Andrew Rylah of Codicote Local History Society looks at talented playwright George Bernard Shaw's connection to the town.

November marks the anniversary of the death of Irishman George Bernard Shaw, a renowned playwright, critic and political campaigner, who had some very controversial views. So what’s his link with Hertfordshire?

Shaw and his wife, Charlotte Payne-Townshend, moved to ‘the New Rectory’ (now National Trust property, ‘Shaw’s Corner’) in Ayot St Lawrence in 1906. It’s where they spent the rest of their days.

Bernard Shaw, as he called himself, had a major influence on western theatre and politics from the late 19th to the mid-20th century.

His talent as a dramatist was self-evident – he wrote over 60 plays, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (1925) and gained an Oscar for the screenplay to ‘Pygmalion’ (1938).

Shaw was born in Dublin in 1856 and moved to London in 1876 where he established himself as a theatre and music critic. He was drawn to the moderate socialism of the Fabian Society, writing essays that advocated greater equality of power, wealth and opportunity.

His comedy, ‘Arms and the Man’, about the futility of war and the hypocrisies of human nature brought him commercial success in 1894. Its success enabled Shaw to become a full-time writer, and by 1897 he was earning over £2,000 in royalties, a princely sum. In 1898 after his health broke down, he was nursed by Charlotte Payne-Townshend, who became his wife.

Shaw’s popularity continued into the 20th century. Edward VII laughed so much at ‘John Bull’s Other Island’, a comedy about an Englishman in Ireland, that he broke his chair. ‘Man and Superman’ (1902) about seduction by women, was another success.

‘Major Barbara’ (1905) depicted the contrasting morality of arms manufacturers and the Salvation Army. ‘Pygmalion’ (1913) is the story of a phonetics professor, Henry Higgins, and a flower-girl, Eliza Doolittle. Sounds familiar? Its numerous adaptations include ‘My Fair Lady’ (1964) starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison.

St Joan (1923), written shortly after Joan of Arc had been made a saint, certainly influenced the Nobel committee that praised the idealism, humanity, satire and ‘poetic beauty’ of his work. Shaw accepted the 1925 literature award, but declined the financial prize, saying that he already had enough money.

However, Shaw’s political and social views courted controversy. He supported eugenics, beliefs around the selective breeding of humans to ‘improve’ the population. But equally he promoted racial equality and campaigned against anti-Semitism.

He opposed vaccination (‘witchcraft’), organised religion and denounced both sides in WW1 as equally guilty. That said, the British Army recognised his propagandist skills and his piece on the daily life of a soldier on the front line was well received.

Shaw criticized post-war British policy in Ireland, though supported a federal system rather than full Irish independence. Ominously by the late 1920s he’d moved away from democratic principles with favourable comments about Lenin, Mussolini, Stalin and Hitler.

He blamed the Allies ‘abuse’ of their victory in WW1 for the rise of Hitler and advocated a peace conference after the start of WW2. On the other hand, he later urged the USA to join the war when it was clear that a negotiated peace was impossible.

After moving to Ayot St Lawrence he built a little hut in the garden. This could be rotated on its axis to ensure sunlight throughout the day. It’s where he wrote many of his most famous works. Jokingly he called the hut ‘London’ so that unwanted visitors could be told he was away ‘visiting the capital’.

The house remains much as it was at the time of his death, with his Oscar, an Augustus John portrait and a Rodin bust of Shaw, his hats, typewriter and other writing materials all on show. He died in 1950, aged 94. His ashes, mixed with those of his wife, were scattered along the garden footpaths and around the statue of St Joan.

What should we make of George Bernard Shaw? His talent as a dramatist, dealing with social, political and ethical issues was recognised in his lifetime, and has influenced many playwrights since. But he was also a complex, contradictory and provocative figure, whose views were often seen as controversial then and remain equally so today.

Everyone is welcome to Codicote Local History Society’s monthly talks. For details, contact Nicholas Maddex (nkmaddex@btinternet.com) or check www.codicotelocalhistorysociety.co.uk. Explore your interest in history today!