Monthly Archives: June 2025

A ride to Yasnaya Polyana

Off the back of my research into Constance Garnett, and her connections to both the Russian exile community in 1890’s London, I came across the story of her contempories, and competing translators, Louise and Aylmer Maude. The Maudes were supporters … Continue reading

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Tolstoy, translators and English utopianism

While spending a little more time with Constance (and the Russian revolutionary community in London at the end of the nineteenth century), I kept coming across the names of Louise and Aylmer Maude who were also translators of Tolstoy’s work … Continue reading

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Sergei Stepniak

Sergei Stepniak is obviously key to the story of the Friends of Russian Freedom, in 1890s London, as well as to the life of Constance Garnett. So, as an exercise, I thought I’d try and see what we could learn … Continue reading

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The Society of Friends of Russian Freedom

Sometimes a diagram is best. On the back of my looking into the life of Ethel Voynich, I kept on coming across the same names, sometimes in different contexts, so to try and make sense out of it I drew … Continue reading

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Lenin in Torquay

Strange one this. There’s apparently an unsubstantiated story that while Lenin was in London in 1907 he had himself a little holiday in Torquay in Devon. Well, maybe he did, or maybe he didn’t, but it is true that Lenin … Continue reading

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