Member: helmutbooks

I will consult your Berlin collection whenever I go there.

posted by diwan at 6:54 am (EST) on Sep 10, 2007

Than you for reminding me. I never met 'big momma' although I knew Kit, George's brother very well (I have a couple of his paintings). And of course they all talked about her continuously. She was a serious muse. John Fairfax, George's nephew is still a very good friend of mine and lives less than ten miles away - I am made guiltily aware by your reply, that I owe him a visit. It was through John that I met a lot of these guys.

I saw Stubbs' obituary but was unable to go to the funeral. I remember an incident from the mid 1960's which may amuse you. Probably after one of Kit's Private views in London, I left the Queens Elm to find another watering hole with George, John Fairfax, Kit, Stubbs and David Wright amongst others. We were planning to go into the Goat in Boots when Stubbs and Wright decided that Finch's on the other side of the road would be sure to serve draught Guiness and that is what they needed, urgently. John and David, the one deaf, the other blind and both very drunk, were well past caring about traffic and were on an urgent mission. George and I stood on the kerb watching the two of them, arms around each other for guidance, weave gently down the centre of the road. ' I think we should turn away now' said George, ' or we may have to witness the death of two of the best hopes for English poetry in the future'.

I am glad to say that the traffic showed a proper respect for the Muse and they were spared.

Best regards.

posted by autolycus at 5:59 am (EST) on Jan 31, 2007

I see we share Robert Fraser's biography of George Barker (who I met several times). You might be interested in his son Christopher Barker's autobiography 'The arms of the Infinite' which is a less starry-eyed picture of the man!

posted by autolycus at 7:47 am (EST) on Jan 27, 2007