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Laurence Housman (/ˈhaʊsmən/; 18 July 1865 – 20 February 1959) was an English playwright, writer and illustrator during the Victorian era. He studied art in London. He was a younger brother of the poet A. E. Housman and his sister was writer/illustrator Clemence Housman.[1]

Laurence Houseman
Photo portrait by George Grantham Bain, 1915
Born18 July 1865
Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, UK
Died20 February 1959 (aged 95)
Street, Somerset, England
EducationLambeth School of Art
Royal College of Arts
OccupationDramatist/playwright, writer, illustrator

Early life


Laurence Housman was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire to Edward Housman, a solicitor and tax accountant, and Sarah Jane Housman (née Williams).[2] He was one of seven children including an older brother and sister, the classical scholar and poet Alfred E. Housman and the writer and engraver Clemence Housman. In 1871 his mother died, and his father remarried to a cousin, Lucy Housman. Under the influence of their eldest brother, Alfred, Housman and his siblings enjoyed many creative pastimes amongst themselves, including poetry competitions, theatrical performances and a family magazine.[3]

The Housmans suffered increasing financial distress as Edward’s business floundered and he succumbed to drinking and illnesses. Despite this, Housman and his brothers managed to receive an education at Bromsgrove School on scholarships. He and his sister Clemence attended a local art class in 1882, and in 1883 they each received a £200 inheritance, which they used to go to study art at the Lambeth School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London.[4]


Illustrating


He first worked with London publishers by illustrating such works as George Meredith's Jump to Glory Jane (1892), Jonas Lie's Weird Tales (1892), Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market (1893), Jane Barlow's The End of Elfintown (1894) and his sister's novella The Were-Wolf (1896)[5][6] in an intricate Art Nouveau style. During this period, he also wrote and published several volumes of poetry and a number of hymns and carols.[7]


Writing


Undated portrait by William Rothenstein (1872–1945)
Undated portrait by William Rothenstein (1872–1945)

Housman turned more and more to writing after his eyesight began to fail. His first literary success came with the novel An Englishwoman's Love-letters (1900), published anonymously. He then turned to drama with Bethlehem (1902) and was to become best known and remembered as a playwright. His other dramatic works include Angels and Ministers[8] (1921), Little Plays of St. Francis (1922) and Victoria Regina (1934) which was even staged on Broadway. Housman's play, Pains and Penalties, about Queen Caroline, was produced by Edith Craig and the Pioneer Players.[9]

Some of Housman's plays were scandalous for depicting biblical characters and living members of the Royal House on stage, and many of them were performed only privately until the subsequent relaxation of theatrical censorship. In 1937 the Lord Chamberlain ruled that no British sovereign may be portrayed on the stage until 100 years after his or her accession. For this reason, Victoria Regina could not be staged until the centenary of Queen Victoria's accession, 20 June 1937. This was a Sunday, so the premiere took place the next day.[10]

Housman also wrote children's fairy tales such as A Farm in Fairyland (1894) and fantasy stories with Christian undertones for adults, such as All-Fellows (1896), The Cloak of Friendship (1905), and Gods and Their Makers (1897). [11]

A prolific writer with around a hundred published works to his name, his output eventually covered all kinds of literature from socialist and pacifist pamphlets to children's stories. He wrote an autobiography, The Unexpected Years (1937), which, despite his record of controversial writing, said little about his homosexuality, the practice of which was then illegal.[12]

After his brother's A.E.'s death in 1936, Laurence was made literary executor, and over the next two years brought out further selections of poems from his brother's manuscripts. His editorial work has been deprecated recently: "The text of many poems was misrepresented: poems not completed by Housman were printed as though complete; versions he cancelled were reinstated; separate texts were conflated; and many poems were mistranscribed from the manuscripts."[13]


Activism


Laurence Housman identified himself as a feminist, contributing mainly to the Suffrage movement in England. His activism was largely through works of art such as: creating banners, creating propaganda, writings and contributing to women's newspapers.


The Suffrage Atelier


A poster from the Suffrage Atelier, 1913
A poster from the Suffrage Atelier, 1913

Laurence Housman and his sister, Clemence Housman, founded the Suffrage Atelier in February 1909.[14] This was a studio that produced artistic propaganda for the suffrage movement. The studio was located at his house, No. 1 Pembroke Cottage Kensington.[15] Although there were other studios throughout England also creating propaganda for the suffrage movement such as the Artists’ Suffrage League and the Women’s Social and Political Union, the Suffrage Atelier was unique because they paid their artists by selling the work to the suffrage community.[15] This studio was important not only in creating propaganda for the suffrage movement but because the creation of banners required collective work. This was significant as it created an environment for women to find other women.[15] Additionally, work such as embroidery, which was known to be domestic, was utilized to propel a political movement and allowed women to earn money.[15]


No. 1 Pembroke Cottage Kensington


Aside from his Suffrage Atelier studio, Housman opened his house to the suffrage movement and it quickly became a hub for the feminist movement.[15] Along with housing the Suffrage Atelier studio, it additionally held educational classes to help women explore their feminist identities, bringing in public speakers and hosting writing lessons.[15] The house was also used as a safe house on the night of the 1911 census, protecting women participating in the organized Census Boycott.[15]


Art and design


The Anti-Suffrage Alphabet was a book designed by Housman that incorporated illustrations from several women, including Alice B. Woodward and Pamela Colman Smith,[16] which worked to raise funds for the suffrage campaign.[17] The main goal of the book was to criticize women’s disenfranchisement by mocking negative attitudes towards women.[16]

"From Prison to Citizenship" was the first banner created by Housman as a contribution to the Women’s Social and Political Union.[14] This banner was displayed at the Queen’s hall at an unveiling ceremony and has been used regularly by the Women’s Social and Political Union.[14]

Dedication by Laurence Housman in Mabel Cappers' WSPU prisoners' scrapbook October 1910
Dedication by Laurence Housman in Mabel Cappers' WSPU prisoners' scrapbook October 1910

His writing


Housman tried to incorporate his passion for writing in his work with the feminist movement. He was popular for taking other people’s work and giving it a feminist twist.[14] He also contributed to newspapers, advising women on how to protest; his advice can be found in the Women’s Freedom League.[18] Additionally, a series of poems supporting the Suffragette movement was published in The Women’s Press as well as Votes for Women.[18]

In 1911 the Census Boycott, a feminist movement with the goal of disrupting government processes, asked women to refuse to give their information for the census.[19] The movement was advertised by Housman through a series of articles published in The Vote, in which he argued for the reasoning and tactical benefits of the proposal.[20] He also wrote fiction supporting the movement, setting this series in a potential future where the boycott went well.[20]


Men’s League for Women’s Suffrage


A newspaper published by the Men's League for Women's Suffrage in October 1909
A newspaper published by the Men's League for Women's Suffrage in October 1909

Housman believed men should be an active participant of the suffrage movement. Therefore, Housman along with Israel Zangwill, Henry Nevinson and Henry Brailsford formed the Men’s League for Women’s Suffrage to propel the movement.[21] These four writers were able to successfully convince some men in the 1910 general election to write Vote for Women on their ballot.[21] He was also active in another male feminist group, the Men’s Social and Political Union.[22]


Other activism


Aside from his artistic contributions, he also participated in physical protests. He frequently spoke in suffrage rallies. Similar to his writing style, he spoke artistically. For example, he read  “Tommy this Tommy that” by Rudyard Kipling to be “Women this Women that”.[22] He also took part in handing in a petition against force feeding, and was arrested during associated disturbances.[23]


His economic belief and its contribution to gender oppression


Housman thought economics was a central component working to oppress women. He believed the Suffragettes perceived masculinity to value market values while feminine values leaned to be more utopian and reflect collective values.[24] The Suffrage movement, therefore, centred maternal values, de-individualizing the movement.[24] This, was important as it helped break the stereotype that women, especially mothers, who were active in the movement, were bad citizens.[24]  Put differently, it collectivized the issue and made the reason to be a Suffragette more valid.


His sexuality


Housman was openly homosexual and invested himself to help other homosexuals to be less stigmatized by society. To do so, he joined an organization called the Order of Chaeronea which was a secret society that worked to gain homosexuals social recognition.[25] Additionally, he also was a founder of the British Society for the Study of Sex Psychology.[22] This was an organization which aimed to advance sex reform hoping for a more open society regarding sexualities by breaking prejudices.[26] It was originally known as the British Society of Psychiatry; however, Housman wanted it known as a society and had it changed.[26] Housman also brought his artistic contributions to the fight of de-stigmatizing homosexuality. For example, he created pamphlets for the organization such as The Relation of Fellow-Feeling to Sex.[26]


Peace Pledge Union


In 1945 he opened Housmans Bookshop in Shaftesbury Avenue, London, founded in his honour by the Peace Pledge Union, of which he was a sponsor. In 1959, shortly after his death, the shop moved to Caledonian Road, where it is still a source of literature on pacifism and other radical approaches to living.[27]


Later life


After World War I, Laurence and Clemence left their Kensington home and moved to the holiday cottage which they had previously rented in the village of Ashley in Hampshire.[28][29] They lived there until 1924,[30] when they moved to Street, Somerset, where Laurence lived the last 35 years of his life.[31]


Posthumous recognition


His name and picture (and those of 58 other women's suffrage supporters) are on the plinth of the statue of Millicent Fawcett in Parliament Square, London, unveiled in 2018.[32][33][34]


Published writings


Source: Open Library list of his works.[35]
This list includes no publications by Housman as illustrator only.


Novels



Short fiction



Plays



Verse



Translation



Non-fiction



Works edited



References


  1. "Laurence Housman". Britannica. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  2. "England Marriages, 1538–1973 for Edward Housman", via Family Search.org
  3. Engen, Rodney (1983). Laurence Housman. Catalpa Press. pp. 9–15. ISBN 0904995046.
  4. Engen 1983, pp. 16–21.
  5. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Housman, Laurence" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  6. Housman, Clemence (1896). The were-wolf. London : Chicago: J. Lane at the Bodley Head ; Way and Williams.
  7. "Hymns and Carols by Laurence Housman". Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  9. Cockin, Katharine. Women and Theatre in the Age of Suffrage: The Pioneer Players 1911–25, Palgrave (2001)
  10. All the Best People ...: The Pick of Peterborough 1929–1945, George Allen & Unwin, 1981; p. 139
  11. "Housman, Laurence" in Stableford, Brian (2005). The A to Z of Fantasy Literature (Scarecrow Press, 2005) (p.205).
  12. "Laurence Housman". Knitting Circle. Archived from the original on 5 February 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2007.
  13. Archie Burnett, notes to A Shropshire Lad and Other Poems, Penguin 2010, p.xxxi.
  14. Liddington, Jill (2014). Vanishing for the Vote : Suffrage, Citizenship and the Battle for the Census. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press.
  15. Morton, Tara (1 September 2012). "Changing Spaces: art, politics, and identity in the home studios of the Suffrage Atelier". Women's History Review. 21 (4): 623–637. doi:10.1080/09612025.2012.658177. ISSN 0961-2025. S2CID 144118253.
  16. Tyson, Leonora; Frederick; Lawrence, Emmeline Pethick; Furlong, Gillian (2015), "An early supporter of women's rights", Treasures from UCL (1 ed.), UCL Press, pp. 172–175, ISBN 978-1-910634-01-1, JSTOR j.ctt1g69xrh.58, retrieved 24 November 2020
  17. "An Anti-Suffrage Alphabet book - Housman, Laurence". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  18. Tyson, Leonora; Frederick; Lawrence, Emmeline Pethick; Furlong, Gillian (2015), "An early supporter of women's rights", Treasures from UCL (1 ed.), UCL Press, pp. 172–175, ISBN 978-1-910634-01-1, JSTOR j.ctt1g69xrh.58, retrieved 25 November 2020
  19. Paxton, Naomi (2018). Stage rights!: The Actresses' Franchise League, activism and politics 1908–58 (1 ed.). Manchester University Press. JSTOR j.ctvnb7rqg.
  20. Liddington, Jill; Crawford, Elizabeth; Maund, E. A. (2011). "'Women do not count, neither shall they be counted': Suffrage, Citizenship and the Battle for the 1911 Census". History Workshop Journal. 71 (71): 98–127. doi:10.1093/hwj/dbq064. ISSN 1363-3554. JSTOR 41306813. S2CID 154796763.
  21. Rosenberg, David (2019). Rebel Footprints: A Guide to Uncovering London's Radical History (2 ed.). Pluto Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctvfp63cf. ISBN 978-0-7453-3855-2. JSTOR j.ctvfp63cf. S2CID 241653187.
  22. Denisoff-1 Kooistra-2, Dennis-1 Lorraine-2 (2010). "Laurence Housman" (PDF). the yellow nineties online.
  23. "L. HOUSMAN ARRESTED.; AUTHOR AND H.W. NEVINSON IN WESTMINSTER SUFFRAGE RIOT". New York Times. 25 February 1914.
  24. Mayhall, Laura E. Nym (1 April 2001). "Household and Market in Suffragette Discourse, 1903—14". The European Legacy. 6 (2): 189–199. doi:10.1080/10848770120031378. ISSN 1084-8770. PMID 18389562. S2CID 28910155.
  25. Doussot, Audrey (30 March 2011). "Laurence Housman (1865–1959): Fairy Tale Teller, Illustrator and Aesthete". Cahiers victoriens et édouardiens (73 Printemps): 131–146. doi:10.4000/cve.2190. ISSN 0220-5610.
  26. Hall, Lesley A. (1995). "'Disinterested Enthusiasm for Sexual Misconduct': The British Society for the Study of Sex Psychology, 1913-47". Journal of Contemporary History. 30 (4): 665–686. doi:10.1177/002200949503000405. ISSN 0022-0094. JSTOR 261087. S2CID 162262939.
  27. Willis, Tom; Johns, Emily. "The man who made it all possible". Peace News. No. 2516. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
  28. Laurence Housman, (1937), The unexpected years, page 331. Jonathan Cape
  29. Hampshire Treasures Volume 5 (New Forest), p. 268 Archived 31 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  30. A. T. Lloyd, J. E. S. Brooks, (1996), The History of New Milton and its Surrounding Area, Centenary Edition, page 66
  31. "Catalogue of Laurence Housman's works". Street Society. Archived from the original (Word) on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  32. "Historic statue of suffragist leader Millicent Fawcett unveiled in Parliament Square". Gov.uk. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  33. Topping, Alexandra (24 April 2018). "First statue of a woman in Parliament Square unveiled". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  34. "Millicent Fawcett statue unveiling: the women and men whose names will be on the plinth". iNews. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  35. Laurence Housman, OpenLibrary, retrieved 25 February 2013
  36. in: Fitzgerald, Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, followed by Euphranor, a dialogue on youth, and Salaman and Absal, an allegory translated from the Persian of Jami. Collins, London & Glasgow 1953 and often (last ed.: Wildside Press, Rockville MD 2008 ISBN 1-4344-7914-5 pp. 15–24.


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