Worked there as a youngster as a newspaper reporter in the late 60s. It had a flourishing weekly paper and two evening papers had branch offices there. There were two Councils (City and Rural District). There was a be-wigged Recorder (George Cuthbert Heron QC) with his own Quarter Sessions Court who paraded through the streets 4 times a year accompanied by the Mayor and Aldermen plus all the barristers in their gowns and led by his Clerk carrying a large mace. He dealt with the offenders who were deemed too heinous for the lay Magistrates at their weekly session. With its three-spired Cathedral and a Close with echoes of Barchester, numerous beamed alehouses and two grammar schools Lichfield seemed to have hardly changed since the days of Johnson, Garrick and Erasmus Darwin. It was a lively news area for we young reporters. The 1970s put paid to most of its colourful local autonomy through reorganisation of local Government and the justice system - it's hard to believe that there have been any material advantages from the changes but the the City has certainly lost character and influence.
Really like this. It makes me want to visit Lichfield next time I'm in the UK. Of course I have to see the Samuel Johnson stained glass at the cathedral.
I saw a copy of that stained glass in Johnson's London house and of course know it as the cover of the Oxford UP Selected Writings.
I'm looking at a map of England. I never knew that Lichfield was that far north, north of Birmingham. I have a decent grasp of English geography around the Southeast and London but honestly things get vaguer for me the farther north you go.
When I lived in England I lived in Kent and pretty much exclusively traveled around the home counties so my mental conception of English geography is very skewed -- I think of Norwich as "oop north."
Ps. Really enjoyed seeing the word "Pokémon" on your Substack -- never thought I'd see it here. Last time I was in London I had coffee at a Chiswick cafe with a stuffed Yeoman Warder Pikachu.
Quick English geography question -- the northernmost I've been is York. Does that count as up north?
If you're ever interested in what one might call a scholarly approach to Pokémon (taking its title from Borges), I've been writing that on my Substack.
Are you going to write any more posts about "literary cities?" Would love to read your description of Canterbury.
Worked there as a youngster as a newspaper reporter in the late 60s. It had a flourishing weekly paper and two evening papers had branch offices there. There were two Councils (City and Rural District). There was a be-wigged Recorder (George Cuthbert Heron QC) with his own Quarter Sessions Court who paraded through the streets 4 times a year accompanied by the Mayor and Aldermen plus all the barristers in their gowns and led by his Clerk carrying a large mace. He dealt with the offenders who were deemed too heinous for the lay Magistrates at their weekly session. With its three-spired Cathedral and a Close with echoes of Barchester, numerous beamed alehouses and two grammar schools Lichfield seemed to have hardly changed since the days of Johnson, Garrick and Erasmus Darwin. It was a lively news area for we young reporters. The 1970s put paid to most of its colourful local autonomy through reorganisation of local Government and the justice system - it's hard to believe that there have been any material advantages from the changes but the the City has certainly lost character and influence.
I agree with you Peter.
"Beamed alehouses" is a wonderfully evocative phrase.
This is lovely! I’d like to find some old memoirs and recollections of Lichfield
I was there yesterday, and wish I’d read your newsletter beforehand. Now, I’ll have to go back!
Yes do it’s so splendid!
Really like this. It makes me want to visit Lichfield next time I'm in the UK. Of course I have to see the Samuel Johnson stained glass at the cathedral.
It’s well worth your time. I was so overawed but the building I didn’t even look for his glass. Saw the Roman busy though
I saw a copy of that stained glass in Johnson's London house and of course know it as the cover of the Oxford UP Selected Writings.
I'm looking at a map of England. I never knew that Lichfield was that far north, north of Birmingham. I have a decent grasp of English geography around the Southeast and London but honestly things get vaguer for me the farther north you go.
It not very far north, only as far up as Norwich!
Norwich - Alan Partridge's hometown, no?
When I lived in England I lived in Kent and pretty much exclusively traveled around the home counties so my mental conception of English geography is very skewed -- I think of Norwich as "oop north."
Ps. Really enjoyed seeing the word "Pokémon" on your Substack -- never thought I'd see it here. Last time I was in London I had coffee at a Chiswick cafe with a stuffed Yeoman Warder Pikachu.
Norwich is very much not up north! My kids love Pokémon as did I when I was young
Yes, I know.
Quick English geography question -- the northernmost I've been is York. Does that count as up north?
If you're ever interested in what one might call a scholarly approach to Pokémon (taking its title from Borges), I've been writing that on my Substack.
Are you going to write any more posts about "literary cities?" Would love to read your description of Canterbury.
Yea York is really the start of the north coming after the midlands. I would like to do more travel writing -- will have to think about how I fund it
So worth visiting!
Agreed. Nothing like an English cathedral city.
Oh lord...