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George Orwell Diaries


dunsbyowl1867

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Diaries being published online http://www.theorwellprize.co.uk/home.aspx

Interesting letter relating to Sheffield obtained by George Orwell in his research :

http://www.theorwellprize.co.uk/life-and-w...77&item=211

I assume this was research for the "Road to Wigan Pier" published 1937. Wallace Road is off Rutland Road - would that area be Neepsend? Here the infamous section on Sheffield from RWP Chapter 7. Cheeky Bugger!

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Guest tommyking

Orwell was only ever interested in documenting where the working class of Sheffield were situated. It makes sense that he would have been highly critical of the city, but he seems to only offer a description of the 'Old East End'. An area like Neepsend would match perfectly with the passage on Sheffield being 'the ugliest town in the whole world'. In my view he was very selective in his description and I would have liked to have read more about his thoughts on the more leafy subrubs that stretch out westwards toward Nether Edge and Fulwood.

Interesting to note where he did live during his short stay in Sheffield none the less!

Cheers

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He certainly knew how to make a place sound bad, i presume the council housing he mentioned, if he was staying at Wallace Road,Parkwood Springs would have been Shirecliffe on the very summit of a hill on horrible sticky clay soil and swept by icy winds, whoooo! whoooo! don't look behind you. lol

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Guest tommyking

He certainly knew how to make a place sound bad, i presume the council housing he mentioned, if he was staying at Wallace Road,Parkwood Springs would have been Shirecliffe on the very summit of a hill on horrible sticky clay soil and swept by icy winds, whoooo! whoooo! don't look behind you. lol

I like his writing a lot - although I get the impression that the grimy hard nosed description of Sheffield, like many of the others cities mentioned, was pure rhetoric aimed at those arm-chair socialists who puffed on cigars in the old gentlemen's room analysing 'the unemployment figures for Middlesborough'!

I imagine he got off the train at Sheffield Victoria and then walked out to Neepsend from there. Stayed in his residence - appauled at the conditions - and left the very next day.

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