Tuesday 22 September 2015




Quilliam, Leon,Poole and Markland – pebbles in the pond.

Readers of my blog, www.frestonandmarkland.blogspot.com will be aware of my relationship to the poet “Ingersley”, Russell Markland.

That blog has, remarkably, enjoyed worldwide attention and I intend later to consign to McMaster University the records I have assembled for them to add to their present Russell Markland archives.

A sudden resurgence of activity has occurred around the blog lately. Asif Basit and Qaasid Ahmad, members of the Morden mosque (“ the largest Ahmadi mosque in London “) chanced upon mention of the Philomath magazine of May 1916 therein, and visited me to discuss the publication. Two fine fellows from the mosques communication dept, with whom we enjoyed lunch but there remains a degree of sadness on my part that at the time they could not name our Council leader or our MP.

The magazine in point was one of a series published by La Society Internationale de Philologie, Sciences et Beaux Arts, a learned institution, purportedly founded in 1875, (according to Henri Leon, q.v.).

The aforementioned Society’s Secretary was Henri M Leon who it was to transpire was no other than a former disgraced Liverpool solicitor, a Manxman, one H Quilliam.  I have no intention of adding to the brouhaha surrounding Quilliam/Leon, but anyone interested in this and its relevance to this update will find reams about him on the web. One or two suitable introductions might be Dr Jamie Gilham’s ‘Loyal Enemies’ or Ron Geaves  “Abdullah Quilliam: The Life and Times of a Victorian Muslim’ but there are others.

My interest is limited to understanding or rather interpreting the reactions of Russell Markland (the poet Ingersley) and Dr Charles Poole his mentor, who had decades of literary connection with Henri Leon and at first could not believe the outcome of an infamous garden party in the Isle of Man, reported by Bertha Baily.  Sheikh Quilliam and Professor Henri Leon were one and the same person . Good grief ! An entry in Russell Markland’s diary 20 July 1919 whilst he was staying at  Philip Rea’s  (Lord Rea)Bignor House explains how the denouement came about.

“Read a curious letter I received from Miss Bertha Baily, Isle of Man, telling me of an extraordinary incident that happened in the Isle of Man, at a garden party, where Dr Leon ( secretary of La Society etc etc) was accosted as W H Quilliam (Abdullah Quilliam) an ex-solicitor of Liverpool, who had been struck off the rolls , outlawed and went to Turkey.I read this to all the house party as Quilliam was a cousin of Mrs Russell Rea’s, and an arrant scoundrel –Mrs RR tells me he kidnapped her grandfather (Dr Burrows) and got him to alter his will! All the Leon facts fit Quilliam, except the apparent characters of the two. Leon admitted he was Q, according to Miss B’s letter! This took till lunchtime !”

Perplexed by events Dr Poole and Russell Markland none the less continued to hold immense respect for Leon although the apparent transmogrification from Quilliam to Leon was hard for anyone to understand or accept, particularly so on the Isle of Man.

 Acceptance by the House of Keys and others of the Isle of Man society was hard to achieve as a letter from William Ralph Hall Caine to Dr Poole shows.  Mind you there was a humorous side too for in the letter, the writer says that were he and the addressee, Dr Poole, together they would collapse in fits of laughter. “But I think even funnier still ... the vicar and the Town Clerk who knew both DR Leon and W H Quilliam receiving visits from each in the same week and never recognizing the slightest resemblance !’ and how anyone on the Isle of Man could miss the undeniable same intonation of the Liverpool accent of both Quilliam and Leone,   - “that most damnable dialect, the Liverpool Manxman’s , which you can cut with a knife. “

A confusion of recognition and identities still apparent today in print, where both pro and anti lobbies of Quilliam advocates exist, each side claiming their birthright as true adherents of their adopted patron’s teachings.  That Q was a visionary, creative and scholarly it seems ironic to think he would be at peace with any static historical labeling.

Even the Sunday Telegraph, 13 Sep 2015, saw fit to introduce a muddled past comment by Haras Rafiq, spokesman of one of the Quilliam think tanks which although intended to illuminate will no doubt cause more confusion.

Until now my knowledge of Dr Leon’s poetry was confined to the following poem which on first reading I had hazarded a guess was perhaps by Kipling and was not wholly convinced of its authorship until I read Leon’s letter to Russell Markland instructing him on how he wished it to be presented in The Glory of Belgium. I take just two verses from ‘The Glory of Belgium’ p64, where the full poem can be read.


The Taking of the Guns at Mons
(The charge of the 9th Lancers at the Battle of Mons, Sunday August 23, 1914.)
It is of the British Lancers,
The gallant “Ninth,” I sing
And to those sons of England brave,
My little tribute bring,
And in verse do tell the story,
How gallant Britain’s sons,
At Mons, the Teuton put to rout,
And silenced, there, the guns –

The gunners slain, the guns made dumb
(Not one was let remain)
‘Midst fire of rifle and of shel’
Rode they then back again ;-
That deed shall live in ages yet,
History’s page upon,
Recorded e’er, the story there,
Of that brave charge at Mons.

By Henri M. Leon

Sounds jingoistic perhaps, but viewing his work for La Societe I am left wondering, what was the catalyst, if indeed there were one, and if in fact anything does change, that turned the provocative speeches of Quilliam, the fierce international Muslim advocate, into the later rhetoric and persona of Leon the patriot?

How can one square the contradictory persona of Quilliam/ Leon ? Was it, or is it, all a continuing subterfuge or ploy to keep the waters muddied? Machiavellian, keep your friends close but,  or what …

Above all, what so motivates any group that a hundred years later the hubris of Q is resurrected and he becomes the adopted icon of, again, … what ?

Whatever the answer, is it beyond reason to suggest that the man graduating from the University of Life simply changed with the times as he got older (and wiser)?
In his early days, Quilliam welcomed change, and saw a clear dynamic – Judaism to western Christianity to Islam, so perhaps as times changed, maybe the advent of Communism, his template needed to change and would change again today.

For me, in the making of me as a loyal Briton, significant stepping stones or fingerposts might be,  Henry Viii – Elizabeth 1 – Cromwell – Churchill and the literature, arts and philosophy prevalent  during each of  these times. I consider none of the aforementioned a visionary, each a product of the times and should remain so, as in my opinion, should Quilliam/Leon. Modern young Britons, no matter their creed will mark out their own paths for what, hopefully, will be a younger, tolerant, more inclusive society.

 To attempt any forecast of what might be acceptable in achieving such a society in a future Britain, the debate surely requires some adherence to the philosophies promulgated by, say, Thomas Hobbes and John Stuart Mill; the creation of a new social contract? But one would do well not to look to any parliament or religious sect as foundation stones. Accessories by all means but the challenge, if one seeks harmony, is to prise apart the state and religion in everyday interactions. Belief in the rights of the individual and the concept of free speech is paramount . “Render unto Caesar … “

(I am minded here of a recent BBC report on the current problems in the Stormont. An eager reporter thrust his microphone in the face of a passing young man, earnestly querying “ what are your views? Do you think this will affect your future? The response from the youngster, religious beliefs unknown, for me was classic. A wry smile from the youngster, a disdainful look, gesturing over his shoulder followed by “ Do what, have you seen that lot up there?) Standing on Westminster Bridge I am tempted, sorely tempted.)



Whatever the case it makes Quilliam/Leon an unfortunate static choice as talisman for, dare I use it, today’s ‘Young Turks’ or their opponents.

Perhaps it is time to launch a Leon think tank for balance, applauding the man’s undoubted scholastic talent. It is a pity if the man’s legacy is to be tied simply as a rag marker on the rope of a political/religious tug of war.

 My literary Markland archives contain little of relevance to what in many respects has become a politico/religious debate and which seems destined to continue. But for any scholar who might be interested I list them below:-

  (i) a handwritten letter from Leon to RM, dated 2nd June 1931 about Societe matters, mentioning contracts in Hyderabad and Cairo. Its envelope includes a subscription request dated 1st June 1931, headed “Founded in 1875” and interestingly lists past presidents but only since 1916. (!?)
                                   
(2) A printed leaflet by Charles Pool read to the Fylde Branch of la Societe 25 Sep 1917 and dedicated to"Dr Henri M Leon as a mark of respect, admiration and friendship".
                                   
(3)A long letter, 8pp, from William Ralph Hall Caine, dtd 10 Jan 1920 explaining why he found the whole shemozzle highly entertaining and was prone to do Leon/Quilliam a good turn rather than a bad one. ( Bear in mind his colleague Bertha Baily had already let the cat out of the bag  - Russell's diary 20 July 1919).
                                   
 (4) Five postcards re meetings of La Society showing authors and subjects being presented between 1916 and 1929
                                   
(5) Russell Marklands membership card, the Lytham Branch of La Societe etc 1916.
                                   
(6) Newspaper clipping of meeting of provisional committee of Lytham branch to a meeting with Dr Leon delivering a lecture on Constantinople (illustrated)

(7) Fylde Branch  La Societe  etc etc folded membership card showing RM on the committee, and Dr Pool, Hon Secretary and Leon as a speaker on the subject “Queen Elizabeth’s Astrologer”.

(8) The Philomath May 1916

(9) R Markland’s handwritten diaries, 1919 and 1922
pertinent entries 20 July 1919 and 30 Oct 1922.

(10) A selection of relevant photocopies from McMaster University dated 1915, in one of which Leon commiserates Markland on failing his (M’s) call up medical , asserting “the pen is mightier than the sword” , a hackneyed phrase today but de rigueur at the time.


I would be happy to receive any comments on davidcoleman927@gmail.com /

 Particularly, I would welcome any published evidence of the purported 1875 foundation and Constitution of La Societe Internationale de Philologie, Sciences et Beaux-Arts, also any clue to its abrogation. Certainly La Societe continued to attract the patronage of the greats up to Leon’s death for the President of the Society at that time was published as being His Excellency Aziz Izzet, Pasha, Minister Plenipotentiary of Egypt.

 Also useful would be confirmation of Q/Leon’s whereabouts and literary activities between 1908 and 1913.

Such items would round off nicely my biography of Russell Markland, the poet Ingersley – my holy grail.

Footnote:
There can be no doubt that the greatest threat to our society's stability today, and to the individual's wellbeing is fired by conflicting claims on the one hand from the apostles (messengers)  of western political theory, and on the other, by Islam.  

In attempting to find grounds for tolerance,  one is confronted by a chaff,  like that dropped to confuse and thwart  the enemy's radar on D day. The result is that no one from one camp is prepared to accept  the hand of friendship from anyone from the other camp. 

I say this as a Christian who has always questioned the the merit of the fable of Mary, Joseph and Jesus and believes that any God who would appoint one person as Prophet in eternity invites a high degree of scepticism, which thankfully I am at liberty to express. Would that others were offered the same degree of freedom of thought and be able to express it. 

Which brings me back to chaff.  It is ironic that in seeking to trace a literary path www.frestonandmarkland.blogspot.com I  trolled through reams of pro and anti Quilliam web literature, got my tongue round such names as Haras Rafiq, Farah Ahmed, Abdullah al Andalusi, Nafeez Ahmed, Aliyah, Sohail, MI5 ghostwriters, Centre for Studies of Radicalisation and Political Value, Charity Commission register and and ended up shaking my head in sorrow.
 



Various links provided to me by Isle of Man scholars
More on the status of Henri Leon on the Island in 1919:
 
http://www.newspapers.gov.im/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToSaveGifMSIE_IOMDEMO&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-eu&Path=RYC/1919/07/04&ChunkNum=-1&ID=Ar00603&PageLabel=6


I note in this article that Quilliam and Leon both held office in "The Grand Tabernacle of England". There si also in attendance a H. Ingersley Ellis of Liverpool:

http://www.newspapers.gov.im/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToSaveGifMSIE_IOMDEMO&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-eu&Path=TMS/1905/07/29&ChunkNum=-1&ID=Ar00302&PageLabel=3

The only reference to Markland I can find in our local papers is related to various books that he was associated with such as this one:

http://www.newspapers.gov.im/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToSaveGifMSIE_IOMDEMO&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-eu&Path=IME/1915/09/18&ChunkNum=-1&ID=Ar00415&PageLabel=4

A Markland family often visited the Island in the 1900s.

Hope the above may be of further interest.

Best wishes,

Paul

And a letter to a friend responding to one from him relating to the subject



Dear David



This morning Paul Weatherall forwarded to me your 16 October email with attachment.  Many thanks indeed for its speedy despatch which I acknowledge with pleasure.



Ralph’s letter is fascinating.  I have taken step of adding it to our manuscript collection with a copy of your blog for context (our reference MS 13954).

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Dear xxxxx

The Bogeymen

I found your statistics re Islam very interesting and informative.

Globally, Islam, perhaps like Christianity, suffers from having overreached itself in trying to be all things to all men, and it has unfortunately to the outsider  has come to be seen as a fragmented aggressive politico/religion dogma, the choice of extremist justification anywhere and everywhere. This is admittedly my personal view, forged in the beliefs of the likes of John Stuart Mills, which would not be acceptable to millions.

Different sects and groups of it in different locations have been able to mould it to their own aims it seems. When they try to import their global tenets to this country these extremists must be identified and rigorously contested if democracy (or lifesyle, if you prefer) as we cherish it is to survive here for our children. If like me you believe,taking our society as a whole, there is no reason why individuals should not in private pursue any type of religion or belief of their choice, or none at all then there is a  problem, - obviously.

At present our politicians, sociologists and philosophers are all quite clearly going about things the wrong way for us if they seek common ground and integration. As an Englander I am quite happy that Muslims, Jews, Catholics  atheists, agnostics etc etc should be able to enjoy the delights of our society without fear on any side, but feel that immigrants and others should firmly adhere to the maxim "when in Rome ..."   Certainly the only law system to be tolerated here - and this should be repeated firmly and regularly -  should be that of the realm and, religion apart, we need to be more strident in promoting and protecting our heritage. If you wish to live under Sharia law and are only comfortable under it, in all honesty, you should not live here.

My frustration at scholars' present attempts to find common ground stems from their attempts to decide who is or is not a good muslim icon (Quilliam ?) around whom to build a springboard of conciliation and are expressed in a footnote, attached, which signs off one of my blogs,
Footnote:   
   There can be no doubt that the greatest threat to our society's stability today, and to the individual's wellbeing is fired by conflicting claims on the one hand from the apostles (messengers) of western political theory, and on the other, by Islam.
In attempting to find grounds for tolerance, one is confronted by a chaff, like that dropped to confuse and thwart the enemy's radar on D day. The result is that no one from one camp is prepared to accept the hand of friendship from anyone from the other camp.I say this as a Christian who has always questioned the the merit of the fable of Mary, Joseph and Jesus and believes that any God who would appoint one person as Prophet in eternity invites a high degree of scepticism, which thankfully I am at liberty to express. Would that others were offered the same degree of freedom of thought and be able to express it.
Which brings me back to chaff. It is ironic that in seeking to trace a literary path( vide  ) I trolled through reams of pro and anti Quilliam web literature, got my tongue round such names as Haras Rafiq, Farah Ahmed, Abdullah al Andalusi, Nafeez Ahmed, Aliyah, Sohail, MI5 ghostwriters, Centre for Studies of Radicalisation and Political Value, Charity Commission register and and ended up shaking my head in sorrow.

There is I feel today a habit to let antagonists grab the headlines, an over- willingness to get the tail to wag the dog, giving disaffected minorities a surfeit of attention with no balance, but why do our protagonists not learn from this and adopt similar tactics ? As an ice breaker I offer the following:  at the tail-end of Islam, despite 'official' claims to the contrary, is their lack of respect for the rights of women in society and a suitably headed campaign highlighting this clear anomaly in the modern world would surely put the spotlight on and cause much debate with moderates in the ranks in which others could join. The rallying call for the ladies could easily be "get a life" a cry that would resound with all youngsters, who are of course the present. The old have had their innings and the middle aged have screwed up.

Making Islam, or any other society, put its own house in order is very difficult to attain. Many high ranking luminaries have tried and continue to do so. What to sceptics like us seem to be reasonable questions are treated by all sides, believers and non-believers, as pure heresy. They need to keep their fairy tales or the world order changes for them. For an insight along these lines do get hold of "If the Oceans were Ink" by Carla Power http://www.carlapower.com/ who studied under Sheikh Mohammed Akram Nadwi. Then read on the web the sheer bigoted venom that this has inspired against the sheikh. Unbelievable !

 The website www.musawah.org/ is another revelation and a step in  the right direction.

Comparisons are said to be invidious, certainly open to misinterpretation, so I am naturally chary of proffering , say our Indians, Sikhs, Poles etc etc as shining examples of integration, but I feel you will get the gist of what I mean. My own family's wellbeing would be so much poorer if my Pakistani friends did not so ably and cheerfully contribute so much to our daily lives across the whole gamut of society.

With regard to Islam and its place in this society, then I can only offer my personal take on this. As octogenarians, me and my close colleagues have obviously imbibed the traditions of hundreds of years of British traditions. Introduced to Christianity from birth I have I suppose accepted the ethics of the ten commandments and its moral strictures as part and parcel of my journey through life. But I have never needed temples and priests to sustain me and have always considered the bible and carols as no more than a very enjoyable history tale with fabrications or a jolly sing song.  The inner messages they contain easily found acceptance in my psyche.

I have always respected those who have deeper religious beliefs no matter what, but I now ask you do muslims exist who are able to express similar scepticism whilst retaining a belief in the innate goodness of mankind and do they want to be part of our society? If so may they please join the club. Having travelled all corners of the globe and spent time in all I  have indigenous friends in all, and have found that for me god exists in everyone's heart no matter how named and there is a universality in this that does not require priests and temples to express.

I find it impossible to accept that any god purportedly as recently as 2000 or 1500 years ago would dictate his scriptures expecting them to remain static, entrusted to static but ageing prophets for future millenniums.

I remain a 60 percenter.  As part of the essential social contract, render unto Caesar, God, the PM or whoever, 40% but 60% is mine for the family and my like-minded compatriots and hopefully will always remain so.


With regards, your old schoolmate, Dave C

This was in response to the following link that was sent to me :-

http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-overview/


I have received pertinent correspondence from Isle of Man scholars, as follows : -
Dear David



This morning Paul Weatherall forwarded to me your 16 October email with attachment.  Many thanks indeed for its speedy despatch which I acknowledge with pleasure.



Ralph’s letter is fascinating.  I have taken step of adding it to our manuscript collection with a copy of your blog for context (our reference MS 13954).

t: +44 (0) 1624 648041
e: Wendy.Thirkettle@mnh.gov.im
w: http://www.manxnationalheritage.im/our-collections/library-archives/

manxheritageshop.com



facebook.com/manxnationalheritage

twitter.com/manxheritage

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