Orion Books H.G Wells book covers

Research for book covers: The History of Mr Polly

Alfred Polly is a quiet, timid and direction-less young man living in Edwardian England, in the town of Fishbourne, West Sussex (although the town in the story is thought to be based on Sandgate, Kent where Wells lived for several years). Polly enjoys reading books of knightly endeavours more than his jobs in a draper's shops, and several times his daydreaming mind loses him his job. After the death of his father, a man he had little in common with, he's left a little money in the inheritance and at the funeral he meets Miriam Larkins, a distant cousin. Although not really in love with her (Polly is in fact in love with Christabel, a girl he met whilst out riding his bicycle), he marries Miriam, they buy a shop and set out to make a success of it.

Fifteen years later, Miriam has become abusive and spiteful, Polly is still bored and dissatisfied with his life, the shop is in debt, and he hates all their neighbours. Polly is inclined to spark comedic arguments and slapstick calamity wherever he goes. When he knows his marriage is failing, and he is seen as a bit of a joke in the community and he's facing bankruptcy, he decides to set fire to his new shop and cut his neck with a razor, but the twist is that he fails to go with the slash because the fire surprises him by the speed with which it spreads. Also, saving his neighbouring shop owner's elderly mother from the fire (the fire station is opposite the shops, but the firemen are unable to act before the fire-engine's hose is molten as they cannot find the key), Polly is seen as a local hero. The events lead to Polly wanting to do something adventurous with his life and go out and see the world instead of keeping stuck with his wife in Fishbourne. Polly then leaves the insurance money from the fire with Miriam, and he disappears in the night to try to make a new life for himself.

After a month of wandering aimlessly in the Sussex countryside, Polly comes to a riverside inn, the Potwell Inn, and is offered work by the innkeeper, a widow who Wells never names -she is referred to only as the 'plump woman'. The relationship between Polly and the widow is friendly from the very beginning. Polly meets her young niece Nancy and also "Uncle Jim", who turns up regularly, usually drunk and demanding money. Jim demands Polly "gets off his patch", but Polly sticks around and is nearly killed by Jim on one occasion, but survives by pure luck and chance. Despite not being exceptionally brave, Polly stands his ground and Jim stops visiting - later his body is found drowned and he is identified as Polly by the name sewn into a pair of trousers which Jim stole from the inn.

Several years later, in a fit of conscience, Polly returns to the shop in Fishbourne, now a tearoom run by Miriam and her sister. He briefly meets Miriam, who believed him dead and is horror-struck, but tells her that he doesn't really exist anymore and that he is a ghost. Knowing that Miriam is now happy and content, he returns to the Potwell. The novel ends with Alfred and the innkeeper enjoying a sunset together by the inn.

Characteristics of Mr Polly

Nagging wife, Confused, Dreary job, Fakes suicide, Bankcrupcy, Hero?, Arson, Hope, Wants new life, Hatred, Bewildered, Frustration.

H.G Wells: Kipps

Kipps grows up with his uncle and aunt in New Romney, on the windy Romney Marsh, where he plays with his friend Sid Pornick. There were glorious days of ‘mucking about’ along the beach, the siege of unresisting Martello towers, the incessant interest of the mystery and motion of windmills, the windy excursions with boarded feet over the yielding shingle to Dungeness lighthouse. Many of us who have lived in the area for all or most of our lives are able to feel the same nostalgia for childhood spent in this very way.

Kipps moves to Folkestone at the age of 14 to work at the Folkestone Drapery Bazaar as an apprentice, and can be found walking along Folkestone’s beautiful cliff top walk, The Leas, or along Tontine Street to the harbour. One reader commented that 'best of all I liked the fact that the Folkestone that I know was still absolutely recognisable - the Leas, Radnor Park Pond, Sandgate Road, Rendezvous Street and the local aspect was so well captured in the dialogue' - an opinion shared by the majority of the readers of this book.

The groups also commented that the book was an interesting social document of the time - the class element is especially interesting, and poor Kipps’ struggle with observing proper methods of behaviour and dress when he is ‘elevated’ in the eyes of society by his large inheritance provides us with much amusement. One reader commented that his awkwardness in certain situations reminded her of the hapless Mr Bean, such as at the Royal Grand Hotel in London, where his terror of the dining room means that he goes without lunch. However, we feel more sympathy for Kipps, as he is always eager to do the right thing.

Kipps’ friend Chitterlow proved to be a more popular individual - he is certainly more colourful than the other protagonists, and possibly more of a ‘Dickensian’ style character, with his quaint mannerisms and his love of ‘old Methuselah’ whisky. We all felt that Wells was trying to mislead us where this character was concerned – Chitterlow frequently applies to Kipps for patronage of his various theatrical ventures and we grow to mistrust him and doubt his motives. However, he comes through for Kipps in the end, and the success of his play restores the wealth to Kipps that had been previously embezzled by his former fiancee’s brother, Walsingham.

The story ends very happily, with Kipps living an idyllic and uncomplicated life in Hythe, married to his childhood sweetheart, Ann, and running a little bookshop as “something to do”.