A gripping tale emerges from a recently-discovered exchange of letters between the colossus Maynard Keynes and the Lewes Reverend Kenneth Rawlings. Early attempts at establishing a theatre were nearly scuppered by Rawlings’ pacifist preachings from the pulpit, because of which the town turned against him. The theatre won through by entertaining troops in Lewes throughout WWII, supported by Keynes and other establishment figures.

The exchange of letters from 1936 to 1944 shows the way in which Keynes assisted Rawlings in the establishment of permanent amateur theatre premises in the County Town of Lewes. The timing coincided with the onset of World War II, and additional letters from Rawlings to others including the town clerk, Lord Gage, Margeret Masterman and Major G. H. Powell-Edwards reveal the tensions between the ardent pacifist Rawlings and establishment figures as war approached. Steadied by Keynes and like-minded influential figures, Rawlings won through triumphantly, the theatre effort viewed as an essential cultural asset during the dark war years.

Paul Myles notes in an article published in The History of European Ideas that Keynes could observe Rawlings enact what became an aim of the Council for the Encouragement of Music with the Arts, of which he became president soon after its conception in 1940 —that of providing a theatre for every town in England.

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See the Talks page for a list of  forthcoming monthly events organised by the Lewes History Group.