York and Talk

[steepholm]

One hundred and one years ago my curate great-grandfather preached a sermon in Esperanto at the church of Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, York, on the occasion of the British Esperanto Congress being held in the city. When I lived in York in the 1980s I often visited the church, loving the old box pews (as who couldn't?), but at that time I didn't know about Thomas Robinson Butler's performance. Yesterday, however, in the wake of a conference organised by the talented and delightful Clementine Beauvais, I visited with her and Maria Nikolajeva, and photographed what was, I assume, the very pulpit:



Meanwhile, here are Clementine (l) and Maria (r), as seen through the church's hagioscope:



Tonight I'm staying with Farah and Edward in Stoke-on-Trent, which really ought to be the occasion to visit the Esperanto Association's Butler Library, named after Thomas's son, my grandfather and housed at nearby Barlaston. But, alas, Wolverhampton calls and I must take the morning train. Bonan nokton, ĉiuj!

Comments

[steepholm]

It's a cool word, isn't it? I'd like a foldaway hagioscope for spotting saints, but this will do in the meantime.

[ethelmay]

When I first saw the word, I thought perhaps it meant that people seen through it looked like saints in a window. But as one might be making any expression whatsoever, I suppose that doesn't quite work.

Also I rather like the idea of someone solemnly translating "squint" as "hagioscope," as in "Let's have a hagioscope at that, shall we?" or "Too much hagioscope -- let's take this picture where the sun's not in your eyes."

[steepholm]

I'm sure there's an iPhone map for making people look like saints. Or should be...