48. John Galsworthy. Strife

Birth

On 14^th August 1867. At Kingston Hill in Surrey, England, into an established wealthy family. Son of John and Blanche Bailey Galsworthy. His large Kingston upon Thames estate is now the site of three schools Marymount International, Rokeby Preparatory School, Holy Cross

Education

Attended Harrow and New College, Oxford, training as a barrister, was called to the bar in 1890. However, he was not keen to begin practicing law

Travels

travelled abroad to look after the family's shipping business interests. During these travels he met Joseph Conrad, then the first mate of a sailing-ship moored in the harbour of Adelaide, Australia; the two future novelists became close friends

Marriage

In 1895 Galsworthy began an affair with Ada Nemesis Pearson Cooper, the wife of Maj. Arthur Galsworthy, one of his cousins. After her divorce ten years later, the pair married on 23^rd September 1905 and stayed together until his death in 1933.

Writing Career

From the Four Winds, a collection of short stories, was Galsworthy's first published work in 1897. These, and several subsequent works, were published under the pen name John Sinjohn. In 1904 he began publishing under his own name, probably owing to the death of his father. His first play, The Silver Box (1906), became a success and he followed it up with The Man of Property (1906), the first in the Forsyte trilogy. Along with George Bernard Shaw, his plays addressed the class system and social issues. Two best known plays are Strife (1909) and The Skin Game (1920). Awarded the Nobel Prize in 1932. He was too ill to attend the Nobel awards ceremony. Died six weeks later.

Death

John Galsworthy lived for the final seven years of his life at Bury in West Sussex. He died from a brain tumour on 31^st January 1933 at his London home, Grove Lodge, Hampstead. In accordance with his will he was cremated at Woking and his ashes scattered over the South Downs from an aero plane.

Strife 

The strike at the Trenartha Tin Plate Works had lasted so long without any sign of a settlement that the directors had begun to fear for their dividends. They had all gathered at the Underwood home at the request of the workers, and at first there was some talk of compromise. Facing them, however, was the stern figure of the chairman of the board, seventy-five-year-old John Anthony, who refused to consider any plan for compromise.

Anthony belonged to the old school of businessmen who refused to move with the times. For him there could be only one master at the plant, and that was John Anthony himself. He had defeated four strikes in his thirty-two years as chairman of the board, and he was certain that a little more perseverance would defeat the strikers once more.

The other directors were a little uneasy under his stern refusal. In his report Underwood, the plant manager, had made no attempt to disguise the terrible suffering of the striking workers and their families. The directors were also aware that if the strike lasted much longer their stockholders would begin to protest strongly.

Although the union had withdrawn support from the strikers because two of their conditions exceeded the prevailing standards, Simon Harness, a Trades Union official, had been sent to attempt mediation between the board and the workers. His interview with the directors accomplished nothing because of Anthony’s obstinacy. The meeting between the representatives of the workers and the directors was equally unhappy. Roberts, the leader of the striking workmen, was just as unyielding on his side as Anthony was on his. Both sides faced a deadlock.

Conditions among the workers were so terrible that many of them were ready to give in, but Roberts remained adamant. Mrs. Roberts was dying; her weak heart could not stand the cold and hunger which the strike imposed upon...

49. Sean O’Casey. Juno and the Paycock.

50. Samuel Beckett. Waiting for Godot.