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George Sturt
George Sturt
George Sturt
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Chalk drawing of George Sturt by W. H. Allen (1909)

George Sturt (18 June 1863–4 February 1927), who also wrote under the pseudonym George Bourne, was an English writer on rural crafts and affairs. He was born and grew up in Farnham, Surrey,[1] the son of Ellen née Smith (1829–1890) and Francis Sturt (1822–1884).

He attended Farnham Grammar School and for a short period aged 15 years he was a pupil-teacher there, at one time having the ambition to be a sub-inspector of local schools.[2] When his father died in 1884[3] he took over the administration of the family wheelwright business founded in 1706.[4] During this time he also contributed as an assistant to the various craftsmen working in the business.[5]

However, the work became either too onerous or he found his preference would be to spend more time writing so he took on a partner[6] Eventually that partner died and his own ill health became a problem in 1916, so another partner was found who bought him out in 1920.[7]

He wrote numerous books and articles under the name George Bourne, including a novel - his first published book - A Year's Exile (1898), which dealt with country life among the people of Surrey. Many of Sturt's later books, essays, and articles concerned the dealings of country people and their life and often included details of the practices and tools of the wheelwright and farmer. Among such books were The Bettesworth Book (1901), Change in the Village (1912), Lucy Bettesworth (1913), A Farmer's Life, with a Memoir of the Farmer's Sister (1922), and The Wheelwright's Shop (1923), often considered to be his best book. Sturt also wrote a book on aesthetics called The Ascending Effort (1910).[5]

Sturt's restored grave in Green Lane Cemetery in Farnham, Surrey

George Sturt is buried in Green Lane Cemetery in Farnham, Surrey.

Writing

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It was in 1923 and close to the end of his life that he published his next-to-last book and best-known, The Wheelwright's Shop.[1] The Times Literary Supplement praised the book for its "grace and power," noting that "It paints directly and without effort the temper and acquirements of a race of skilled workmen such as we are not likely to see again."[8] Mortise & Tenon Magazine says the work, "has gained the deserved status of a classic" and describes it as "a timelessly important and enjoyable book."[9] Sturt described it as "an autobiography for the years 1884 to 1891"[6] but its continuing interest to its present and recent readership lies in the 170-plus pages[10] describing the technology of late-Victorian cart woodwork.

It was after he took over his father's eponymous firm that he learned the technical processes and features of the technology making up the bulk of the book.[1]

Bibliography

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References

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George Sturt

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George Sturt is an English writer and wheelwright known for his detailed and compassionate accounts of traditional rural crafts, village labor, and social changes in late Victorian and Edwardian Surrey. Writing under the pseudonym George Bourne, he documented the lives of local working people with precision, drawing from his own experiences in the family trade and careful observation of his community. Born in Farnham, Surrey, in 1863, Sturt attended Farnham Grammar School and briefly worked as a teacher before taking over the family wheelwright business in 1884 following his father's death. He managed the shop in Farnham until selling it in 1920, all the while recording the speech, anecdotes, and hardships of rural laborers in journals that formed the basis of his writings. His works reflect both affection for traditional ways and clear-eyed recognition of economic pressures on the rural poor, rejecting nostalgia in favor of understanding inevitable change. Notable among his publications are the Bettesworth books, Change in the Village, and The Wheelwright's Shop, which remain valued for their authentic depiction of pre-industrial English country life. Sturt died in 1927.

Early Life

Birth and Background

George Sturt was born in 1863 in Farnham, Surrey, at 18 The Borough, in the premises of his family's stationer's and newsagent's shop. He attended Farnham Grammar School and served briefly as a pupil-teacher there. He later worked as a teacher and had ambitions to become a sub-inspector of local schools. In 1884, following his father's unexpected death, Sturt took over the family wheelwright business in Farnham, which had been operated by generations of his family, with his grandfather purchasing the premises in 1810.

Career

After attending Farnham Grammar School, George Sturt briefly worked as a teacher. Following his father's death, he took over the family wheelwright and carpenter business in Farnham in 1884. He managed the shop until selling it in 1920. Throughout his time running the business, Sturt kept detailed journals recording the speech, anecdotes, and hardships of rural laborers and craftsmen in his community. These observations formed the basis for his writings, published under the pseudonym George Bourne. His works, including the Bettesworth books, Change in the Village (1912), and The Wheelwright's Shop (1923), document traditional rural life and the impacts of social and economic change. George Sturt (1863–1927), the writer and wheelwright, has no known involvement in film production, directing, writing, editing, or any other film-related roles. The film credits listed in some sources (e.g., IMDb) pertain to a different individual with the same name. No verified filmography exists for the subject of this article.
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