To Orwell Today,

Hi Jackie --

In keeping with the special nature of the day, I have typed something special. Hope you enjoy it!

TypeClergymanPage

I traveled 200 miles round trip, to Birmingham and back to Montgomery, to purchase the Remington Portable that you see in the attached photo.

RemingtonPortable

Even though it had received professional attention, it still has some issues in the left-hand margin of each line.

But I was eager to type the opening page of an Orwell first chapter on June 25th, as you have so often done. It was a huge thrill!

I chose A Clergyman's Daughter because it is the novel I am currently re-reading.

The aesthetic of using the very same model of writing machine as Orwell did added much excitement to the occasion!

Best regards,
Robert McGowin

Greetings Robert,

It's great to hear from you again -- especially on Orwell's birthday -- because it was your enquiry back in 2009 (wondering how my website celebrates Orwell's birthday) that inspired the June 25th typing ritual. See ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING 1984

I just now posted this year's 2014 page (the sixth year) typing KEEP THE ASPIDISTRA FLYING.

So now I'll post your email with the pics of your Orwell birthday typing.

Actually, your Remington is a different model from the one we've seen photos of Orwell using.

RemingtonClassics The Classic Typewriter Page describes many different Remington Portables.

Cursing down the page there's one that looks like yours -- a Remington Portable #1 manufactured from Oct 1920 to Jan 1925.

Then cursing down further there's the Portable #4 manufactured from Nov 1931 to Jan 1934 that looks like Orwell's typewriter (and that's the model I have. My grandfather bought it in 1939).

Even though your typewriter isn't the model Orwell used in the latter years -- and to type 1984 -- it doesn't mean he didn't type earlier books on that model. A CLERGYMAN'S DAUGHTER -- the page you typed -- was written fifteen years before 1984 and may have been typed on that earlier Remington Portable.

Once again, thanks for being in touch on Orwell's birthday and joining in the typing ritual.

All the best,
Jackie Jura

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING ASPIDISTRA, typed June 25, 2014

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING WIGAN, typed June 25, 2013

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING CATELONIA, typed June 25, 2012

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING COMING UP, typed June 25, 2011

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING ANIMAL FARM, typed June 25, 2010

ORWELL BIRTHDAY TYPING 1984, typed June 25, 2009

ORWELL'S TYPEWRITER A REMINGTON

ORWELL'S TYPEWRITER MY GRANDFATHER'S

ORWELL'S OTHER BOOKS

BIRTH SHRINE TO ORWELL

Jackie Jura
~ an independent researcher monitoring local, national and international events ~

email: orwelltoday@gmail.com
HOME PAGE
website: www.orwelltoday.com