The History of Mr. Polly
Encyclopedia
The History of Mr. Polly is a 1910
comic
novel
by H. G. Wells
.
England, in an imaginary town of Fishbourne in Kent (not to be confused with Fishbourne, West Sussex
—the town in the story is thought to be based on Sandgate, Kent
where Wells lived for several years). Polly enjoys reading books of knightly endeavours more than his jobs in a draper
's shops
, and several times his daydreaming mind loses him his job. After the death of his father, a man he had little in common with, he is left a little money in the inheritance, and at the funeral he meets Miriam Larkins, a distant cousin. Although not really in love with her (Polly is in fact in love with Christabel, a girl he met whilst out riding his bicycle), he marries Miriam, they buy a shop, and set out to make a success of it.
Fifteen years later, Miriam has become abusive and spiteful, Polly is still bored and dissatisfied with his life, the shop is in debt, and he hates all their neighbours. Polly is inclined to spark comedic arguments and slapstick calamity wherever he goes. When he knows his marriage is failing, and he is seen as a bit of a joke in the community and he is facing bankruptcy
, he decides to set fire to his shop and cut his throat with a razor, but the twist is that he fails to go with the slash because the fire surprises him by the speed with which it spreads. Also, saving his neighbouring shop owner's elderly mother from the fire (the fire station
is opposite the shops, but the firemen are unable to act before the fire-engine's hose is molten as they cannot find the key), Polly is seen as a local hero. The events lead to Polly wanting to do something adventurous with his life and go out and see the world instead of keeping stuck with his wife in Fishbourne. Polly then leaves the insurance money from the fire with Miriam, and he disappears in the night to try to make a new life for himself.
After a month of wandering aimlessly in the Sussex
countryside, Polly comes to a riverside inn, the Potwell Inn, and is offered work by the innkeeper, a widow who is usually referred to only as the "plump woman." The relationship between Polly and the widow is friendly from the very beginning. Polly meets her young niece, also called Polly, and also "Uncle Jim," who turns up regularly, usually drunk and demanding money from his "Aunt Flo." Jim insists Polly "gets off his patch," but Polly sticks around and is nearly killed by Jim on one occasion, but survives by dogged determination, resourcefulness, and luck. Despite not being exceptionally brave, Polly stands his ground and Jim stops visiting—later his body is found drowned and he is identified as Polly by the name sewn into a pair of trousers which Jim stole from the inn.
Several years later, in a fit of conscience, Polly returns to the shop in Fishbourne, now a tearoom run by Miriam and her sister. He briefly meets Miriam, who believed him dead and is horror-struck, but tells her that he doesn't really exist anymore and that he is a ghost. Knowing that Miriam is now happy and content, he returns to the Potwell. The novel ends with Polly and the innkeeper enjoying a sunset together by the inn.
was made in 1949
by Anthony Pellisier, with John Mills
as Polly. It was adapted by the BBC
as a six-part television serial shown between 28 August and 10 October 1959, with Emrys Jones
as Polly, and again as a five-part adaptation starring Andrew Sachs
, shown between 2 and 30 March 1980. The 1959 version no longer exists. A feature-length version, starring Lee Evans
was shown on ITV1
in May 2007.
1910 in literature
The year 1910 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*April - Halley's comet reappears , and Mark Twain dies on April 21, 1910, the day following the comet's perihelion. In his biography, Twain had written, "I came in with Halley's comet in 1835. It's coming again...
comic
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
.
Plot summary
Alfred Polly is a quiet, timid and direction-less young man living in EdwardianEdwardian period
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period in the United Kingdom is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910.The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son Edward marked the end of the Victorian era...
England, in an imaginary town of Fishbourne in Kent (not to be confused with Fishbourne, West Sussex
Fishbourne, West Sussex
Fishbourne is a village and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England and is situated two miles west of Chichester. The name derives from fissaburna/fiseborne/fysshburn, all meaning "stream with fish"...
—the town in the story is thought to be based on Sandgate, Kent
Sandgate, Kent
Sandgate is a village in the Folkestone and Hythe Urban Area in the Shepway district of Kent, England. In 2004, the village re-acquired civil parish status....
where Wells lived for several years). Polly enjoys reading books of knightly endeavours more than his jobs in a draper
Draper
Draper is the now largely obsolete term for a wholesaler, or especially retailer, of cloth, mainly for clothing, or one who works in a draper's shop. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. The drapers were an important trade guild...
's shops
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
, and several times his daydreaming mind loses him his job. After the death of his father, a man he had little in common with, he is left a little money in the inheritance, and at the funeral he meets Miriam Larkins, a distant cousin. Although not really in love with her (Polly is in fact in love with Christabel, a girl he met whilst out riding his bicycle), he marries Miriam, they buy a shop, and set out to make a success of it.
Fifteen years later, Miriam has become abusive and spiteful, Polly is still bored and dissatisfied with his life, the shop is in debt, and he hates all their neighbours. Polly is inclined to spark comedic arguments and slapstick calamity wherever he goes. When he knows his marriage is failing, and he is seen as a bit of a joke in the community and he is facing bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, he decides to set fire to his shop and cut his throat with a razor, but the twist is that he fails to go with the slash because the fire surprises him by the speed with which it spreads. Also, saving his neighbouring shop owner's elderly mother from the fire (the fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
is opposite the shops, but the firemen are unable to act before the fire-engine's hose is molten as they cannot find the key), Polly is seen as a local hero. The events lead to Polly wanting to do something adventurous with his life and go out and see the world instead of keeping stuck with his wife in Fishbourne. Polly then leaves the insurance money from the fire with Miriam, and he disappears in the night to try to make a new life for himself.
After a month of wandering aimlessly in the Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
countryside, Polly comes to a riverside inn, the Potwell Inn, and is offered work by the innkeeper, a widow who is usually referred to only as the "plump woman." The relationship between Polly and the widow is friendly from the very beginning. Polly meets her young niece, also called Polly, and also "Uncle Jim," who turns up regularly, usually drunk and demanding money from his "Aunt Flo." Jim insists Polly "gets off his patch," but Polly sticks around and is nearly killed by Jim on one occasion, but survives by dogged determination, resourcefulness, and luck. Despite not being exceptionally brave, Polly stands his ground and Jim stops visiting—later his body is found drowned and he is identified as Polly by the name sewn into a pair of trousers which Jim stole from the inn.
Several years later, in a fit of conscience, Polly returns to the shop in Fishbourne, now a tearoom run by Miriam and her sister. He briefly meets Miriam, who believed him dead and is horror-struck, but tells her that he doesn't really exist anymore and that he is a ghost. Knowing that Miriam is now happy and content, he returns to the Potwell. The novel ends with Polly and the innkeeper enjoying a sunset together by the inn.
Screen adaptations
A film version of the same nameThe History of Mr. Polly (film)
The History of Mr. Polly is a 1949 British film, based on the 1910 comic novel The History of Mr. Polly by H.G. Wells. It was directed by Anthony Pelissier and stars John Mills, Betty Ann Davies, Megs Jenkins and Finlay Currie...
was made in 1949
1949 in film
The year 1949 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello...
by Anthony Pellisier, with John Mills
John Mills
Sir John Mills CBE , born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills, was an English actor who made more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades.-Life and career:...
as Polly. It was adapted by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
as a six-part television serial shown between 28 August and 10 October 1959, with Emrys Jones
Emrys Jones
Emrys Jones FBA, FRGS was Professor of Geography at the London School of Economics and a renowned author and consultant in the fields of geography and urban planning.-Youth:...
as Polly, and again as a five-part adaptation starring Andrew Sachs
Andrew Sachs
Andrew Sachs is a German-born British actor. He made his name on British television and is best known for his portrayals of Manuel in Fawlty Towers, a role for which he was BAFTA-nominated, and Ramsay Clegg in Coronation Street.-Early life:Sachs was born in Berlin, Germany, the son of Katharina , a...
, shown between 2 and 30 March 1980. The 1959 version no longer exists. A feature-length version, starring Lee Evans
Lee Evans (comedian)
Lee Evans is an English comedian, writer, actor and musician.-Personal life:Lee Evans was born in Avonmouth, Bristol, England to an Irish mother and a Welsh father, Dave Evans, a nightclub performer. He left Bristol at the age of 13 and then went to The Billericay School in Billericay, Essex...
was shown on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
in May 2007.