Joan Jackson
Encyclopedia
Joan Jackson (13 October 1915 – 11 April 2008) was the muse
of Sir John Betjeman
, best known from being the subject of his poem "A Subaltern's Love-song".
Jackson was the daughter of Dr George Hunter Dunn, a GP
from Farnborough, Hampshire
. Her grandfather, Andrew Hunter Dunn
, was Bishop of Quebec
from 1892 to 1914, and her uncle Edward Dunn was Bishop of British Honduras and Archbishop of the West Indies. A great-great-grandfather was William Hunter, Lord Mayor of London
in 1851-52 (the grandfather of both of her father's parents). Her mother, Mabel Liddelow, died in 1916, and Joan was educated from the age of six at Queen Anne's School
, Caversham
, near Reading, Berkshire
, where she played tennis
, became captain of the lacrosse
team, and was head girl.
She studied for a diploma at King's College of Household and Social Science, and joined the catering department at the University of London
.
Betjeman saw Jackson for the first time in December 1940. He was working for the Films Division of the Ministry of Information, based in the Senate House
of the University of London, where she worked in the canteen. Although married for seven years, he was struck by her beauty, he fell in love, and composed a 44-line poem fantasising about them being engaged and playing tennis
together in Aldershot
:
The poem was published in Cyril Connolly
's Horizon
magazine in February 1941. He invited her to lunch, and presented her with a copy of the magazine containing the poem, begging her forgiveness. In an interview in The Sunday Times
magazine in 1965, illustrated with photographs by Lord Snowdon
, she said: "It was such a marvellous break from the monotony of the war. It really was remarkable the way he imagined it all. Actually, all that about the subaltern, and the engagement is sheer fantasy, but my life was very like the poem."
She married Harold Wycliffe Jackson, a civil servant in the Ministry of Information, in January 1945, at St Mark's Church in Farnborough. Betjeman was invited, but was unable to attend. The poem was republished in Betjeman's book New Bats in Old Belfries in 1945, and was later mentioned in Flanders and Swann
's "Tried by Centre Court".
Jackson accompanied her husband to Malaya
after the war, where he ran a radio station. They then lived in Singapore
, before returning to the UK in 1957. Her husband worked for ITV
and then for the BBC
in Rhodesia
. He died of a heart attack in 1963.
Jackson returned to their home, in Headley, Hampshire
, to raise their three young boys. Despite straitened finances, all three attended Winchester College
. She attended the memorial service for Betjeman at Westminster Abbey
in 1984. Her letters from Betjeman, contained in a bureau, were stolen in a burglary in 1996.
She was survived by her three sons.
Muse
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
of Sir John Betjeman
John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman, CBE was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack".He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture...
, best known from being the subject of his poem "A Subaltern's Love-song".
Jackson was the daughter of Dr George Hunter Dunn, a GP
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
from Farnborough, Hampshire
Farnborough, Hampshire
-History:Name changes: Ferneberga ; Farnburghe, Farenberg ; Farnborowe, Fremborough, Fameborough .Tower Hill, Cove: There is substantial evidence...
. Her grandfather, Andrew Hunter Dunn
Andrew Hunter Dunn
The Rt Revd Andrew Hunter Dunn DD was an eminent Anglican priest, the fifth Bishop of Quebec.Dunn was born in Saffron Walden. Educated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, he graduated BA as 29th Wrangler in 1863. Ordained in 1864, his first post was a curacy at St Mark’s, Notting Hill...
, was Bishop of Quebec
Anglican Diocese of Quebec
The Anglican Diocese of Quebec was founded by Letters Patent in 1793, and is a part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Canada of the Anglican Church of Canada, in turn a province of the Anglican Communion...
from 1892 to 1914, and her uncle Edward Dunn was Bishop of British Honduras and Archbishop of the West Indies. A great-great-grandfather was William Hunter, Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
in 1851-52 (the grandfather of both of her father's parents). Her mother, Mabel Liddelow, died in 1916, and Joan was educated from the age of six at Queen Anne's School
Queen Anne's School
Queen Anne's School in Caversham, Berkshire is an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18, situated just north of the River Thames and Reading town centre and occupying a campus.There are around 330 pupils. Nearly half are boarders...
, Caversham
Caversham, Berkshire
Caversham is a suburb and former village in the unitary authority of Reading, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, within the royal county of Berkshire, on the opposite bank from the rest of Reading...
, near Reading, Berkshire
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, where she played tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, became captain of the lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
team, and was head girl.
She studied for a diploma at King's College of Household and Social Science, and joined the catering department at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
Betjeman saw Jackson for the first time in December 1940. He was working for the Films Division of the Ministry of Information, based in the Senate House
Senate House (University of London)
Senate House is the administrative centre of the University of London, situated in the heart of Bloomsbury, London between the School of Oriental and African Studies to the north, with the British Museum to the south...
of the University of London, where she worked in the canteen. Although married for seven years, he was struck by her beauty, he fell in love, and composed a 44-line poem fantasising about them being engaged and playing tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
together in Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
:
The poem was published in Cyril Connolly
Cyril Connolly
Cyril Vernon Connolly was an English intellectual, literary critic and writer. He was the editor of the influential literary magazine Horizon and wrote Enemies of Promise , which combined literary criticism with an autobiographical exploration of why he failed to become the successful author of...
's Horizon
Horizon (magazine)
Horizon: A Review of Literature and Art was an influential literary magazine published in London, between 1940 and 1949. It was edited by Cyril Connolly who gave a platform to a wide range of distinguished and emerging writers....
magazine in February 1941. He invited her to lunch, and presented her with a copy of the magazine containing the poem, begging her forgiveness. In an interview in The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
magazine in 1965, illustrated with photographs by Lord Snowdon
Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon
Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, GCVO, RDI is an English photographer and film maker. He was married to Princess Margaret, younger daughter of King George VI and younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II....
, she said: "It was such a marvellous break from the monotony of the war. It really was remarkable the way he imagined it all. Actually, all that about the subaltern, and the engagement is sheer fantasy, but my life was very like the poem."
She married Harold Wycliffe Jackson, a civil servant in the Ministry of Information, in January 1945, at St Mark's Church in Farnborough. Betjeman was invited, but was unable to attend. The poem was republished in Betjeman's book New Bats in Old Belfries in 1945, and was later mentioned in Flanders and Swann
Flanders and Swann
The British duo Flanders and Swann were the actor and singer Michael Flanders and the composer, pianist and linguist Donald Swann , who collaborated in writing and performing comic songs....
's "Tried by Centre Court".
Jackson accompanied her husband to Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
after the war, where he ran a radio station. They then lived in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, before returning to the UK in 1957. Her husband worked for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
and then for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
. He died of a heart attack in 1963.
Jackson returned to their home, in Headley, Hampshire
Headley, East Hampshire
Headley is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 1.8 miles east of Bordon on the B3002 road.The nearest railway station is 3.6 miles south of the village at Liphook....
, to raise their three young boys. Despite straitened finances, all three attended Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
. She attended the memorial service for Betjeman at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
in 1984. Her letters from Betjeman, contained in a bureau, were stolen in a burglary in 1996.
She was survived by her three sons.