Elegant women

Monday, March 8th., 37, Clarendon Road, Putney, London.

We left Paris on Saturday at 8.25, traversing hundreds of miles of snow. We are staying briefly with the Kennerleys on our way to Burslem.

Last thing I did in Paris was to visit the Exposition de la Societe des Aquarellistes at George Petit's. I went to pick up some hints about technique. general level very low. Coming out, I met procession of autos depositing elegant women at the door. I doubt if the auto has yet been properly done from the elegant and the purely romantic qualities it has. Then, similar thought to that caused by  the Debussy singer at Ullman's - all those painters having painted for a year to give, ostensibly, momentary pleasure to a few elegant un-understanding persons. Something fine about the notion somewhere. I thought I could work it up for "The Glimpse".

Two weeks ago, when he wrote to me in Paris, Lee Mathews said he thought he could sell "What the Public Wants" to Lena Ashwell. She is managing the Kingsway as well as appearing herself in the plays. To that end he took me to see Miss Ashwell today and we saw "The Truants", her current production, last evening. It is brightly written, has a splash of melodrama, and makes mild fun of the 'Salome' dance craze. Amusing and rather lightweight I thought for Miss Ashwell who is better suited to playing complex dramatic characters. I hinted this to her and she agreed but confided that the theatre is struggling financially and she needs a popular success. I don't think this will be it.

As at our first meeting I found Miss Ashwell to be in every way extremely attractive. Her voice is pitched low and has a slight vibratory quality which stirs something in me. And her eyes! When conversing with you she looks deeply, and almost without blinking, into your eyes. Hers are large, softly brown, slightly hooded, and entirely captivating. She is in truth a beautiful woman, elegant and understanding. She re-married last year to a medical man, the royal gynaecologist apparently. How much I regret that we did not meet sooner. She seems well-disposed to me, has read my books, and expects "What the Public Wants" to be a great success. What a wife she would have made. I feel quite downcast that her affections lie elsewhere.

Oh Lena!

75 Cadogan Square, London
March 12th., 1924


I lost my heart to Miss Ashwell on first meeting her in 1914. She was then in charge of the Womens Emergency Corps at Old Bedford College, Baker Street. How exhilarating her femininity, its effect amplified by the two lines of young women, badged as messengers, in the outer hall, earnest, eager and braced for action. I am not a man who has inspired much devotion from women - I fear my looks and mannerisms are against me - and to be the centre of such attention was novel indeed. It is an experience I have never forgotten, and at its centre was Miss Ashwell as she was known, though in fact married to the surgeon Henry Simpson. Was there a spark in her eye when we spoke? Possibly I imagined what I wished to see.


Regrettably, in spite of the fact that we are both 'theatre people', we have had no contact in the intervening years but last evening I saw her again at a performance of Shaw's "The Devil's Disciple" by her "Once a week players". It was at the Century Theatre, Arch Street, North Kensington. She is only a few years younger than myself, so over 50, but still beautiful. She has a way of looking, beneath her heavy lids, which seems to turn my insides into a form of pap. How I wish I had had the courage to pursue an acquaintance with her a decade ago, husband or no, but it is wishful thinking. I lack courage for affairs of the heart.


The "Once a week players" specialised in the presentation of plays with minimal scenery and props in village and suburban halls. They were in fact an extension of Miss Ashwell's troop entertainments from the war. But now she is managing the Century Theatre and that is their base. Still they dispensed practically with props and scenery. Just a few tables, chairs, window-frames, door-frames, and curtain. Same furniture throughout, whether for a general's headquarters or a widow's modest home. Everything very poor and cheap; but nicely done - not overstepping the modesty of nature. I complimented Miss Ashwell on the performance at the end and she rewarded me with one of her enigmatic smiles. I could expect no more and might have received much less.

Theatrical contrasts

Saturday, May 17th., Cadogan Square, London.

Last night to Lena Ashwell's "Once a week players" performance of Shaw's "The Devil's Disciple" at the Century Theatre, Archer Street, North Kensington. Produced by Beatrice Wilson. Beatrice said she had to produce the play in ten days, and they always did plays in this period. They dispensed practically with props and scenery. Everything very poor and cheap; but nicely done - not overstepping the modesty of nature - and the play held you, except the last five minutes which were very poor. A fellow named Henry Oscar played the lead. Evidently of much experience. Handsome. He did very well. Has done Shakespeare tours. The dialogue is exquisitely written - better than Shaw is writing now, I think. Less glittering, but as pure and fine as Congreve.
For more on Lena Ashwell see 'A fascinating woman'

I contrasted all this poverty with the great costliness of our Drury Lane production, with its lavish advertising, etc. Dean is producing "London Life" with the most notable skill. You would say he knew everything about plays and producing. Yet the taste of people generally fails somewhere. He wanted me to introduce into the part of the Prime Minister Holyoke (supposed to be a mixture of Asquith and Balfour with a touch of Rosebery) the words "Wait and see". I refused absolutely at once. Imagine the cheap roar which would follow such a despicable sally.
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/a-little-from-london-life

A fascinating woman

Thursday, January 23rd., Ilchester Gardens, London.

I had tea with Lena Ashwell on Tuesday, her elder sister was there. Beautiful old house arranged with taste. Flashes of common sense and of insight, but a little embittered. This would doubtless pass as intimacy was gained. She told me how Frohman had refused "Leah Kleschna". Reason: because he thought the public would not be interested in a thief. When it had succeeded he paid a premium of £1,000 to get control of it, and then went about buying every play that had a thief in it. This anecdote has the same elements as nearly all the other anecdotes she related. Miss Ashwell is most alluring woman with eyes which stir the blood. 

For Ellen Terry, actress-manager Lena Ashwell (1869-1957) was 'a passionate voice'. From her first appearance on stage in 1891 to the end of her life, Ashwell was determined to make the theatre accessible and relevant to everyone, prompting G.B. Shaw to describe her as possessing an 'awakeningly truthful mind as well as an engaging personality.' An inspiring and strong woman in a rapidly changing world, she was crucial both for the advancement of women in the English theatre and for the formation of the National Theatre. She presented 'new drama' at the Kingsway and Savoy Theatres and was active in the Actresses' Franchise League, as well as being committed to the British Drama League. From the outbreak of World War 1 she initiated and raised money for thousands of concert-party troop entertainments at the Front; when peace was declared, her Lena Ashwell Players set about taking regular theatre performances into local communities throughout London and beyond. Long before educational drama and public subsidy for the arts were realities, she engaged local authorities in the provision of facilities and support for her work.

http://www.herts.ac.uk/about-us/our-structure/subsidiary-companies/uh-press?a=8828

Also for Lena Ashwell see 'Exhilarating young women', December 15th. -
http://earnoldbennett.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/exhilarating-young-women.html

On the previous night we saw the piece "Irene Wycherley" about which everyone is talking as the best piece in London. Lena mentioned its author and me as signs of a renascence of the drama. A curious mixture of ancient convention and bits of novelty. Exceedingly amateurish, and mostly bad, but pervaded at times by a very distinct feeling for the dramatic.

The rehearsals of "Cupid and Commonsense" now going much better. Only a week ago I went to a rehearsal at Terry's Theatre and was exhausted and very much depressed by it. Nothing seemed to get over the footlights. The players now played too quickly instead of too slowly. Local accent all wrong and certainly incurable. Everything about the place repelled me. But yesterday I began to get quite enthusiastic.For more about "Cupid and Commonsense" see August 30th. -
http://earnoldbennett.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/cupid-and-commonsense.html

Additionally for January 23rd., see 'Other forms of vanity' -
http://earnoldbennett.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/other-forms-of-vanity.html

The other day a vendeuse and an essayeuse came up from the Maison de Blanc, with a robe d'interieur for Marguerite and another for Mrs. Selwyn. A porter of the Maison Blanc carried the box. The general tableau; - the two employees, young and agreeable, but certainly not vierges, with soft liquid persuasive voices, speaking chiefly English; the frothy garments lying all about on chairs and in the box, Selwyn, Alcock and me lounging on chairs, and M. and Mrs. S. playing the mannequin, and the porter waiting outside in the dark corridor - this tableau produced a great effect on me. Expensive garments rather, - and I felt that for my own personal tastes, I would as soon earn money in order to have such a tableau at my disposition, as for a lot of other seemingly more important and amusing purposes. A fine sensuality about it.

Exhilarating young women

Tuesday, December 15th., Thorpe-le-Soken.

London yesterday. Visit to L. G. Brock, secy. of National Relief Fund at 3 Queen Anne's Gate. Formerly house of Sir E. Grey.
I then went to inspect establishment of Womens Emergency Corps at Old Bedford College, Baker St. Miss Ashwell in charge.

The first time I have met Miss Ashwell, though I have seen her on stage. I must admit to being caught off guard, and almost unmanned, by her charm and effortless sensuality. Mellow, silky, well-modulated voice. But it was the eyes that seemed to turn me to jelly. Every now and then she would dip her head and look up slightly from beneath dark lashes, holding my gaze, almost in invitation. I can’t remember ever having found a woman so fascinating at first meeting. I fear I did not do myself justice. Must contrive further contact, though it may be a form of self-torment.

Actresses Lena Ashwell, Gertrude Kingston and sisters Decima and Eva Moore reacted rapidly to the outbreak of war by forming the Women’s Emergency Corps, recruiting women for all kinds of war work and to replace the men who would soon be needed abroad. Notices were sent to all the daily newspapers calling women to a public meeting at the Shaftesbury Theatre at 3pm on August 7th, 1914. The corps stated aim was to compile a register of all women and their particular skills, who wished to help the war effort. Any woman volunteering would be required to state in specific terms what work she was capable of and what she was prepared to undertake. The register would then be made available to any authority requiring such services. On the first day, many hundreds volunteered, and within two months the number had reached six thousand. Within a year, the number had topped twenty thousand and the corps could boast amongst its officers the Duchess of Marlborough and Viscountess Castlereagh - who had taken over as Colonel-in-Chief. The corps objective was to provide women to help in all sorts of emergencies and to utilise the abilities and energies of their volunteers in the best possible way. Among the numbers enrolled were over one thousand interpreters, many with as many as four languages. Many of the volunteers could ride and look after their own horses, drive motor cars or even motorcycles, and do the running repairs, and so on. Many had knowledge of agriculture or husbandry and offered to cultivate waste pieces of land to grow vegetables or raise stock for food supplies. Many were nurses, and a few women doctors, who said that they were prepared to follow the troops to the front lines to care for the wounded. In addition, there were dispensers, caterers, cooks and secretaries. Only the most efficient were accepted since it was the aim of the corps that it should only be made up of women who were capable of actively taking up the work they had promised themselves for. Nor was the rifle forgotten, with many of the women spending time on the firing ranges learning to handle rifles and other firearms. Some proved to be remarkably good shots, and all were prepared to defend their homeland if the Germans ever invaded.

Vast effect of femininity. A general exhilarating effect. The young women badged as messengers, standing in two lines in outer entrance hall, earnest, eager, braced, made a specially characteristic feminine effect. One stopped me at once as I entered, and asked me if she could do anything for me, and then if I was A.B.
I returned by 5.30 train, slightly shaken.