9 Mill Street

Marie Whitby, Tofari the cat, Pauline Whitby. Marie and Pauline are the daughters of Geoffrey and Mabel Whitby, Head Teachers at the Merchant Taylors' School, Mill Street, Ashwell, from 1933 to 1945.

Comments about this page

  • hello just wanted to share that I just bought this picture today and we love it!! Tho I can’t seem to post the picture, if u can advisecme how, would love to share?

    its blue hessian background with Edwardian houses, and a pottery lady with baby in a pram!

     

     

    By Gill dibben (20/08/2017)
  • I am an Australian who taught at Hillshott Infants School, Letchworth for 18 months in the early 1970’s. On my departure I was presented with a sculpture by Marie Whitby, 1973, purchased by a lovely colleague who lived in Ashwell. It is of an Edwardian couple with a dog and I love it. It is still with us and lives variously on the mantel piece or other prominent places around the house. It will become a family heirloom, and always reminds me of our wonderful time in England.

    By Di Brehaut (27/03/2016)
  • Does anyone know how to contact Ms. Whitby?  I’d like to talk to her about the rights to her wonderful stories!

    By Gideon Marcus (23/03/2016)
  • Yes. You are correct. I am glad you think so much of her work. Have you any more details of her writing career from your point of view. What publication was John Campbell the editor of in 1958? Sadly I think her writing days are over.

    By Peter Greener (10/01/2014)
  • Thank you for the information, Peter. John Campbell was the editor of the science fiction magazine Astounding from 1937 until his death in 1971. He discovered and mentored many of the great science fiction writers of the age including Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke (although Clarke, like Pauline, had published in some smaller venues prior to Astounding). You can find a list of Pauline’s science fiction and fantasy stories at http://www.isfdb.org all good things to you and Pauline, Michael

    By Michael Main (10/01/2014)
  • What a nice picture! Can someone tell me whether Pauline is the British author (born in 1928) who wrote science fiction under the names Pauline Ashwell and Paul Ash? She sold a story, “Unwillingly to School”, to the editor John Campbell in 1958. The most recent writing I saw by her was part of a series of stories about time-travelling terraformers, “Elsewhere”, in 2001. She is always worth reading.

    By Michael Main (01/01/2014)
  • You certainly have found the right person. Marie has been a prolific potter and painter throughout her life. Her distinctive pots have given much pleasure to thousands of people. ‘The Village School’ could be one of two – The Merchant Taylors, where her father was headmaster or the present Junior School. I can’t tell without seeing the picture. Feel free to upload a copy of it onto a webpage on this site!

    By Peter Greener (29/10/2013)
  • Many years ago, I was given a painting called “Village School” by Marie Whitby. I’ve been trying to find out more about it and i think I have tracked the artist down to Marie in the photo above. The school looks a lot like a photo I found of Ashwell School [the original bit with steeple]. I’d love to know more.

    By Valerie Berry (28/10/2013)
  • I was one of those American schoolteachers who actually lived in 9 Mill Street when only 1/2 the building was the shop. When I took a year back in America both halves became the store. From this photo I wonder if Marie and Pauline live there now. I adored living in Ashwell and took advantage of the pottery class offered in the school. It’s a wonderful village and I think of it often. Glad to see a photo of both Marie and Pauline. I have several of Marie’s sculptures, my favorite the schoolteacher and pupils!! Also have Marie’s prints.

    By Ruth Donnocker (02/11/2012)

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