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Penmaenmawr* * ‘pen-men-more’ Addendum to A narrative approach to exploring the historical consciousness of Biodynamics in UK Vivian Griffiths & Chloe Hindmarsh Dr John Paull [email protected] utas.academia.edu/JohnPaull 3rd International Biodynamics Research Conference Royal Agricultural University (RAU) Cirencester, UK, 31 Aug - 4 Sept 2025 1
“International Summer School at Penmaenmawr” “Spiritual and Physical Evolution of the World and Humanity, past, present, and future from the point of view of Anthroposophy” 18 August - 1 September 1923 2
<map> . image: Google Maps Penmaenmawr 3
image: Griffiths & Hindmarsh, 2025 Penmaenmawr The Centennial BD Grand Tour of 2024 + Penmaenmawr 4
Stratford-upon-Avon (ed) 1922 Oxford (ed) 1922 Ilkley (ed) 1923 Penmaenmawr (Anthro) 1923 Torquay (Anthro & ed) 1924 Koberwitz> Fire> RIP> Rudolf Steiner to UK (post WWI) … WWI> 5
1926 image: J Paull 6
image: Abebooks 7
<map> . image: Google Maps People & Places of the Penmaenmawr Summer School 8
Recollections may vary… “wonderfully beautiful” Rudolf Steiner “a windswept hut” Marie Steiner “fantastic incomprehensible” Reuben Farrow “delightful days in Wales” Guenther Wachsmuth “The weather was awful” Gladys Hayn “a highpoint in their lives” Ruth Ainsworth “I’d like to be back in Dornach” Rudolf Steiner Wachsmuth (1989); Steiner & Maryon (1990); Villeneuve (2004) 9
<-Grand Hotel <-Railway image:vintage postcard 16
c. 100 attendees 80% women image:Rudolf Steiner House Library 17
Dunlop Steiner Kaufmann image:Rudolf Steiner House Library 18
Eleanor MerryDaniel Dunlop Power couple #1 image: private collectionimage: Biodynamics Association 19
Maryon Power couple #2 Rudolf Steiner Edith Maryon image: Ernesto Genoni 20
Power couple #3 George Kaufmann Mary Kaufmann image: Sunhillimage: Sunhill 21
Margaret Cross The BD 3 image: 1946, private collectionimage: Sunhill 22
image: J Paull The Koberwitz/Kobierzyce Centenary June 2024 23
Penmaenmawr New Drill Hall image: J Paull 24
Old Drill Hall •cold •wet •windy 25
image: J Paull 32
achievement … Anthroposophical Society in Great Britain founded London Sunday 2 September 1923 33
images: Abebooks 34
25% 50% 75% 100% Then Now Century of Decline -29% Penmaenmawr Penmaenmawr -29% 35
Penmaenmawr Irish Sea A55 image: Google maps Penmaenmawr A55 36
Grand Hotel demolished image: J Paull 37
Promenade, Penmaenmawr image: J Paull 38
Beach access via A55 Pedestrian underpass, Penmaenmawr image: J Paull 39
A55 Pedestrian underpass, Penmaenmawr image: J Paull 40
0 50 100 150 200 Then May Penmaenmawr Llandudno -29% +86% Penmaenmawr Landudno +86% -29% 41
Abstract Dr Rudolf Steiner’s first Summer School in Britain was held at Penmaenmawr in Wales in 1923 (18 August - 1 September). At the time Penmaenmawr was a seaside tourist destination (since then the A55 motorway has cut off the village from the seaside). This was the furthest west that Rudolf Steiner ever ventured for lectures. Steiner described the surroundings as “wonderfully beautiful”. He was delighted that his topic was his favourite, Anthroposophy, rather than a fruit of Anthroposophy (previous lectures at Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford, and Ilkley, were on Waldorf education). There were about 100 attendees. About 80% of them were women. Attendees ranged from Anthropop devotees to ‘newbies’. The Penmaenmawr lectures were published and remain in print to the present. The Grand Hotel (since demolished) was the accommodation for Steiner and many attendees. The Old Drill Hall (since demolished) was the venue for the lectures and the Eurythmy presentations. Marie Steiner described it as a “windswept hut”. Rueben Farrow described the lectures as “fantastic incomprehensible”. The so called ‘Druid’s Circles’ (since reported to predate the Druids by thousands of years) were a popular excursion destination in the hills behind Penmaenmawr. Steiner made several such excursions and regaled his walking companions with tales of Druids. The Summer School was a project of Daniel Dunlop assisted by Eleanor Merry. George Kaufmann extemporaneously translated Seiner’s Penmaenmawr lectures (and later the ‘Agriculture Course’). Biodynamics trailblazers, Marna Pease (Anthroposophical Agricultural Foundation) and Margaret Cross (Bio-Dynamic Association) both attended. The Anthroposophical Society in Great Britain’ was founded in London the day following the Summer School (2 September). Penmaenmawr was Steiner’s penultimate visit to Britain (by the second Summer School at Torquay, 11-22 August 1924, he was mortally ill; he retired from public life the following month, and died 20 March 1925). Steiner’s biographer, Guenther Wachsmuth, described Penmaenmawr as “these delightful days in Wales”. Gladys Hayn remembered that “The weather was awful”. Recollections may vary, but the first Anthroposophy Summer School was properly regarded as a success, and according to Ruth Ainsworth for some “a high point in their lives”. 48
References Anthroposophy. (1923b). The Penmaenmawr Conference. Anthroposophy, II(9), 124. Evans, S. (2022). Chapters in History 1: Meini Hirion. Penmaenmawr: Penmaenmawr Historical Society & Museum. Griffiths, V., & Hindmarsh, C. (2025). A Biodynamic Summer Journey through Wales and England. The Field Centre Journal of Research and Practice, 10 (Summer), 23-29. Merry, E. C. (1987). Life Story: An Autobiographical Experience of Destiny. London: Mercury Arts Publications. Meyer, T. H. (1992). D. N. Dunlop: A Man of our Time. London: Temple Lodge. Paull, J. (2018). A portrait of Edith Maryon: Artist and Anthroposophist. Journal of Fine Arts, 1(2), 8-15. Paull, J. (2020b). The Koberwitzers: Those who Attended Rudolf Steiner's Agriculture Course at Koberwitz in 1924, World's Foundational Organic Agriculture Course. International Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 6(2), 47-54. Paull, J. (2025). Penmaenmawr: In the footsteps of Rudolf Steiner. European Journal of Theology and Philosophy, 15 (5), 1-13. Paull, J., & Hennig, B. (2020). Rudolf Steiner Education and Waldorf Schools: Centenary World Maps of the Global Diffusion of “the School of the Future”. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 6(1), 24-33. Paull, J., & Harvey, J. (2023). Marna Pease (1866-1947): Founder of Biodynamics for the English-Speaking World. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10 (5), 272-301. Steiner, R. (1923). A fragment from my visit to England. Anthroposophy, II(10), 125-127. Steiner, R. (1923/1924). The Christmas Conference for the Foundation of the General Anthroposophical Society 1923/1924. (This edition published 1990, trans. Michael Wilson). New York: Anthroposophic Press. Steiner, R. (1926). The Evolution of the World and of Humanity: 13 Lectures given at Penmaenmawr, August, 1923 (H. Collison, Trans.). London: Anthroposophical Publishing Co. Steiner, R. (1966). The Evolution of Consciousness as revealed through Initiation-Knowledge: Thirteen Lectures Given at Penmaenmawr, North Wales, 19th to 31st August, 1923; A New Translation (V. E. W. a. C.D., Trans.). London: Rudolf Steiner Press. Steiner, R. (1967). A Lecture on Eurythmy: Given at Penmaenmawr on 26 August, 1923 (Second ed.). London: Rudolf Steiner Press. Steiner, R., & Maryon, E. (1990). Rudolf Steiner Edith Maryon: Briefwechsel Briefe - Sprüche - Skizzen 1912-1924. Dornach: Rudolf Steiner Verlag. Villeneuve, C. (2004). Rudolf Steiner in Britain: A Documentation of his Ten Visits, Volume 11, 1922-1925. Forest Row, UK: Temple Lodge. Wachsmuth, G. (1989). The Life and Work of Rudolf Steiner. Blauvert, NY: Spiritual Science Library. 49
Acknowledgements Ruskin Mill Trust is acknowledged for the support of the BD Centennial Grand Tour of UK, Demeter Poland is acknowledged for hospitality in Poland, Penmaenmawr Museum is acknowledged for information and directions, Rudolf Steiner House Library (London) and the Biodynamic Association (UK) is acknowledged for access to archives. Dr John Paull [email protected] utas.academia.edu/JohnPaull 50
