Robin Hood and the New Elizabethans

The new Queen arrives back in England

To celebrate our Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (and as an unashamed royalist) I would like to look back  60 years ago, when she began her reign and her war weary subjects were treated to some Disney magic at their local cinemas.

At her accession, Queen Elizabeth II was in Kenya at the start of a five month tour of Africa, Ceylon, Australia and New Zealand. Her father George VI had passed away on 6^th February 1952 at Sandringham. She returned to London immediately and was met by members of her privy council headed by Winston Churchill. A battery of cameras caught the poignancy of this moment as the twenty-five year old sovereign climbed down the aircraft steps to be received by a statesman who had entered parliament in the reign of her great-great grandfather.  Elizabeth was proclaimed queen on 8^th February after taking the royal oath. Her father was buried 7 days later. In the following months the press and radio began to talk of the New Elizabethan Age.

Meanwhile, on the 13^th March of that year, Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men had its world premiere in London.  The young queen had visited the making of the film at Denham Studios in Buckinghamshire the year before. Then as Princess Elizabeth, along with just her lady-in-waiting and equerry, she had been shown around the outside sets and the costume department by Walt Disney, himself.

At that time, Britain was licking its wounds after a hard and bitter war; nearly every family had lost relatives and friends. Towns and cities still had whole streets flattened by bombing and food was still rationed. It is hardly surprising then, that under the dark cloud of austerity, the population flocked to the cinemas; eager to be entertained. And Disney’s Technicolor live-action version of the British medieval legend proved to be the most popular. In fact it heralded the beginning of a new interest in Robin Hood, not only on the silver screen and television, but also in the corridors of universities and colleges up and down the country. Soon debates would start in earnest about the historical existence of a ‘real’ Robin Hood.

Richard the Lionheart and the Houses of Parliament after a bombing raid

But what was life like for those New Elizabethans, sitting in the picture palaces up and down Britain in 1952, watching a film about their countries most popular folk-hero? Well, it was a great deal different to today! For a start their life expectancy was 11 years shorter. Food in those days was scarce; today we have such abundance that obesity is a problem! In modern Britain we have far easier access to all-sorts of pain killing drugs, medically and biologically.

Sixty years ago only one in five households had a washing machine and one in ten a telephone. One in twenty owned a fridge and one in five families owned a car. Back in 1952 there were only 2 million private cars on the road and no motorways. Today the number is a staggering 27 million with 2,200 miles of motorway.

In the year that Disney’s Story of Robin Hood first hit the silver screen only 11 percent of the British population had access to the all-new new, flickering, black and white television. Today we have access to the internet, smart phones and seemingly limitless TV channels. But back in 1952, television had only just arrived in Scotland. The following year the New Elizabethans would gather around their nearest neighbours television set to see their young queen’s coronation at Westminster Abbey.

Queen Elizabeth II

Most of the cinema audience watching  Disney's Story of Robin Hood in that year would have rented their homes. Those old terraced houses that are often looked back upon in a nostalgic way, were often very damp, had no electricity, an outside toilet and dreadful sanitation. Today 66 per cent of people own their own modern centrally heated house.

So we can see that Britain is a lot different than it was 60 years ago. We have advanced incredibly fast, although I personally feel that we have left many qualities and disciplines behind as we have strived to embrace the modern age. But Queen Elizabeth has remained a stoic figurehead to her nation and shown a remarkable stability in this ever-changing world. She continues to represent our nations glorious past and give us hope for the future, just as she did back in 1952.

Robin and his men kneel before Richard the Lionheart

Today we can watch Disney’s Story of Robin Hood at any time, just by inserting a DVD in our laptop computer. It has been described as the best example of a Technicolor film ever made in England. So next time you watch it, imagine what it was like for the New Elizabethans as they sat in those cinemas back in 1952. With that special Disney magic, they were transported away from a bombed–out Britain, in the severe grip of austerity, to a romantic Technicolor past where the monarch eventually returns to save the nation.

“On your feet sir!” Thundered Robin Hood.

Reluctantly De Lacy got to his feet.

“To Richard of England!” Cried Robin,

“God grant him health and long life.

Speak Up!”

Robin Hood's Promotion

Neil continues to unearth fascinating information about Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). His research has helped me continue to post information about all aspects of the making of our favourite movie and made this blog possible. Below is his latest input:

“I am very excited to have found this selection of photographs from ‘Today’s Cinema’ dated 27 March 1952.

One shows the amount of promotional material which was around then and typified Walt Disney's publicity campaign which was vast for this film and that is one thing that singles it out for me - even at a very young age.

Also the other shows the queues waiting to see the film in the West End - you will read the caption that sums it up better than I can.

The crowds impressed me as did the large poster outside the cinema - one we know well. This was the second week for the film but still the crowds were as shown.

One interesting note - the film Quo Vadis had been released some time earlier than this and seemed to do record business all over the UK wherever it went. Peter Ellenshaw worked on that one I think.

But these were very good, beautifully made films in glorious Technicolor and on a scale that was not often seen at that time. Another that springs to mind a little earlier was King Solomon’s Mines with Stewart Granger and that brought the crowds out. These have one thing in common though - they were all very good films and still are if viewed now.”

Many thank’s Neil!

The caption reads: ‘Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men, the RKO release in Technicolor starring Richard Todd with Joan Rice, is keeping up its second week pressure, as evidenced by these photographs taken outside the Leicester Square Theatre, where it has been attracting spectacular business since its World Premiere on March 13. Part of the second week-end queues to one side of the house, with a defile waiting patiently across the other side of the street, facing that along the theatre itself.’

The second caption reads:‘Many of London’s biggest stores are collaborating with RKO Radio’s Exploitation department in window display tie-ins for Walt Disney’s British production in Technicolor, The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men, the RKO release with Richard Todd and Joan Rice, which is currently scoring a hit on its World Premiere run at the Leicester Square Theatre.

1.     The ‘Robin Hood’ display put on by the Houndstitch Warehouse Company in their women’s outdoor wear window.

2.     The elaborate sports window tie-in at Selfridge’s Oxford Street.

3.     Vatric, Regent Street, purveyors of vacuum cleaners, use this modernistic ‘Robin Hood’ motif.

4.     Famed toy store, Hamley’s, of Regent Street, brighten their windows ‘Robin Hood’ cut-outs, bows and arrows.

5.     Cramer’s music store, of Kensington High Street, favours the eye-catching ‘Robin Hood’ music display.

6.     This ingenious ‘Robin Hood tie-in’ is on show at Anglo-French Shoes, of Victoria Street.'

We have often discussed on this site how much advertising and promotional material Disney used before the release of Robin Hood. But this evidence suggests the memorabilia was greater than expected. I wonder how much of these ‘Robin Hood tie-ins’ survive? We have had a few items in the memorabilia section, but if anybody out there knows of more, please get in touch.

As we can see in the pictures of the huge queue outside the Leicester Square Theatre, Disney’s live-action movie Robin Hood was a big success. But what eludes us is the amount this Technicolor masterpiece made at the box-office. Does someone know where we could find this information? If so, please get in touch.

Robin Hood's Merry Jokes

With all the doom and gloom around at the moment and the continual rain here in England, I thought it was time to lighten up. So let’s have a laugh along with Little John (James Robertson Justice) Robin Hood (Richard Todd) and Will Scarlet (Antony Forwood) at some Robin Hood jokes.

Why did Robin Hood steal from the rich?
Because the poor didn't have anything worth stealing!

Why couldn't Robin Hood hit the target? 

Because his arrows were all in a quiver!

Where did Robin's Merry Men go to buy their sweets?
The Friar's Tuck-shop!

What did Robin say when he nearly got hit at the archery contest?
"That was an arrow escape!"

How did Robin Hood tie his shoe-laces?
With a long bow!

Friar Tuck was a monk, so why did he get involved in a life of crime?
It was his habit!

Robin Hood lay dying, and all the faithful gathered round. With his weak and fading breath, Robin asked Marion to bring him the best arrow from the quiver beside his bed, and then asked Little John to bring him his bow. He put the arrow to the bow and aimed through the open window into the generous green sward of Sherwood Forest beyond which he loved so much. He asked of Friar Tuck, "Promise me that wherever the arrow falls, there you will bury me." And when Tuck had sworn, Robin Hood demanded the same of the others. Then with his last strength he drew on the bow and let the arrow fly.

And then he died, smiling. And next day, they did as they had promised; they buried Robin Hood ....... on top of his wardrobe!

Sir Richard Foliot and Jordan Castle

Albie’s input on this site regarding the history of Nottinghamshire and in particular Sherwood Forest has been invaluable.  One of the many interesting topics he has raised is the ancient history of the Nottinghamshire village of Wellow. A while ago Albie sent in some great pictures of the May Day celebrations around its unique, permanent maypole by the village children. The tradition still remains to this day that whenever a new pole is needed, it is cut from nearby Sherwood Forest.

And it is the links with Sherwood and the legend of Robin Hood that make the ancient village of Wellow fascinating. In particular is the knight who owned the castle near the village. Today it is known as Jordan Castle, but Wellow Castle, as it was once known, was owned by a local Nottinghamshire knight called Sir Richard Foliot whose conduct had remarkable similarities with Sir Richard at the Lee in one of the oldest ballads of Robin Hood.

In the Geste of Robyn Hode (1495), the knight protects the outlaws in his:

‘....fayre castell

A little within the wood,

Double ditched it was about,

And walled by the road.’

Jordan Castle, as it is known locally, was the inheritance of a Yorkshire knight known as Jordan Foliot who had served in the armies of King John. It came to him in 1225 and later was often visited by Henry III and his retinue when travelling north. Because of his hospitality to the monarch, Jordan was rewarded with deer to stock his park at his nearby lands at Grimstone. After Jordan’s death in 1236 his young son Richard Foliot (d.1299) was allowed to immediately inherit his father’s lands in Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, followed in 1252 with a charter of free warren. This gave him the right to control the hunting of the beasts on his estates. In 1268 King Henry III granted Foliot permission to hold a market and fair near his castle at Wellow.

Foliot’s castle did match the description in the Geste of Robyn Hode very closely. It was a ringwork castle of the late 11^th and 12th century and included a ditch, a wall of stone and lime, and a moat. It stood on high ground just outside the boundary of Sherwood and was probably the manorial centre of the nearby village of Grimstone. In March 1264 Foliot was given licence by the king to fortify and crenellate it.

In the Geste Robin is betrayed by the Sheriff of Nottingham after an archery contest. A hue and cry is raised and eventually Little John is wounded in the knee.  They take refuge in the castle of Sir Richard at the Lee, who welcomes them - the castle gates are shut and they feast in safety. But eventually the castle is put under siege by the sheriff.

It appears that Richard Foliot also had connections with outlaws, in particular the notorious Roger Godberd and his partner in crime Walter Devyas. Godberd, a former member of the garrison at Nottingham Castle led a large outlaw band that had poached in Sherwood, murdered and robbed throughout Nottinghamshire between 1266 and 1272.  He is often put forward by scholars as a possible prototype of Robin Hood.

The Sheriff of Nottingham, Reginald de Grey was given £100 by the Royal Council to capture Godberd, which he did ‘manfully’. In October 1271 Foliot was given power of safe conduct and ordered to ‘conduct Walter Deyvas charged with divers trespasses to the king.’

But Richard Foliot refused to do so and was shortly afterwards accused of harbouring both Godberd and Devyas and other wrongdoers. The Sheriff of Yorkshire seized his lands and as he advanced on Fenwick, Foliot surrendered both the castle and his son Edmund as sureties that he would present himself as a prisoner at York on an agreed day. It seems that Godberd, Devyas and the other outlaws, like Robin and his men, must have slipped away.

When Foliot appeared before the king at Westminster, he was able to give the names of twelve barons as guarantors for his behaviour. With that he appeared in the Court of the King’s Bench on the 13^th October and the king instructed the sheriff to return his lands to him.

Jordan Farm near the site of the castle.

Trying to identify  the ballad heroes and events in the Robin Hood legend is impossible. But there are some interesting parallels here between the historical evidence and the Geste of Robyn Hode. What is also intriguing is the location of the Foliot lands, first pointed out by Professor J. C. Holt in his ‘Robin Hood’.  Apart from his properties on the eastern side of Sherwood at Wellow and Grimston, Sir Richard Foliot also held lands near another area with strong connections to the Robin Hood legend - Wentbridge. These places were in the valley of the Went at Norton, Stubbs and Fenwick. Barnsdale, Robin’s other traditional haunt; lay just five miles from Fenwick.  This link between the Foliot lands near Sherwood and Barnsdale could explain how the legend was transmitted between his various households and the locations of the ballad hero were conflated. Holt put it rather romantically when he described how Sir Richard Foliot, ‘from his castle at Fenwick, on a spring evening, would see the sun go down over Barnsdale, no more than five miles away.’

Castles of Nottinghamshire... James Wright (2008)

On The Trail of Robin Hood...Richard de Vries (1988)

Robin Hood...J.C. Holt (1982 and 1989)

Robin Hood and the Lords of Wellow... Tony Molyneux-Smith (1998)

Robin Hood...David Baldwin (2010)



Scandalous John

I am not sure what year this advertisement appeared and when the Story of Robin Hood accompanied Scandalous John. In fact I had never heard of  Disney’s Scandalous John!

So if any of my blog readers can help, it will be greatly appreciated.

Richard the Lionheart in Sherwood Forest

Because of several projects that I am currently working on, (including a novel) my blog has been slightly neglected over the past few months. But I am desperately trying to catch up with some of the fascinating information sent to me by some of my readers.

Albie has sent some wonderful facts about the history of Sherwood over the last few years and there are still more for me to upload. But this post was kindly sent in by Trish about the early boundaries of the Royal Forest of Sherwood. She was inspired to write this because of a small anecdote in Manwood’s Treatise of the Forest Laws (1598) that mentioned Richard the Lionheart hunting in Sherwood Forest:

“I have seen many ancient records in the tower of Nottingham Castle very badly kept, and scarce legible; in which Castle the Court is usually kept for Peverill-Fee: Amongst which it appears, that in the year 1194, King Richard being hunting in Sherwood Forest, did chase a hart out of the forest into Barnsdale into Yorkshire; and because he could not recover him, he made a proclamation at Tickhill in Yorkshire, and at several other places thereabout, that no person should kill, hurt or chase the said Hart; and this was afterwards called a Hart-Royal Proclaim’d.”

( John Manwood d.1610)

The Royal Forest of Sherwood

I was intrigued by this because the first official description of the boundary of the Royal Forest was completed in 1218 and showed that at its most northern point, Sherwood stretched 20 miles from Nottingham as far as the River Meden. Barnsdale of course is in Yorkshire a great deal further and quite a jaunt on horseback even for Richard the Lionheart! But Trish has completed some detailed research about Sherwood’s earlier size and below is her interesting and important discoveries about the original ‘Forest of Nottingham.’

Here is Trish's post:

'Some weeks ago you mentioned the anecdote from Manwood’s Forest Laws about how Richard I hunted a hart from Sherwood to Barnesdale, and wondered at the distance he covered.  This got me thinking about the forest boundaries, for it is generally accepted that the northern boundary of medieval Sherwood was the river Meden.

This boundary was formally established in the perambulations and inquisitionsarising from the 1217 Charter of the Forest. But where was the boundary before then?

During the reign of Henry I, the eastern boundary of the forest (known then as the ‘old forest’ or ‘the forest of Nottingham’) ran from the place where the Doverbeck joins the Trent, and followed the douerbek, thence to cuningeswað and then north to bikeresdik, near the Yorkshire border.  This includes the region north of the Meden known as Hatfield.  This boundarywas indentified early in the reign of Henry II, when the Archbishop of York requested that his Nottinghamshire lands, almost all of which were east of the Doverbeck, to be exempt from forest law.  He justified his request by claiming that they had not been part of the forest during the reign of Henry I.  (The record of the Inquest is appended in Crook, 1994).

But this inquest was held in the first or second year of Henry II’s reign, which suggests that it was during King Stephen’s time – the Anarchy – that forest laws began to be enforced east of the Doverbeck, in the region known as the Forest of Clay.  This is odd, for it is generally recognised that forest laws were only haphazardly enforced during the Anarchy, and some forest land was simply reclaimed by the inhabitants and landholders (Crook, 1994; Poole, 1955).  Further, shortly after becoming king, Stephen, in a charter of liberties, agreed to disafforest all lands that Henry I had afforested while maintaining those forests created by William I and William II. This suggests either that Stephen wasn’t successful in disafforesting the area of Hatfield, or that the region had already been subject to forest law under William I or II.

Sherwood Forest

And in a writ following the charter of liberties, in which the canons of Southwell were granted exemptions from forest laws, it was stated explicitly that their lands were within the forest  (Crook 1994).  If anything, the size of the forest should have been reduced during Stephen’s reign, but in this case it wasn’t. Perhaps William Peverel was overzealous in enforcing the forest law and took a few liberties?  The interestingthing is that the canons were only granted exemptions – the possibility that their lands were outside the forest was not recognised by the king.

So at the opening of Henry II’s reign, it would appear that the area known as the Forest of Nottingham, as well as at least a portion of the Forest of Clay, were already subject to forest law despite the grumbles of the Archbishop of York.

Further evidence shows that all of Nottinghamshire north of the Trent was subject to forest law during the reigns of Henry II, Richard I and John.  The Pipe Rolls from these reigns (specifically1167-1212) record the penalties imposed on vills in the forest eyres.  (This information comes from an unpublished MA thesis which I would love to get my hands on).   The region subject to forest law included all of Nottinghamshire north of the Trent and possibly some to the southeast, and extended into eastern Derbyshire aswell.

Hunting in the Forest

So, when Richard I chased that hart from Sherwood to Barnesdale, he may not have had all that far to go.  The distance from Blyth to Barnesdale is about 20 or 25 miles – no more than a bracing race for an extraordinary man like Richard the Lionheart. He seems to have been gracious about not catching the beast, at least!

Regards,

Trish '

Crook, David.  “The Archbishop of York and the Extent of the Forest in Nottinghamshire in the Twelfth Century.”  In George Garnet and John Hudson, eds., Law and Government in Medieval England and Normandy: Essays in Honour of Sir James Holt.  Cambridge University Press, 1994.

Liddell, William Hetherington.  “Some Royal Forests North of the Trent, 1066-1307. Unpublished MA Thesis.  University of Nottingham, 1961.

Patrick Barr as Richard the Lionheart

This is groundbreaking research by Trish and I would like to thank her very much for allowing me to post her work.

I wonder what other manuscripts were left decaying in that tower at Nottingham Castle? But at least we do know that after his return from the Holy Land, King Richard did visit Sherwood Forest and also Robin Hood’s other traditional haunt - Barnsdale in Yorkshire.

Richard Todd as Robin Hood

I’m back posting now after a lovely holiday and would like to thank Mike for sending in a great colour publicity still of Richard Todd as Robin Hood from the Disney live-action movie.

Joan Rice meets Walt Disney

Because I will not be posting for a fortnight I have decided to leave you with my favourite publicity still from Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952).

It is from my own collection and shows Walt Disney meeting Joan Rice (Maid Marian) with Richard Todd (Robin Hood) looking on. This must have been a breathtaking moment for the young actress, who had only recently worked as a waitress in a Lyons Corner House.

It is a Reuters image and on the back it has:

“In The Greenwood-

Master of fantasy Walt Disney meets Maid Marian (his newest star Joan Rice) and Robin Hood (Richard Todd) on location at Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, for Disney’s all-live Technicolor production ‘Robin Hood.’

Disney visited both location and floor units of the film, which is produced by Perce Pearce at Denham Studios.

June 24th 1951 PAR 24808-1 (PNR-G)”

As always I would be pleased to read your comments about this picture or about anything else on this blog. Thank you for your continued input and support and I will be posting again soon.

Elspeth's Memories of Robin Hood

Elspeth with Richard Todd

I was thrilled last week to finally get the chance to talk with Elspeth Gill, daughter of Alex Bryce the second unit director on Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). Elspeth is a charming lady and we had quite a chat about those golden days. It was Neil who initially made contact with her last year and she shared with him some wonderful photographs taken behind the scenes, which can be seen here.

Alex Bryce second unit director with Richard Todd

At the age of sixteen, Elspeth had the enviable experience of watching the filming of Robin Hood at not only Burnham Beeches but also the huge sound stages at Denham Studios. During that period she was living in a house approximately four miles from the legendary studios. When Elspeth entered a fancy dress costume at that time, she was lucky enough to be allowed to borrow one of Richard Todd’s ‘Robin Hood’ costumes. She won the contest-of course!And afterwards rode her horse all the way to the Denham Studios. The security men on the gate were apparently pre-warned of her arrival!

Although it was over sixty years ago, she could vaguely remember meeting Walt Disney and described the Art Director, Carmen Dillon, as a formidable woman.  Richard Todd she said “was such a lovely, lovely, man.” He became a friend of the family and Elspeth had fond memories of Scottish dancing with him during the making of the later movie, Rob Roy.  Her father, she explained, loved making those live-action Disney movies.

James Hayter (Friar Tuck) and Richard Todd (Robin Hood)

During the filming of the scene in which Robin Hood meets Friar Tuck (James Hayter), Richard Todd asked Elspeth to keep hold of Barron, his Great Dane. Unfortunately Baron was a great deal stronger than Elspeth and she was dragged by the huge dog downwards towards the river!

Nottingham Town Square

Elspeth could also remember being somewhere high up during the filming of a scene in ‘Nottingham Town Square.’ But she kept feeling something hitting her body and when she looked around, she realised it was Peter Finch (Sheriff of Nottingham) throwing pebbles at her!

Peter Finch as the Sheriff of Nottingham

I hope to be able to talk to Elspeth again very soon, and capture some more of her  wonderful memories of those golden days!