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Sir bernard Shaw

I know we have many people into the theatre and arts on here.
I was just this minute going through an autograph book with photos and signatures from the likes of Rudolph Valentino to wee Georgie Wood and many lords and ladies to Colonel Sir Henry Streatfield, private secretary to Queen Alexander.
But I did like this right on the last page of the autograpgh book which I thought I'd post.
Don't know much about him if I am honest while knowing the name, but it made me chuckle and got me thinking about what kind of person he was

Julian Pavey ● 30d5 Comments

It appears Blanche Patch wrote a book about being GBS' secretary for 30 years.  There must have been  a lot of stories.

Philippa Bond ● 28d

George Bernard Shaw would I am "sure" had a good laugh at someone giving him a knighthood!If you are unfamiliar with his works then you are in for a treat. His plays are still often revived and "May Fair Lady" the musical version of his play "Pygmalion" was a big hit on stage and as a film. His support for Eugenics would jar a little with a modern reader but you have to remember that this pseudo-science had wide support amongst "progressives" of the time. The prefaces to the the plays are often nearly as long as the scripts themselves. They are of the nature of political polemics - all a bit dated now since much of the social change he wished for has actually come about.

Sam Hearn ● 28d

Thank you, Andrew - an interesting bit of research. Blanche Patch seems to be sporting cornrows in the photo!

Robert Fish ● 28d

Blanche Patch is the older woman sitting down. The woman standing is Oscar winner Wendy Hiller

Andrew OSullivan ● 28d

Very funny. When I read it I thought it must be George Bernard Shaw himself as 'Blanche Patch' was such an obvious pseudonym. However she did exist and clearly shared a sense of humour with and employer. Here she is in a photo from the National Portrait Gallery

Andrew OSullivan ● 28d