The Inklings

I lived on the southern edge of Oxford while working for Castrol at Pangbourne. Although about 20 miles it was a very easy drive. From my house at Littlemore I could get straight onto the Reading Road without needing to use the by pass.

As Frances was at school in Oxford and Alison was at the university we made quite a habit of weekending in Oxford with Annette travelling down for the weekend. The alternative was Frances and I would travel up to spend the weekend with Annette.

Oxford is a fascinating place. Because of the big student population it has far more theatres, concert halls, museums and the like than its fairly modest size would suggest. I went more often to theatre than before or since. I also took some interest in local history, particularly local literary history. Although I’m not a huge fan of their work I was very interested in the Inklings. They were an informal group centred around C S ( Jack ) Lewis, his bother Warnie and J R R Tolkien.

Jack Lewis was an English lecturer and a drinking man so the group would meet in pubs between the wars. For quite a long time they met in a little central pub “the Eagle and Child” known to them as the Bird and Baby. After some long time they fell out with the landlord and moved across the road to the Crown and Flag.

Part of the reason for the group ( apart from drinking ) was that most were writers and they both read and criticised each other. J R R Tolkien was more senior in the university  ( being a professor of English ) and his writing was very different. Tolkien set out to minutely detail his creations, particularly inventing languages for them.. Tolkien had a background in Old English and he felt able to construct other languages with some verisimilitude  He became rather contemptuous of Lewis mixed with jealousy because Lewis became famous during WW11 with broadcasts particularly on religion. Tolkien is said to have felt that Lewis was a more of a propagandist that strict story teller.

Lewis’s book “the Screwtape Letters” ( from a junior devil to a senior one) and the Chronicles of Narnia grew out of his strong religious belief. I see he is described as “ Apostle to the Skeptics “ because he came back to Christianity in his 30’s from unbelief. His conversion back is ascribed in part to Tolkien in their earlier close friendship.

I have not found either Tolkien or Lewis readable but their relationship and the Inklings is fascinating. The Eagle and Child is still very much open and is now very proud of its association.

While I was with Castrol we had a gathering of Surface Treatment representatives from the UK. They met at Pangbourne and stayed in Oxford. I knew most and Surface Treatment ( Castrol speak for production cleaning and temporary corrosion protection) was the area in which my group worked for Castrol International. Consequently I was invited to join the group at Oxford. During their stay they hired an open topped tour bus for a City tour. I arranged for a stop outside the Eagle and Child and gave a brief talk about the Inklings. For my short stint as a tour guide I was rewarded by attending their dinner.

Facts

What the leavers don’t say

The UK owes the EU quite a lot of money for our share of things like pensions. A low estimate is 28 billion pounds. What is more debateable are contingent liabilities where the UK has voted  to support activities still to happen. This could double our liability. I expect a mighty row when the implication is realised.