South Riding

When I finish the Penmarric blog, I hope to write about South Riding, by Winifred Holtby. It is a drama set in Yorkshire, in the 1930's. It was her last book before her tragically early death. The heroine is Sarah Burton, who has just become headmistress of a girls High school. Sarah is liberal minded and wants to use her job to help the girls get a better education, and to improve social conditions generally. But she does have a tendency to fall in love with men who often don't agree with her political beliefs. The story covers the middle classes of Yorkshire and the poor who are suffering from the Great Depression... Sarah tries to help young Lydia Holley, a girl from a very poor background, whose mother dies from too many pregnancies. She and her family live in a converted railway carriage. Sarah gets to know Mrs Beddowes from a well to do middle class family who is on the local council, and through her, she meets Robert Carne. He is a gentleman farmer who married into the aristocracy and ends up in dire financial straits. The book starts with Sarah taking over headship of the High School, and clashing frequently with Robert Carne. He is on the local council and sees himself as the ratepayer's friend, which tends to mean that he is generally in favour of cutting aid to the poor. He is in trouble financially himself because he married a young upper class woman who was very neurotic. She has ended up in a home for the mentally ill. He tries hard to pay for her to be as comfortable as possible though he's been told she will never recover. Midge, his daughter, is now going to the high school. She too is spoiled and rather neurotic, causing spats more spats between Carne and Sarah. She makes friends with another councillor Joe Astell. Joe is a strong socialist, who has given up union work on Clydeside because he has TB and needs a less strenuous job. But he is frustrated by the fact that his work as a councillor does not give much help to the poor. People like Robert Carne outnumber him on the council. Joe likes Sarah but thinks she is not radical enough. Carne is in increasingly serious financial straits and realises that he will have to sell his land and perhaps ask his wife's family to help look after her and Midge. Holtby's work is not simplistic. She portrays many different people on the council, and shows that not all liberals are good, nor conservatives necessarily bad. Sometimes, her liberal characters do good by accident. At times, improvements occur because of a desire to make money. Sarah disagrees vehemently with Carne but she is a little in love with him. As Carne's financial problems get worse, he considers moving his wife to a new care home. He finds one in Manchester where he can get a job. He meets Sarah there, on a holiday, and they decide to spend the night together. However, Carne has a heart attack before they can make love. ;

Penmarric final narration

The final part of the novel is narrated by Jan Yves, the youngest Castallack who is loosely based on King John. Jan is considered by Philip to be a silly spoiled young man who is not very honest. Philip himself is brutally honest so he finds his youngest brother unlikable. Jan is shrewder than his brother, and has been brought up in a difficult situation. Both of his parents had ignored him, because of the circumstances of his conception. Jan resents both parents, as a child. But Janna has tried to make up to him for her coolness towards him, and makes a fuss of him, so he starts to visit her at the farm. He has been sent down from college for a prank. He takes a job in the mine, but Philip does not trust him with the books. Philip also feels that Jan's being friendly with their mother again is not sincere... He is only doing it because his father is angry with him for getting in trouble at Oxford. At the time of the Sennen Garth disaster, Jan has made a marriage of convenience to a local heiress, the horsey plain Felicity Carnforth who is a few years older than him. Her father owns a large estate. He had 2 sons but they were killed in the war. Jan wants a steady income, and Felicity wants to be married. He is now 25. He and Felicity get on well, and are fond of each other. Jan continues his on and off affair with Rebecca, with his wife turning a blind eye. Philip tolerates him, but does not much like him. However some months after the disaster, he asks him to visit Penmarric. He has been busy for a time with organising a fund for the families of those who were killed, but now he is aware that the mine will never re open. There is nothing he really wants to do. He never took much interest in the estate. Jan is not surprised to be told that the mine will never re open and his own job has vanished. But Philip shocks him when he tells him that he himself is going to go off to Canada for a couple of years. He wants to go to work in the mines there. Jan asks how their mother will manage as she and Philip are devoted to each other and she is now an old woman. She has lost 3 of her sons, Marcus in the war and Hugh in a swimming accident and Stephen as a baby. She is only really close to Philip. Philip says that he and Helena are going to separate, discreetly. He says the marriage has not worked out. He thinks his mother will be all right for a few years, if Jan helps to keep her company. He adds that he has decided to leave the estate to Jonas, his nephew. Jonas, who is only a child, has nothing but the name Castallack. Philip says that Jan is sorted out, financially. He is now married to an heiress and will inherit the Carnforth estate with his wife. Jan is horrified. He has had a long standing secret romance with Rebecca, Jonas' mother but he has never much liked the boy... He had hoped that he would inherit Penmarric, rather than a child who has no connexion with it. Jan has also grown fond of his mother but he is not all that keen to assume the role of supporting son to Janna.. being spoiled and selfish still. Jan finds that his brother declares that it would be best if he does not visit Penmarric during his 3 years of absence. Michael Vincent will be in charge, together with a new bailiff. Jan is very angry at this. Philip suggests that he can help his half brother William, who has now moved to manage the Carnforth estate. He and his wife Felicity have a friendly relationship but it is not a close one. For some time, things go all right. Jan does try to be supportive to his mother, who is lonely without Philip. Adrian, now a clergyman, has come to work at the local church and he also visits Janna. She tells Jan she has gotten over the fact that Adrian is a reminder of Mark's affair. Helena has left Penmarric, to live with her brother and his wife, her own best friend, Jeanne. Gerald, her brother, is in declining health. It does not look like he has long to live. Jan begins to visit Penmarric, in defiance of Philip's instructions, trying to insinuate himself into a position where he can run the estate. He hopes Philip may change his mind about leaving it to him if he is a good manager. The new bailiff, Smithson, is not popular. Jan finds that the tenants are willing to complain to him about the way he is managing the property and his lack of sympathy for their problems. Over time, the locals take such a dislike to Smithson that Philip has to dismiss him. He decides to let Jan take over the management of the estate for the time being. Jan has moved into the house, and Janna is angry with him over this. Philip says contemptuously that he is not that bothered, as he doubts if Jan Yves will stick the job for very long. Simon Peter Roslyn, son of Janna's stepson, Jared, is young Jonas' cousin. He is now an assistant solicitor to Michael Vincent. He suggests to Jan that Philip seems happy abroad in the mines and hints that he may not ever come back to Cornwall.. Jan, still sore at Philip's remark, interprets this as meaning that Philip might change his mind about Jonas being the heir. It seems that the boy is not all that promising. Besides, Rebecca has not tried very hard to bring him up in a way that would make him skilled at managing a big estate. Jan goes on living in the house. Adrian falls out with him over the fact that he is not living with his wife and that he's clearly coveting Philip's property. Jan feels that he is always seen by his family as the one who is at fault. He continues to justify his own behaviour to himself. Then his plans crash. Philip writes to say that as he had promised, he will soon be home. It is now 3 years since he went abroad. Jan is caught out; he has borrowed money from the estate to keep up a lavish lifestyle and suddenly he is no longer seen as master of Penmarric. His fair weather friends drop him. He tries to pay back the money to the estate, but is short of cash, and he has nowhere to go. Felicity is still fond of him but her father won't let her take him back. He wants her to get a divorce. William is the only one who still cares for him and he takes him in to his house. Jan decides that he can't face his family or anyone now that he has been disgraced.

Penmarric VI

Philip finds himself talking more intimately to Trevose, and tells him that his marriage is a failure. Alun suggests that he and his friend might like to go out some Saturday nights, to go to the pubs and restaurants in St Ives, a town which has an artistic community. He makes it clear that he thinks in terms of picking up men, not women. Philip is a little shocked, but says that he does not mind what Alun does for amusement. But he has no interest in that sort of thing, and there's also the risk of blackmail. But in due course, he begins to see that he has always cared for Trevose more than anyone else. He and Alun become lovers. He has reached his early 30's, without ever suspecting his own homosexuality, but he and his friend have a year or so of happiness. He doesn't tell Helena what is going on, nor his mother. He just spends most of his free time with Trevose. Then another disaster strikes. An earth tremor hits the mine and several miners, including Trevose are drowned. The sea has rushed in, and floods the lower levels. Philip was over ground, to meet a visitor, though he usually tried to spend as much time in the mine as possible. The water makes it impossible even to bring the bodies to the surface. Philip's brief time of personal happiness is over, and he knows that the mine, Sennen Garth, can never be reopened. It would cost too much and would not be safe. He has lost his life's work and his lover. Howatch was one of the first writers to use the technique of using a historical background as a basis for her story. With Philip, who is based on Richard I, she works it very well, Philip's obsession with the mine mirrors Richard's desire to fight in a crusade and take Jerusalem. His marriage to Helena is a failure, as it seems was Richard's with Berengaria which produced no children.

Penmarric Part V

Philip inherits the estate under certain conditions. He can leave it to his son if he has one. If not, he has to leave it to his brother, Jan or his nephew Jonas. The condition is that the heir must be male, must have been alive when Mark died, and must bear the name Castallack. He starts to consider marriage, because he wants an heir for his home and his mine. But he has never had any interest in women. Philip is not a very reflective man, and does not consider why this might be. He dedicates himself to his mining work but he finds that running the Penmarric house etc is expensive and he does not have a lot of ready money. He then thinks of Helena Meredith, who is attractive and intelligent. She also has a large fortune. Her father left his money divided between his two children and old Meredith who owned Polzillan House, died instestate, so she inherited half of that fortune as well. Philip decides to pay court to her. After a short courtship, he asks her to marry him. His sister Jeanne who has left her nursing order, becomes engaged to Helena's invalid brother, who is in a wheelchair and who has loved her for years. Philip does not consider the implications of his approaching marriage, even when Trevose cools on him over the issue. He has never had a woman. Now, he considers finding a woman to get in a little discreet practice at sex, but he's always too busy. Then he and Helena get married and the honeymoon is a nightmare. Philip finds himself unable to make love to his wife... it brings up memories of his seeing Janna after she was raped by his father. He goes to see doctors, who recommend a psychiatrist. He talks to the doctor who says that he would have to see him several times. Philip says that he cannot keep coming to London.. so his doctor suggests that he should try writing out his experiences. That might help him to see if he can find a solution to his problems. Philip is not keen on the idea but he accepts it as a possible way out. So he starts writing about his life, back in Cornwall and then realises that he has reached a conclusion in his own mind. On consideration, he decides that the truth is that he does not want to be a husband. He thinks that that is the big block that he has. He doesn't love Helena or find her attractive and he does not want to be married. He just really considered it to have a son and to get more money for the mine. He feels it is only fair to offer her a divorce. She refuses, and they continue to live together, but are privately estranged. Philip feels that there is nothing wrong if Helena does not want a divorce, with his deciding to lead his own life. He spends more time with Trevose and seeing his mother, and Helena begins to spend more time with her brother and Jeanne.

Penmarric Part IV

Now the war has ended, there is less demand for tin. Mark refuses to keep the mine open because it will not make a profit..It would also cost a fortune to make sure it is up to standard for safety. Philip is in a constant battle with his father over keeping the mine going. He is obssessed with the mine. He has no friends of his own class, and his best friend is Trevose. Soon after the war, Elizabeth, the youngest girl of the family goes to university (she is very clever). Jeanne, the middle daughter, joins a nursing order of Anglican nuns. Hugh marries Rebecca Roslyn, the daughter of Joss, Janna's stepson from her first marriage. Janna hints to her son that he should get married. Philip has no desire to marry, although his siblings are nearly all finding partners. As Mark is making a decision to shut down the mine, Philip tries desperately to think of a way of stopping him. There has been a change in the divorce laws, and he suggests to his brothers that Janna could now divorce Mark for adultery alone. He thinks that his father is having an affair with Alice Penmar. Jan Yves has gossiped about this, and Philip hopes he could get him to testify that Alice is Mark's mistress. He writes to his father, saying that if he closes down the mine, he will advise Janna to sue for divorce. He will drag Alice's name through the mud. Mark reads the letter, has a stroke and dies. Philip now feels sorry that he wrote the letter. He is upset that they were estranged.. but he fears that Mark will have left the estate and mine to Jan Yves.... and is amazed when he finds that his father, in spite of their problems, left Penmarric to him.

Penmarric Part III

The next section of the book is narrated by Philip, who is passionate about mining. His father has never been interested in the mine on his property. He closed it when it ceased to make a profit. Philip is angry at his father's treatment of Janna, whom he loves deeply. He hates Mark and sees him as a selfish arrogant snob. He thinks that his father has always looked down on his working class wife and the working population of St Just where they live. Philip's brother, Marcus, joins up when war breaks out, and dies of dysentry. Mark tries to make up with Philip, because he feels guilty about the split in the family. Philip refuses to listen. The 2 men quarrel continually about the mine. Then because tin is required for war production, the government is willing to put money in to get the tin out. Philip is finally able to manage his beloved mine. He also makes friends with a mining expert, Alun Trevose, who is Cornish but grew up in South Africa. Trevose is independent minded, hates the upper classes and is also passionate about mining.. and he and Philip become very close. Meanwhile, Mark needs a housekeeper at Penmarric. He takes on Alice Penmar, the vicar's granddaughter who is a connexion of old Giles Penmar, who owned Penmarric before Mark. Her father, Harry, was a womaniser, who was related to Giles' wife. Giles took him in as a child and brought him up, together with his sister Clarissa. Harry married the vicar's daughter, and then he died. Alice is clever but plain and she is able to manage the house and also be a dinner table companion to Mark. The sons become suspicious of her - believing that she might be Mark's new mistress or angling to become his wife. An elderly neighbour, old Mr Meredith dies, leaving his house, Polzillan House, to relatives. Gerald Meredith has served in the War, and is confined to a wheelchair due to war injuries. His sister Helena looks after him. Janna hopes that her favourite son might take an interest in Helena, but he does not.

Penmarric Part II

After the rape of Janna, she still refuses to give Mark a divorce. She does not want him to marry Rose. She becomes pregnant from the rape, which embitters her further. Mark is ashamed, but still retaliates by pushing for custody of his children. Since he is a gentleman and Janna is not upper class, he wins. The Castallack children spend several years in Oxford, living with him and Rose. Philip is angry and hostile to his father and his illegitimate brothers. He vows that as soon as he's old enough, he will leave school and go back to Janna. She has returned to Roslyn farm, her old home. She had never cared for Penmarric and the upper class life but was happier as a farmer's wife. Philip is just counting the days till he is 16 and can leave school. The next narration is by Adrian, the younger son of Rose and Mark. He is a schoolboy, just a few months younger than Philip. He is very unhappy with the Castallacks, coming into his home at Oxford. He particularly hates Philip. Not long before the war, Rose dies of TB. Mark decides to move back to Cornwall - taking all his children. Jan Yves, the youngest son of Janna, conceived in violence, is difficult and only likes William, his older half brother. Janna had left him at Penmarric with his nanny when she went back to Roslyn Farm. She could not bear to see him then. Now, Philip has settled at Roslyn Farm with his mother, and Adrian leaves school and joins up when War breaks out. Philip remains on the farm, as he has no desire to fight.