1991.1016.124.7

Philip Norman (architect)

Letter to Emery Walker from Philip Norman dated 4th February 1930 in which Norman apologises for not being able to attend the Cocked Hat dinner and discusses candidacy for the Society of Antiquaries. Found inserted in the book, The History of England, by Macauley, Thomas Babington when acquired by the museum, shelf K 28 (F) . Part of the Emery Walker Library.

London

1930-02-04 - 1930-02-04

Arts & Crafts, 20th century

press cutting, letter, bookmark

Letter from Philip Norman to Emery Walker dated 4th February 1930 45 Evelyn Gardens SW7 4 Feb 1930 Dear Emery Walker, I’m sorry that I can’t come to the C.H.[i] dinner on Wednesday, because I miss the chance, which does not come often, of seeing you & other valued friends. The fact is that I am desperately afraid of catching cold in this uncertain weather.[ii] As Quintin Waddington[iii] curator Guildhall Museum is coming on as a candidate at Soc. Antiq. & I have signed his papers (not proposed him), I think I ought to tell you privately, I may have done so before, why Outhwaite, the Chief Librarian[iv], has dropped out of the running. I thought him quite suitable, got out a paper for him which you kindly signed, & with six or seven other good signatures was about to send it in, when to my surprise I found that there would be strong opposition to him. The fact is that at a dinner in the City, I think, but am not sure, that it was given by the Guildhall Library Committee, which Lord Crawford[v] attended; suffering I suppose from swelled head, he was foolish enough to get to loggerheads with that pacific man. This, which I had not heard of until some time after the event, came to be known, & there was every prospect of his being blackballed. I frankly told him as far as was advisable [inserted] possible how matters stood, & said that I was advised not to destroy his paper but to keep it back. His prospects did not seem to mend materially & after a time, when there was a likelihood of Waddington becoming a candidate, I told Douthwaite how matters stood [inserted] the then position & said I was willing to send in his paper if he liked to take his chance, but to my relief he decided to withdraw. Waddington stands on another footing. He is not a distinguished antiquary [inserted] (who is?); Clapham and Wheeler think him a duffer, but he is a painstaking, kindly man, always in the City, & always ready to oblige. He is a local Secretary (Soc. Antiq) for London & Middlesex, & served on the Committee which produced the volume on Roman London for the Royal Commission on Historic Monuments. He has long been allowed to attend the evening meetings of Soc. Antiq. & though I had no hand in starting his paper I shall be disappointed if he fails. Forgive this long rigmarole & please do not answer it. Yours always Philip Norman[vi] [Footnotes: [i]C.H. is short for the Cocked Hat Club, one of 2 societies to which Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries are permitted to belong. [ii]In a previous letter to Emery Walker written in 1918 Philip Norman mentions having caught ‘one of my bad colds’. He clearly feared the effects of such an infection. [iii]A basic Internet search confirms that Quintin Waddington was curator of the Guildhall Museum at this period but provides no conclusive biographical detail beyond what is contained in this letter. [iv]A basic Internet search confirms that a J. L. Douthwaite was chief librarian of the Guildhall Museum at this period but provides no conclusive biographical detail beyond what is contained in this letter.. [v]David Alexander Edward Lindsay, 27th Earl of Crawford (1871 – 1940), Conservative politician and art connoisseur. [vi Philip E Norman (1842 – 1931) was an artist, author and antiquary. CAW]