We few...

Today being Remembrance Sunday, it seems appropriate to remember those members of the Benson Company who fought during The Great War of 1914 -18.  Those members of the company who lost their lives are commemorated in a window which can be seen in the Gallery Swan of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Unveiled by Dame Ellen Terry in 1925, it shows St George defeating the dragon.  St George is the likeness of Eric Benson, the only son of Frank and Constance, who was killed in action  at the Somme in September 1916.  Winchester College's website contains more details of his war service, military honours and death:  http://www.winchestercollegeatwar.com/archive/eric-william-benson/

Lt-Col Eric William Benson 

Nine other Bensonians are also remembered in the window: Charles Bibby, Harold Chapin, Rupert Conrick, Arthur Curtis, William Harris, Frank Mathews, Guy Rathbone, W Ribton Haines and James Stanners. Many other members of the Company served and survived the war. Benson himself tried to sign up on several occasions and made spirited efforts to convince the authorities that he was actually younger than his age. Finally in 1916 he and Constance set out to work with the Red Cross.

The BATH CHRONICLE AND WEEKLY GAZETTE of June 3rd 1916 reported that Sir Frank Benson, the Shakespearian actor, and Lady Benson are going to Salonika to help in the work of one of the Serbian Army hospitals. They hope to start in about three weeks. "The opportunity of going out presented itself," he said, "and we naturally jumped at it. So many actors have thrown up everything and gone to the front that we felt we ought to do what we could...I do not say that every one on the stage ought to go to the front, for I think that the theatres at home are doing real war work in keeping the nation in good spirits, and the work of actors and actresses in cheering the wounded has, I believe, been of great service. "There is, of course, a difficulty in obtaining men for Shakespearian plays, for you need young, vigorous men for Shakespeare - just the kind you need for the Army. About a dozen of my younger men have gone to the Army during the past year. The stage has already given a great proportion of its men to the Army, and others are working in munition factories and showing skill and ability... I do not advocate closing theatres, but when a man gets a call to go he has to answer it, and that is why I am off." Sir Frank Benson's absence will mean the suspension of his company's Shakespearean tours until next spring.

In 1917 Sir Frank and Lady Benson ran canteens in France for the French Red Cross. They returned to England in June 1917 and recommenced touring , but returned again to France in 1918, Frank driving an ambulance and Constance serving in the British base at Etaples. Sir Frank was awarded the French Croix de Guerre. 

Progress: slow but steady

Two exciting things happened in the spring and summer of this year.  The first was that the essay I submitted to the Society for Theatre Research won their 'New Scholars' Prize for 2014 and is to be published in their journal, Theatre Notebook. As a long-time member of the STR, I am delighted that they are going to publish my research into one of the Benson productions.

Me and Shakespeare's Birthplace in the rain, July 2015

The second exciting thing was the award of a Bursary from the Shakespeare Birthplace Centre.  The Louis Marder Scholarship, in the words of the Birthplace Trust ' is awarded to ‘a worthy Shakespearian currently pursuing a Ph.D. or similar study, who pledges to produce an original, publishable article on a previously approved literary, historical, or biographical topic about William Shakespeare (as opposed to character analysis or authorship studies) from The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Library or Archives, approved by The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s assigned authorities, within two years of the accepted funds.' My attempts at mapping the Benson itineraries and exploring the repertory was deemed 'worthy' by the judges and so I have been given a bursary to enable me to spend more time in the Shakespeare Birthplace archives to work on creating something suitable for publication. To say I was delighted would be an understatement. 

Both of these endorsements come from organisations I greatly admire and which have, over the years, nurtured my curiosity about theatre history and enabled me to feel brave enough to take the first steps to write about what I've discovered. There's still a long way to go but knowing that someone else has faith in what I'm doing and believes it is valid, interesting and useful, really makes me want to keep going!

35% mapped and still going...