Townswomen’s Guild Has Talk On Late G. B. Shaw

Wanganui Chronicle, 9 November 1950, Page 9

Townswomen’s Guild Has Talk On Late G. B. Shaw

A large number of members of the Wanganui Townswomen’s Guild attended the meeting held yesterday afternoon and were welcomed by the president, Miss A. H. Cole. Correspondence was read by Mrs W. McElwain (secretary), and the financial statement given by Mrs F. Beard. Mrs J. C. Batt reported on the council meeting held at Christchurch and a description of the Provincial Council Chambers in which the conferenc was held. She expressed thanks for being appointed as a delegate and having the opportunity of attending the gathering. Miss Cole and Mrs Dickie, who had waited on the general manager of Greyhound Buses, gave a report of the result of the deputation and sale that several suggestions of those submitted by the guild were adopted. Members were asked to note that the Christmas party would start at 2 p.m. instead of 2.15 p.m. The speaker for the afternoon, Mrs K. M. Rose, spoke of the life of the late George Bernard Shaw. Mrs Rose said she had lived only two or three miles from G.B.S.’s home and had met him on three occasions. The first was when he spoke on the League of Nations at a meeting. He never changed in appearance. He seemed the same Bernard Shaw at 80 as when she first met him. He lived in the village of Ayot St. Lawrence, a peaceful place with only 50 houses in it, and G.B.S.’ long rambling house was next to an ancient ruined Abbey. The speaker described the well-wooded country round the village , the lanes and quaint cottages. “In the garden of G. B. Shaw’s home is a little summer house on a rotating axle and it was here a lot of his work was written’’ said Mrs Rose, who added that when she last saw him 10 years ago, he was still upright. He had a splendid physique, but his ideas in dress were strange. Speaking of his early life and home background, Mrs Rose said what he most wanted to do was paint, and although he did not achieve his ambition he had maintained his interest in the art. Wanting to excel in speaking he had been trained had been successful as a speaker. It was through his plays that he became well known, but not all his early plays were well received. Mrs Rose read a quotation from one of G B. Shaw's books to show that he was not the atheist he had professed to be during his early years. Mrs Batt proposed a vote of thanks to the speaker, who was presented with flowers, as also was Mrs W. Brook, who sang two songs accompanied by Mrs R. H. Tizard.