JMBarrie
JMBarrie => Davies Family => Topic started by: JAQ on April 23, 2007, 10:11:55 PM
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I am in the early research stages of writing a short graphic novel about Michael. Thanks to this site and the book, I have plenty of photographic reference for him and the family, and the various settings (Kensington, Eton, Oxford) should be easy enough to find. Do you know of any photos of Michael's friends (especially Buxton, but also Senhouse and Boothby [in his Eton/Oxford years]) or - lacking that - descriptions of them? Telling a story such as this obviously will require a fair bit of invention, so any visuals that I can base on known facts, I'd like to do so.
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I'll be adding a couple of photos of Rupert Buxton shortly. There are a number of photos of Roger Senhouse in the database (on Eilean Shona) and youthful pix of Boothby can be found in his own autobiography. Good luck with the novel!
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I've found a photo of Roger Senhouse with Michael and JMB in the database; not sure how I missed it before. Thanks for the suggestion of Robert Boothby's autobio (I'll try to track down a copy). And I look forward to seeing the face of "morbid" "doom" that the baron spoke of.
P.S. In case you haven't heard this enough: I greatly enjoyed both the BBC series and the book.
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An author can never hear such stuff enough! The new material on Buxton should be up within the next day or two, with a very different portrait of Rupert from the one Boothby painted. I'm happy to say this as it turns out his family are distant cousins of mine!
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The Rupert Buxton material is now online - just search for "Buxton" in the database.
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Sir Jocelyn Buxton has just sent Nicholas a letter from Barrie to Rupert's mother, Lady Buxton, dated 31 May 1921. In it he says that Michael was both son and daughter to him, and that he tried to be both father and mother to Michael. He goes on to say that his greatest wish was for Michael to form a friendship with someone worthy of him, and that although he had friends from Eton that continued at Oxford, Rupert was his one great friend. Michael would talk about Rupert late into the night, and Michael's last letter to Barrie, which he received on the 19th, was largely about Rupert. Unlike Michael's other friends who were polite but edged away, Rupert was very friendly with Barrie, inviting him to dinner and "taking me in hand".
This is complete news to me: I assumed (fatal error) that Rupert Buxton was in the Roger Senhouse mould, but to learn that at last one of Michael's friends had warmed to Barrie makes the drowing doubly tragic. I never believed it was suicide, but now I am utterly convinced that it was indeed a tragic accident in which Rupert tried to save Michael and was dragged down with him.
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Thank you so much for the new Rupert Buxton items.
First news item (the Disappearance) is very odd and intriguing, and sounds like it could take a book of its own, too. It honestly seems like a "hoax"...and I would theorize that Buxton (I'm going out on a limb, but I don't think too far) wrote that mysterious note himself - it doesn't make sense otherwise. Goodness knows how stressed or miserable an otherwise sane person has to be to perpetrate something like that...it kind of sounds like a mild nervous breakdown, and one can't help feeling terribly sorry for him. It must have been such a consolation for him to meet someone like Michael - a kindred spirit.
Anyone want to give an alternative opinion to the disappearance? Extremely interesting, whatever happened!!!
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Good Lord, how fascinating - and how very sad. It does now seem as though Boothby must have been jealous of Buxton's friendship with Michael - and sought to posthumously blacken his reputation. In Nico's letter to you of 1976-02-19, he seemed quite startled by Boothby's feelings about Buxton, whom he did not remember as darkly sinister at all. When I originally read that, I thought - well. . . Nico seemed to tend to look on the bright side of most things anyway, maybe he was wrong there. But he seems to have been right there - also Sebastian Earl, I believe.
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Yes, Boothby was most insistent in his condemnation about Buxton (as can be heard on the audio clips!) but I'm sure enough Nico was right and that Boothby was just plain jealous, particularly as the Michael/Rupert friendship seems to have been quite exclusive. The portrait of Rupert one gathers from his obituary - and those letters to his mother - seems very far from the life-and-soul-of-the-party crowd that Boothby hung out with - "we were always gay, frightfully gay!"
I've written to Sir Jocelyn, asking if he has any more of Rupert's letters to his mother that he'd care to share, as well as anything else that might add to our feeling for his character - watch this space!
As to Rupert's mysterious pilgrimage north, I'm as much in the dark as you - maybe one of R's letters to his mum might reveal clues? It seems unlikely to me that a Head of House AND Head of the School would behave in such an apparently irresponsible manner where it not for a very good reason - but what?
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I don't find Boothby's description of Rupert particularly incompatible with this more flattering description, any more than the descriptions of Michael as "whimsical and full of tricks" vs. "dark, dour, and impenetrable". What person of that age isn't as multi-faceted and contradictory as that, especially depending on whom he's with? Don't try to apply Occam's razor to the personality of a young man who has barely begun to shave.
I agree that Rupert's disappearance is an intriguing mystery. A "Robin Hood" mission he had to keep secret? A clandestine tryst? An alien abduction? A cry for attention?
My take on the drowning is that it was an accident and failed rescue attempt. Not that this rules out the possibility that a degree of self-destructive risk-taking might have been involved, of course. He wouldn't have been the first - or last - youth to let his internal conflicts over (as Nico speculated) a "homosexual phase" drive him to put himself in danger on an impulse.
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Having had 3 sons of my own, I think I know something about the multi-faceted aspect of adolescence - but Buxton was 21 (and had been presumably shaving for at least 6 years!), and I stand by my comment - Occam notwithstanding - that Boothby's take on Buxton is very different from the portrait that now emerges from the anonymous obituary in The Harrovian, as well as Buxton's letters - and Barrie's - to his mother. Boothby was a thoroughly unreliable OBJECTIVE source: subjectively, of course he was entitled to his own opinion, and from his life-and-soul-of-the-party POV, Buxton might well have appeared dour, dark and saturnine, as indeed did Barrie to Boothby, but not to Nico and many others. Nor would I necessarily assume on the evidence that Michael's relationship with Buxton was homosexual, at any rate in the physical sense.....
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As for my worthless take this, I say what person at any age isn't as multi-faceted and contradictory as that (even if it's not always definable in an outer sense). However, I agree with Andrew. Can’t really back it up as it will all just sound redundant with past comments. Maybe it’s just my fondness for Barrie…but I also think is an understanding of Barrie’s love…well, we all know the story. As for Rupert…oh, this is all so fascinating! However, the disappearance and return, though curious, is not so strange to me. That may simply be the fact that my mum is known for her disappearances and even stranger returns, and it’s a trait passed down to myself. All those reasons you suggested for what he was up to are possible, JAQ, though what happens to me is a number of different things (but yes, quite a few alien abductions). But why for Rupert…? Maybe some event in a way or maybe the poet in him. I also don’t think Michael was tempting his “doom” nor that he and R were homosexual…sounds like lovers, but as friends often are without the physical since…heart, mind…strongest of all the spirit. Hope the more treasures for archeologists come along…I’m just as curious as all of you!
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Barrie's letter of 31 May 1921 to Rupert's mother is now in the database. One or two words had me stumped for awhile, but I think I got it right: if anyone disagrees with my transcription, please let me know. The letter is inimitably Barrie, and speaks volumes about his relationship with Michael.
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I just finished reading Barrie's letter to Rupert's mother. What a beautiful letter it is - deeply touching. Strangely it suggests that the letter that Andrew devised as Barrie's last letter to Michael might have been something like it was.
In that letter (in the television series) Barrie says to Michael that he has been waiting for Michael to get to be 21 so they can grow closer. (I know that this phrasing originally came from a letter to George)
When I first heard it, I wondered at it figuring that in truth Barrie might have been fearful of Michael's being 21 as it would mean his leaving Barrie. But now I think that Barrie might have indeed recognized that once Michael got past the "adolescent" stage - when you have friends who edge away from your parents, when you want to "break away" that he might be able to be Barrie's friend in a more adult manner (the way one can with one's own parents) - and have friends (like Rupert) who could also join in that sort of friendship.
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Many thanks, ecb. In fact that invented last letter to Michael was partly based on filched lines from JMB's letters to George at around the same age... but I think your point that Barrie welcomed Michael's coming-of-age for the reasons you give is entirely right. Perhaps he saw in Michael's relationship with Rupert something of his own friendship with James McMillan (p 10 of my book)?
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A poem Rupert Buxton wrote at the age of 15, entitled "Life":
Our life is like the mist of an autumn day,
Which shouds the landscape but an hour or so:
And Death is the sun which drives it all away!
Then why should we fear to go?
Our eyes are blinded by the mists of life:
We struggle after this or that dim ray:
Why should we fear - after an hour of strife -
To reach the eternal day?
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First off may I say that this website is amazing!
Never have I seen such great information about sucha fascinating subject.
I'm having trouble finding the Buxton picture.
I went to the database and typed Buxton in the search engine and
got no results. In fact with any word I typed I got no images.
Does anyone have a direct web link to the pictures?
Also in my research pertaining to Michaels death are
there any police reports available. Really intriguing are
the suicide Vs accident arguement. My take, which is
purely speculation is that both are true. Maybe
Michael went into the water as a suicide attempt and
Rupert swam in to save him, only to drown himself.
One thing I wonder about is the bound at the wrists
fact. Is there any truth to this, and if so what evidence?
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Oh also, thanks for that Buxton poem Andrew.
Does anyone have good transcriptions of Michaels poems.
I had a hard time reading the hand writing and I know
I got some of the words wrong. This is what I got:
Can't Find The Other - It's Even Worse.
I stand of sheep, whose wreathed time delays,
haven of things remdte indulgente, tree,
Those whose searching wants in autumn days
veiled the inlimder on thy seacry;
he there beheld bright flowers in a dream
join with tall trees to cheat the Cyprian,
and heard in murmurs of a woodland shcam
Arcadian measures if resurgent Pan;
Yet will not touch again thy perfumed shore
and mount the coloured slope beneath the trees
a twere release his senses ever more
to tread the foot prints of old deitier,
So thou do not send echoes to remind
of those sweet pipes, and charm him from his kind.
-------------------------------------------
Throned on a drift scene, man saw th sun
hold a nad torch above the farthest seas,
and the fierce island puminades put on
in his defence than sombre panoplias;
Foremost the white mists eddied hailed and spun
like seekers enulons to clasp his knees;
led by the secret whispers of the breeze.
The sun's torch suddenly flashed upon his face
and died; and he sat content in subject night
and dreamed of an old dead foe taht had sought and found him
a beast stoned boldly in his resting place;
and the cold came; man arose to his master height
shivered, and turned away; but the mists were round him.
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Here is the direct link to Rupert Buxton's picture:
http://www.jmbarrie.co.uk/allscans/fullsize/1920-00-00-PX-Rupert_Buxton.jpg (http://www.jmbarrie.co.uk/allscans/fullsize/1920-00-00-PX-Rupert_Buxton.jpg)
A nice looking lad!
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Malain, I'm immensly grateful to you for having transcribed Michael's poems, particularly "Island of Sleep" as I don't think I'd reread it for over 20 years, and of course "encircling mists in autumn days" put me in touch with my own son Anno (who was killed in thick mist in November 2001 - there's more about him at anno.co.uk, where on the intro page there's a link to a BBC Radio 4 play I did about Anno and Michael, so you'll understand where I'm coming from).
Just for the record, my own transcription of Michael's two poems are as follows:
Throned on a cliff, secure, Man saw the sun
hold a red torch above the farthest seas,
and the fierce island pinnacles put on
in his defence their sombre panoplies;
Foremost the white mists eddied, trailed and spun
like seekers, emulous to clasp his knees;
led by the secret whispers of the breeze.
The sun's torch suddenly flashed upon his face
and died; and he sat content in subject night
and dreamed of an old dead foe that had sought and found him;
a beast stoned boldly in his resting place;
and the cold came; Man arose to his master-height,
shivered, and turned away; but the mists were round him.
Eilean Chona [actually Eilean Shona, an island off the west coast of Scotland, where Michael wrote the poem in August 1920]
Island of sleep, where wreathéd Time delays,
haven of things remote, indulgent, free,
Thou whose encircling mists in autumn days
veiled the intruder on thy secrecy;
he there beheld bright flowers in a dream
join with tall trees to cheat the Cyprian,
and heard in murmurs of a woodland stream
Arcadian measures of resurgent Pan;
Yet will not touch again thy perfumed shore
and mount the coloured slope beneath the trees
or there release his senses ever more
to tread the foot-prints of old deities,
so thou do not send echoes to remind
of those sweet pipes, and charm him from his kind.
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Thank you ecb for the picture link and thank you Andrew for the correct transcription of Michael's poems.
I checked out the BBC link and that broadcast was really spectacular.
I'm deeply sorry about Anno, the parallels you make between
Michael and Anno as well as Barrie and you in the play are
eerie and uncanny. Truly moving. I now grapple with who is
more intriguing Michael or Anno.
I had a couple questions about the broadcast,
where is this poem from:
Time alone spent thinking
Drinking sorrow in its purest form
Time spent waiting for Tomorrow
Time or lack there of is taking over
My grave is getting closer
And though I am miles away my arms are open
and I'm hoping for an accident
some tragic intervention of the gods
Is it one of Michaels poems? Its beautiful.
Also during the broadcast there is a soundclip,
I believe of an Anno song with lyrics:
"A softness place at the foot of my grave I gave myself
in all to childish hope and promise"
What song is this, and where can I hear the full version?
It is awesome. I came searching for answers about
Michael and now I have more questions about him and
now Anno.
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"Time alone spent thinking" is one of Anno's poems (read by his mother, Bee); the song is "Touched" (also Anno), the line being "I saw from this place at the foot of my grave / I gave myself in awe to childish hope and promise." Both poems (and many others) are in Anno's book "Who Said the Race Is Over?" which you can get from Amazon (all proceeds to Anno's Africa charity) - the book is also on line - just click on the index link on anno.co.uk. There's a video of "Touched" on YouTube - also other video clips - just search for "Anno Birkin".
As to who is the more intruiging, Michael or Anno, I'm really too biased to answer... and in fairness to Michael, there are only those 2 poems to judge him by, whereas Anno left behind well over 700, as well as 40+ songs....
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It is all so very sad, death in general but particularly when a person is
very talented and even more so when they are gone at such a young age.
Oh life. Annos vocal styling is beautiful, reminds me of Jeff Buckley.
Searched on Amazon for the book, but could only find one used copy
in the UK. I am too impatient to wait so I'll search New York City
for a new copy, browsed through the online edition and the poetry
seems amazing, can't wait to find a hard copy.
Thank you.
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Many thanks for that. In fact amazon.co.uk sell new copies as well as 2nd hand. I've answered your entanglement question under Michael's death....
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The head of the Buxton family has sent me quite a large number of letters of Rupert's, mainly to his mother, but also to other members of his family, and letters about Rupert, particularly letters of condolence. Some of these will appear in an article I am preparing for the website, but not all. If people are interested, I will prepare transcriptions of all these letters, but it will take time. Please say if you are interested.
Also, Rupert had invested and was acting in a film in the last weeks of his life. Does anyone out there know about the British film industry in 1921, and whether this film could be identified?
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Many thanks for all your work, Nicholas - I shall add your scans to the database asap. Having read Rupert's letters to his mother and grandmother, I'm beginning to see why Boothby thought him "dark" and an "unhealthy" influence on Michael... not in any obvious sense, but his constant reference to God and the hereafter, together with his reoccuring refrain that life is a vale of tears, might lead one to suppose that he was not exactly an optimist - particularly to a man like Boothby, who was so clearly the life and soul (and bore?) of the party. Fascinating stuff, and thanks again to Nicholas for his excavations.
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Dear Nicholas,
I emailed the imdb people (I subscribe to their pro version) to find out how one could access info for all British films made in 1921, re your Rupert Buxton query. Here's their response:
Dear Andrew,
There are a couple of ways that you can search for this title.
If you think that it was made in England in 1921, you can use the advanced title search on IMDbPro.com here: http://pro.imdb.com/search/
Click on 'create title query'.
In the 'release date' section, put 01/1921 and 12/1921 in the to and from boxes. Then scroll down to the business and box office section and select the UK box.
Then, click 'run query' and on the results page, click on 'show all'.
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Or, you can perform a power search on the regular IMDb.com: http://imdb.com/list
in the 'Country of Origin' field, put UK, and in the 'Year' section, put 1921. If you know things about the plot, then you can try putting down a genre or keywords to help narrow your search.
Best of luck!
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Regards,
Katie
The IMDbPro.com Help Desk
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Unfortunately Arthur Bryant did not mention the name of the film, or the production company. The BFI database has no note of his name, but Rupert could have used a pseudonym. So many company records and prints of films have been lost, it will probably be impossible to identify this particular film.