13. Ruskinian Redlands

(Dedicated to Anthony Harris and Cedric Quayle.) Milestone birthdays will be celebrated this summer by several veteran contributors to the work of Ruskin’s Guild of St George, an organisation which is itself celebrating its sesquicentenary this year. Two such...

12. Ruskin as an Oxford Lecturer

Descriptions abound of Ruskin as a lecturer at Oxford. As a student Michael Sadler (1861—1943) greatly admired Ruskin, and he became his life-long disciple. Sadler, who was a historian, dedicated his career to education, and served for many years as a university...

11. The Ruskinian Spinster

Edith Hope Scott was one of Ruskin’s most devoted and active disciples. St George’s Day in the year in which we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Guild of St George seems an appropriate moment to remember her. Scott was one of the people who banded together in...

10. God’s Gift: the view from the pulpit

When Ruskin died in January 1900, the following pulpit appraisal was delivered by the Rev. William Knibb Burford (1863-1944),* in a sermon at the Congregationalist Wicker Chapel, in Sheffield, of which he was pastor from 1888 to 1901. Rev. Burford’s testimony is an...

8. Ruskin’s Gardener-Angel, David Downs

David Downs (1818-1888) was Ruskin’s gardener and his go-to man whenever one of his many projects needed a boost. Ruskin scholars generally suggest that Downs was a rather put-upon loyal family servant whose nous brought order to Ruskin’s chaotic schemes. But...