In 2018, from 23 June to 3 September, the Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum installed a writing and drawing activity in the attic on the theme of “Willow”. Johnson’s willow by the side of Stowe Pool is one of Lichfield’s tourist landmarks.
The current tree, the Fourth Willow, is a descendant of the original tree that Johnson used to visit, marking the site of his father Michael’s parchment factory. Johnson was very impressed by the size and vigour of this tree, which was later referred to in newspaper reports as an “unparalleled wonder”. John Winterton, a member of the Johnson Society, has written a history of Johnson’s Willow. The SJBM has a number of willow-related artefacts, including prints of different incarnations of the willow and items made from the wood.
We at the Birthplace Museum decided that “Willow” would make an interesting summer writing theme for the museum. The subject linked to a number of books, such a “Wind in the Willows”, “The Lord of the Rings” and Harry Potter, and there are also links to Shakespeare, the Willow Pattern legend and even one of the psalms. Another positive point was to make an environmental link and encourage people to visit the tree and enjoy Stowe Pool with its abundant bird life.
The activity aimed to be suitable for all ages, so those too young to write were invited to decorate willow leaf shapes and hang them on the tree in the attic. The writing and drawing opportunity proved to be very popular and the museum received a wide range of contributions from all ages in prose, poetry and illustration. One of the most exciting contributions was a poem called “Ode to the Willow” written in Chinese characters which turned out to be by a poet named He Zhizhang who lived between 659 -744. We can put this in the context of Lichfield by remembering that St Chad who was the founding father of our cathedral died in 672, making Chad and He Zhizhang contemporaries.
Such a lot of excellent work had been produced that it seemed a shame not to display it, so the Museum has made a scrapbook as a record for the future. The further spin off from the original project is that, as many of the Lichfield Poets contributed to the collection, they have been invited to give a reading of a selection of the willow poems at this year’s Lichfield Literary Festival.
The event will take place, appropriately, at Stowe Boathouse, a venue generously made available by the Sculpture and Art Foundation CIC, at 12 noon on Saturday 9 March 2019. There will also be an exhibition in the Boathouse from Thursday 7 to Sunday 10 March 2019, open from 11 – 3 pm. This will include a selection of alternative writing and drawing activities with the ethos of making minimum impact on the environment.
We hope you will come along and take part!
Contributor: Sarah Dale is a Museum Attendant at the Birthplace and also a member of Lichfield Poets.