When John Betjeman went up to Magdalen College Oxford, he took with him his bear; Archibald Ormsby-Gore. A pleasant enough, well worn, bear, but with a name that was never given an explanation.
Ormsby-Gore is the family name of Lord Harlech, who's home 'Woodhill' was just down the road from my people's Welsh hilltop cottage. Lord H himself was a very straight-laced diplomat, unlike his children who were an interesting bunch of wealthy hippies. Whilst we temporarily lived at the cottage before finalising the purchase of our own nearby home, we would often encounter his daughter Alice, as she rode past wearing long flowing robes, etc; as one did in those days. She was not a 'friend', just someone we would say 'hi' to occasionally.
Alice became the girlfriend of Eric Clapton, who, allegedly, introduced her to the heroin which later killed her.
So why Betjeman's bear should have borne their family name I have no idea. He doesn't seem to have been related to them, or even knew them.
Perhaps he simply found the name appealing.
Betjeman was thrown out of Oxford, but his bear remained faithful; and, it is said, he was holding on to Archibald O-G when he died in 1984.
p.s. A O-G was also the inspiration for Waugh's Brideshead bear 'Aloysius'.
20 comments:
Cro, Sir John Betjeman loved sound, sound with a rythm... I have a wonderful CD of Betjeman reading his poems aloud to orchestral music.
He played with sound and rythm and very probably, having perhaps heard the names Archibald and Ormsby-Gore when very young, he caught the rythm [it bounces, doesn't it] and it stuck in his mind, was donated to his closest friend, his bear.... and was possibly the actual start of his poetry ability!!
I think you're probably right, although using the actual name of a well know family is a bit strange; why not Gormsby-Ore?
I still have the bear of my childhood. He is unimaginatively called Panda and he sits on a shelf in our bed chamber. Perhaps I should change his name to Sir Crozier Magnon.
Ormsley
I wonder if the name originates from ORME the peninsular in Llandudno
His title comes from not far from you, but I doubt if Ormsby has anything to do with the Orme. Who knows!!
I never had a bear as such, just a solid soldier doll called Alphonse. I still have him.
The comfort of holding a bear
My bears went to my brother and then mother threw them away. They were called Big Teddy and Little Teddy.
His only link to his childhood, I imagine.
What a shame. We have looked after all our children's bears. We would never throw them away.
Fascinating! A man with his bear. There has to be an interesting back story or two.
There is so much in this world that I have no knowledge of. Your post led me off on tangents to read about two families. Very satisfying start to the day!
For me the interesting bit is why he chose that name! I suppose I'll never know.
My wife's father was at our embassy in Washington, but a bit earlier than Lord Harlech.
Interesting, if unusual name, but in keeping with his personality.
Interesting informati0n Cro.
My eldest still has his bear..not very imaginatively called Arthur...mind you, Arth is bear in Welsh...
It wouldn't have been my choice for a bear's name.
You never know what's coming next on this page!
My daughter has a toy Chimp' that she named 'Wales'. His face and hands etc were made of rubber which has now started to perish; in fact certain bits have fallen off.
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