Dear Friends,
Welcome to the first issue of 2003, which continues the pattern of varied fare established in 2002, our first year of publication. Once again, we feature items on both Cowper and Newton, and on recent events in the Museum.
In a fascinating article, Joan McKillop unravels the complicated history of 'Amazing Grace' and the multitude of tunes to which it was sung, both in Britain and America, before settling on the one which is now familiar to millions throughout the world.
Vincent Newey presents a piece of groundbreaking research into the use of Cowper's name and verses on cigarette cards, not only to promote the weed but to give literary ballast to series of 'Eastern Proverbs', 'Figures of Fiction', and the like. Perhaps surprisingly, the poet's view of the smoking habit was anything but condemnatory, even benign.
Elizabeth Knight gives a lively account of her visit to Pennsylvania for the opening of the new John Newton International Center, and her discovery of incontrovertible evidence on the vexed question of how to pronounce 'Cowper'! And Karen Parr reports on the recent exhibition in the Museum on the history of the Olney Pancake Race. The Museum puts on two or three such temporary exhibitions a year, each involving considerable preparation and research, which will in future be recorded in the Bulletin for the interest of our readers.
As always, if any of the items provoke comment or questions - or even give you the idea for a contribution of your own - do get in touch with one of the Editors.
Once again, we are delighted to extend a warm welcome to a number of new Friends:
Mr AM Ford, Loughton, Milton Keynes;
Mr R Weeks, Tennessee, USA; Mr G Wilson, Ontario, Canada.
Many Friends of the Museum will be saddened to learn of the death of Tom Davies on the 17th March, aged 94. Until shortly before his death, he shared running the shop with Michael Lawson on Friday afternoons. His son, George, is a long-standing Trustee of the Museum.