The study and appreciation of the life, works and times of Arnold Bennett
Arnold Bennett’s Burslem (Bursley) YouTube video
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ARNOLD BENNETT’S BURSLEM – Heritage Open Days Virtual Tour
Our thanks to Trentham Heritage for allowing us to become a guest on their page during the Heritage Open Days last month. We had a total of 371 hits to date. You can now watch again with this link.
These are some key buildings and places which will feature on the virtual “Bursley Trail” and where you’ll find quotes referring to them.
This information is from the Society’s publication “Who’s Who and Where’s Where in Arnold Bennett’s Five Towns”:
Bursley Town Hall (The Old Town Hall) In: Clayhanger, The Old Wives’ Tale, The Card, Helen With the High Hand, Sacred and Profane Love, The Price of Love, Hilda Lessways, Death, Fire and Life (in The Woman Who Stole Everything collection)
The Wedgwood Institute (Queen Street) The Old Wives’ Tale, Anna of the Five Towns, Leonora, Death, Fire and Life, The Lion’s Share, The Death of Simon Fuge (these last two are both in The Grim Smile of the Five Towns collection)
Clayhanger Steam Printing Works (Kismet Restaurant, Waterloo Road) Clayhanger, Hilda Lessways, Death, Fire and Life, Leonora
The Dragon Hotel (The George Hotel, Waterloo Road) Clayhanger, Hilda Lessways, Death, Fire and Life, Jock at a Venture (in The Matador of the Five Towns)
Duck Bank Chapel & Sunday School (Swan Bank Chapel) Anna of the Five Towns, Clayhanger, The Old Wives’ Tale, The Card, These Twain, His Worship the Goosedriver (Tales of the Five Towns collection), Death, Fire and Life, The Lion’s Share, A Man From the North, The Tiger and the Baby, An Unfair Advantage (these last two are both in The Matador of the Five Towns collection)
The Tiger Inn (The Leopard Inn, Market Place) Clayhanger, The Old Wives’ Tale, Helen With the High Hand, His Worship the Goosedriver, Nocturne at the Majestic (in Tales of the Five Towns), The Death of Simon Fuge, Leonora , The Tiger and the Baby, Cupid and Commonsense, What the Public Wants (these last two are stage plays)
The Big House (John Wedgwood’s House, Moorland Road) Clayhanger – and frequently mentioned as the Conservative Club.
Cock Yard and Bug’s Gutter (Brickhouse Street and Clayhanger Street) The Old Wives’ Tale, Clayhanger, The Price of Love, Jock at a Venture.
St Luke’s Square (St.John’s Square) – including Baines’ Drapers Shop, Daniel Povey’s Confectioners and Critchlow’s Chemist Shop) The Old Wives’ Tale, Clayhanger, The Card, Helen With the High Hand, Anna of the Five Towns, The Price of Love, Hilda Lessways, These Twain, Death, Fire and Life, His Worship the Goosedriver, Leonora, The Heroism of Thomas Chadwick (in The Matador of the Five Towns)
The Shambles (Burslem Meat Market, Market Place – demolished) The Old Wives’ Tale, Clayhanger, The Price of Love, These Twain, Jock at a Venture
The Blood Tub (Wedgwood Theatre, Wedgwood Street – demolished) Clayhanger, Hilda Lessways, Jock at a Venture
The Duck Inn and Duck Square (Swan Bank) Clayhanger, The Old Wives’ Tale, The Card, Hilda Lessways, Death, Fire and Life
If you don’t have copies of some books, you can search for quotes or read them all for free on this website:
