The Trial of Lady Chatterley: Regina v. Penguin Books Limited: The Transcript of the Trial

by C.H. Rolph (Editor)

In october 1960 at the Old Bailey a jury of nine men and three women prepared for the infamous trial of "Lady Chatterley's Lover". The Obscene Publications Act had been introduced the previous year and D.H. Lawrence's notorious novel was the first book to be the subject of prosecussion under its provisions. Derived from the official Old Bailey transcript of the evidence and speeches, this book serves both as an account of the most expansive (and expensive) seminar on the works of D.H. Lawrence ever given, and as a timely reminder of the moral orthodoxies of an era which Geoffrey Robertson, QC, recalls in his new introducton to this edition.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Law, Legal, Canon, Books About Books

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

Cecil Hewitt Rolph

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in Oct. 2016

A valuable reference.
The extraordinary absurdity of the trial, was, deciding whether the novel was obscene, and the members of the jury weren't allowed to read the book.

[Coenraad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This first booklet in the Pocket Penguin 70s series is an extract of The trial of Lady Chatterley. It gives an interesting view of the gist of the arguments. I found the legal language fascinating: it is not particularly laden with legal jargon, but with long and sometimes convoluted sentences, and with careful and polite phrases. It may seem strange to start the series celebrating Penguin's 70th birthday in this way, but it probably was the most interesting legal moment in the publisher's history, and shows how norms develop and change over time.

Hierdie eerste boekie in die reeks wat verskyn het om Penguin se sewentigste bestaansjaar te vier, som die hofsaak op oor Penguin se voorgenome publikasie van Lady Chatterley's lover. Die ingewikkelde sinne asook die argumente oor die roman se waarde dui op verskillende maniere aan hoe ons samelewing oor tyd heen verander.

[Roelof Kotvis · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the major shortcomings of the Anglo-Saxon judicial system is the way every court case, regardless of significance or complexity, is eventually reduced to one or two words: 'guilty' or 'not guilty'. This book presents some of the arguments of both prosecution and defence in the case against Penguin Books, an attempt to prevent the publication of D.H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover" in 1960 because of its alleged pornographic nature. Although some of the witnesses for the defence, among them members of the clergy, put forth interesting arguments about the literary merits of "Lady Chatterley's Lover", and some amusing insight into 1960's Britain is offered, this book is a bit of a letdown; the major reason is the complete lack of information about the way the jury reached a verdict in this case - there's not even a reference to the amount of time it took the jury to reach that verdict.

"Lady Chatterley's Trial" is an abridged version of "The Trial of Lady Chatterley"; the above criticism may not apply to the unabbreviated version.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 5 out of 5]

This quick read made up of extracts from the trial of the Crown Vs Penguin, is a fascinating glimpse into the times during the trial and an inspiring assertion of the importance and integrity of art. It's almost fantastic to imagine this trial happening today where swear words litter every other novel and sex scenes are laughed at rather than gasped at. The other thing that probably wouldn't happen today is that the clergy were involved in the defence; for once the church was involved in allowing the publication of an "obscene" novel rather than trying to ban it.

Just the idea that a novel was in the dock was amazing. Both sides talking about the merits of a novel and talking about the nature of love and relationships - in a courtroom! Absolutely amazing stuff. A great rousing affirmation of art and anti-censorship as well as a turning point in society when we became more modern and less prudish. Fantastic read, highly recommended.

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read an abridged edition titled Lady Chatterley's Trial and published by Penguin. A nice little volume to compliment Lady Chatterley’s Lover in my library, since it is a collection of excepts of the defence and of the prosecution from the trial, where the court had to determine if D.H. Lawrence's notorious novel could be published as a Penguin paperback, and therefore make it available to mass audiences by offering it at a cheap price. Will they be corrupted? The verdict? it was allowed to be published.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short booklet gives the details of the arguments in the trial of the publishers at Penguin books for obscenity. Their alleged crime was in publishing D. H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover". The court found for the defendants and the book was published.
A book can contain descriptions of sex acts if the book as a whole has literary merit and the sex is germane to the plot.
I wish later publishers had taken more notice of the whole case. It was a landmark blow against censorship. It also paved the way for a lot of lesser books.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Trial of Lady Chatterly is an account of the prosecutation of Penguin books under the Obscene Publications Act. This account is taken from the trial transcripts, including remarks from Cecil Day-Lewis.

Does this mean that any review on GR that violates the guidelines is going to be charged under the act?

[Stephen Ede-Borrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think all bibliophiles are aware of the 'Lady Chatterley Trial' and especially of Mervyn Griffith-Jones'
famous "Is this a book that you would even wish your wife or your servants to read?" although less famous is his earlier "because girls can read as well..."

Of course you look for this statement in Griffith-Jones' opening statements but there is so very much more here but most especially in the opening and closing statements of both Prosecution and Defence (Gerald Gardiner) council.

Also here are the the witnesses' statements, examination and cross-examination although it is still the above that, for me, are the more interesting.

An excellent synopsis of Penguin's 1961 full account of the trial and highly recommended for anyone interested in the literature of the Country.

[Ivan Monckton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shortened version of the original trial book published after Penguin had successfully defended itself in the 1960 obscenity prosecution for publishing, for the first time in the U.K., D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover in an unexpurgated edition, decades after his death. Interesting.

[Melissa Landforth · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a nice and smooth read.

[Steve Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This pocket book comprises of extracts from the court case prosecuting Penguin Books for obscenity over their decision to publish Lady Chatterley’s Lover. This book demonstrates just how out of touch the council for the prosecution was (“Is it a book that you would even wish your wife or your servants to read?”). It also lists exactly how many swear words are used throughout the book. I recently read Lady Chatterley’s Lover for the first time and was surprised that it was so tame given that the publishers were actually prosecuted for obscenity: reading the list of swear words used and their frequency in here shows that even this facet of the book was overestimated by myself upon first reading. The twelve men and women of the jury provided a huge benefit to the advancement of English literature by returning a verdict of not guilty; and I do not think that many wives and servants have been corrupted by that outcome.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goal: to own all of these 70 Pocket Penguin books.

I think I have about half of them, which I consider an accomplishment, given that they are not sold in the US. Either my ex-boyfriend sent them all to me in care packages from Brazil, I purchased them when I was in Brazil, and there's even one that I bought from amazon.co.uk for far too much, but whatever, I needed to own the Alain de Botton one.

Now, this one. The first in the series of Pocket Penguins, Lady Chatterley's Trial is a highly highly abridged version of The Trial of Lady Chatterley by C.H. Rolph, wherein it describes the defending and prosecuting arguments against the supposedly obscene Lady Chatterley's Lover .

It was really quite fascinating to read the arguments as to how one clears a book from the charge of obscenity... and how one seeks to uphold it.

[Malzee · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and important beginning to the boxed set, to situate the collection in the early principles (and controversies) that kicked off Pocket Penguins. And just as the defense cites back to Chaucer and they’re having the benefit of hindsight, it’s interesting to revisit the trial with the perspective of renewed hindsight, now that obscenity and pornography have evolved. Anyway, I don’t think this excerpt warrants a high rating, but it is significant and not a waste of time. #book1 #pocketpenguins #penguin70s

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent and readable precis of the court proceedings in the obscenity trial of Lady Chatterley's Lover. For someone with a legal background, it was fascinating to read the arguments, but it was also quite eye opening to see how attitudes have changed. We can thank this trial for some of those changes.

[Alix]

Very interesting from a legal aspect and in the light of digital censorship debates it proves how far we have come as a society in just a few short years? The format was v enjoyable, because the verdict of the trial was not stated until the very last page, spurring the pace on.

[Jules · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an informative read. I studied Lady Chatterley's Lover as part of my university degree many years ago. I found the issues the novel caused within society very interesting.

[Jo Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. Makes me glad I never bothered to read lady Chatterley