich translation. The podcast Medieval Death Trip has done 7 different episodes covering different aspects of the Jessopp and James translation of the text of The Life and Miracles of William of Norwich.
Looking forward to season 3.
Ooh, fab. And these are some good names, including a handful I’ve never heard of.
I’m a bit surprised at the absence of Eleanor Scott, as I was reading Celui-là recently, and it’s more Jamesian than some of Monty’s stuff. It starts with a visit to a small Breton town where there’s a nervous curé, and the landscape is heath, gorse, heather and shingle, then then one evening the protagonist sees a figure moving “at incredible speed up and down a short stretch of beach waving its draped arms” and so on.
Still, 50% of the Benson children means I can’t complain.
I love Celui La, probably my favourite short tale, please add Eleanor Scott
Welcome back!
I know Jessop from ”The Phantom Coach”, I had no idea he moved in the same circles as James. His stories are very harmless pleasant horrors, though they gave me a fright as a child.
Thank you for all the research your giving to this season. It’s nice to put a face behind the authors of stories that I read from my childhood to today. Not sure I recognise all the names on the list except for EF Benson, this will be super fun.
Thanks for another relevant story. I enjoyed this and really hope that decide you an keep this podcast up for many years to come. I have an audiobook of all of M. R. James stories, and everytime I decide to listen to one of them, I always follow it up by listening to the associated podcast. In a couple of cases I discovered that I was actually confused about the story until you clarified something. Thanks and keep it up.
Celui La , my favourite tale, by Eleanor Scott, it would be wonderful if you included anything from Randalls Round
Great to hear you guys again. I really enjoyed the episode and look forward to the rest of the season.
PUT THE TITLES OF THE STORIES OF THOSE AUTHORS we are covering
PUT THE TITLES OF THE STORIES OF THOSE AUTHORS YOU ARE COVERING