Dr. Habens and Matt Wingett presented a complex and engaging story of the mystery behind the haberdasher’s window display in Southsea. Using excerpts from the writers autobiographical writings, an intriguing story is woven. H. G. Wells worked in a drapery store in Southsea for a while and hated it. He refers to this time of tedious work, cataloguing textiles in his Experiments in Autobiography. He could not wait to escape to a teaching job at Midhurst Grammar school.
Kipling grew up in Southsea and had an unhappy childhood with a guardian who abused him. His parents were in India at the time. He describes this time and his nervous breakdown in his autobiography Something of Myself.
Doyle seems to imply he met HG Wells in Southsea in his autobiography. While Doyle was in Southsea there was an attempt on the life of Queen Victoria and Doyle noted the changing mis-labelling of materials and their origin in the haberdasher’s window display. It seems that this might have been a code for the would be assassin, giving the ship’s name, and time of departure for a possible escape route to India.
Books mentioned in the talk:
Doyle, Arthur Conan. – Memories and Adventures (Autobiography 1924)
Doyle, A. C. Stark Munro Letters (1896)
Kipling, Rudyard. Something of Myself (1937)
Kipling, R. The Light that Failed ( refers to looking in window with Haberdashers Scissors. Scissors look like time hands on a clock)
Kipling, R. Ba Baa Black Sheep (short story)
Wells, H.G. Experiments in Autobiography (1934)
Wells, H. G. History of Mr Polly (1910) The story refers to his work in the drapery trade, and the eccentricities of the window display.