San Diego Browning Society.

Biographical / Historical Notes

The San Diego Browning Society was founded in 1946 by Mrs. Oliver W. (Estelle Grace) Pierce, a retired speech coach from Minneapolis who moved to San Diego in 1931. According to the society’s by-laws, its purpose was to “promote the study, understanding and appreciation of the works of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and to relate them to the Victorian Age in which they were a vital influence.” Its members consisted of college faculty, prominent local citizens of varied professions, and any San Diegans who simply enjoyed poetry and were interested in its promotion. During the Society’s monthly meetings, members delivered readings of Browning poems and original papers about aspects of the Brownings’ lives and the time and environment in which they lived. Some meetings included lectures given by guest speakers. They also held events, such as annual holiday dinners, birthday parties for the Brownings, and special programs such as a Browning-related movie screening and an interpretive music concert based on a Robert Browning poem. Due to decline of membership and interest in this literary period, the society disbanded in 1992.