OCTOBER 2002
www.celtic-connection.com
Page 11
Trials and Tribulations of Dylan Thomas Explored in Local Presentation
VANCOUVER - The Dylan Thomas Circle of Vancouver will host two exciting, dynamic presentations to coincide with their annual AGM to be held on October 18 and 19 at the Red Dragon Pub in the Cambrian Hall.
The invited speaker this year is Jeff Towns who has been running Dylan's Bookstore in Swansea for the last 30 years, specializing in Dylan Thomas books, memorabilia, autographs, iconography, rare publications and ephemera. He has sold books to Prince Charles, President Jimmy Carter, President Bill Clinton, Bono of U2, as well as to Mick Jagger.
He has acquired materials from the libraries of some of Dylan's closest and most influential Welsh friends such as Vernon Watkins, Wynford Vaughan Thomas and Dr Daniel Jones, and he has been active throughout the book trade and in the major auction rooms worldwide.
Over the years Towns has been instrumental in the founding and development of the Dylan Thomas Centre and continues to be a driving force in the annual Dylan Thomas Festivals.
He is also an advisor on a major film based on the life and love of Dylan and Caitlin - entitled The Map of Love by writer and director Chris Monger, which should begin shooting in late 2002.
On October 18 at 8 PM, the Majoda Incident will be presented at the Cambrian Hall. This relates to an incident in the town of New Quay on March 6, 1945.
After a dispute in the Black Lion pub, an ex-commando officer, William Killick, who had returned home from the war in Greece, raised a machine gun at the Majoda bungalow, with the Dylan Thomas family inside the building.
Upon returning from the war, he had found an empty bank balance which he believed had been squandered by his wife, whom he suspected of living in a menage a trois with Dylan and Caitlin.
This fact was never established but it was to be the most frightening experience of Dylan Thomas's life.
Eventually, in June 1945, Killick was accused of attempted murder and tried at Lampeter Crown Court. The story was published in The News of the World newspaper. The Thomas family left New Quay very soon after the trial.
Elizabeth Rollins will introduce a videotaped recording of a performance of The Majoda Incident Trial by The Dylan Thomas Society of Great Britain, which is based on the trial transcripts.
On October 19, at 1:30 PM, Dylan Thomas and Charlie Fisher: A Canadian Connection, will be presented at the Cambrian Hall.
Shackleton Silk Sells for £116,650
The Royal Standard which Queen Alexandra, widow of Edward VII, gave to Irish polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton has fetched stg£l 16,650 at Christie's in London.
The painted silk standard displaying the British royal arms was presented by the Queen to Shackleton when she visited him on his ship Endurance on July 16, 1914.
The expedition ship was crushed by ice in January 1915 and the 28-man crew travelled 350 miles from the Weddell Sea to Elephant Island.
Shackleton and five crewmen then made a 800-mile voyage to South Georgia where they raised the alarm. His marooned crew was rescued after camping beneath upturned boats for 102 days.
Scottish Cultural Centre
SPECIAL EVENTS AT THE CENTRE
FRIDAY, OCTOBER25 - SCOTTISH CEILIDH DANCING From 8-11 p.m.
Adults $8, Children $4 including live music and refreshments. For info
call Duncan at (604) 436-3193. Sponsored by the Royal Scottish Country Dance
Society.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER26 - 8:00 p.m. THE MORAY NAIRN & BANFF ASSOC.
is presenting the George V Revivil with Rob Stuart and the Old Gang. Tickets-Si 2 or $ 10 for members. For info, call 604-274-4405
NOVEMBER 2 -8:00 p.m. - THE GAELIC SOCIETY will have their monthly Ceilidh. To reserve tickets, call 604-939-3963
LEARN TO DANCE! SWING, LATIN OR BALLROOM with Maggie Denis e Bretton. Regular Classes are held on Wednesdays & Thursdays. Social Dance held on Fridays - twice a month. For info, call Maggie at 43-SWING (604)437-9464 E-mail: Maggie.bretton@telus.net
HIGHLAND DANCE LESSONS from Beginner to Adult levels are held at the Centre on Wednesdays & Thursdays. Classes are taught by Angus MacKenzie, Former World Champion. Inquiries call (b04) b87-KILT
This presentation will highlight the relationship between Dylan Thomas and Charles Fisher. Fisher was a friend of Dylan's during his youth. Like Dylan he was once a reporter at the South Wales Evening Post.
Together they spent time with many of Swansea's rising artistic stars, including composer Daniel Jones, artist Fred Janes, broadcaster Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, composer Thomas Warner, Mervyn Levy and poet Vernon Watkins.
War separated them but he kept in touch with Dylan and his family, and there exists a rich correspondence.
After the war, Fisher went to work for The Ottawa Journal and then took a post as official shorthand writer at the Canadian House of Commons in Ottawa. The Canadian parliament only sat for six months of the year and earned Fisher enough to support himself, doing more or less what he liked for the remainder of the year.
Fisher is alive and still writing poetry from his home in Ontario. Guest speaker Jeff Towns will describe the relationship between Fisher and Thomas and will review the letters which have been published between them.
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For further information on these events, call Geoff Madoc-Jones at (604) 937-3687 or Carol Kaye at (604) 736-1807, or e-mail: keaylife@axion.net.
The British Butcher Shoppe W? Ltd.
711 QUEENSBURYAVE , NORTH VANCOUVER ^> (604)985-2444
Email: rgoodrick@shaw.ca www.britishbutchershoppe.com
REMINDED:
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The Scottish Cultural Centre 8886 Hudson St. (at 73rd) in Vancouver THREE FLOORS OF ROOMS AVAILABLE FOR RENT! CALL US AT (604) 263-9911 OR FAX (604) 263-9510