Arthur Pritt

Arthur is a middle-aged alderman who cannot move on from losing his wife

Arthur Pritt is one of the main characters of the short story “Jubilee” by Carys Davies. He is a town alderman and is responsible for hosting the event celebrating Queen Victoria’s jubilee. The only reference to Arthur’s physical appearance is that he is “balding” (l. 80), which may suggest that he is past middle age. Arthur was married and used to live in Calcutta, India, but the marriage ended when his wife Alice left him for her piano teacher, Miss Gordon. 

From the beginning of the story, we get the impression that Arthur is lonely and sad, particularly when he thinks about his wife, Alice. Arthur recalls how he kept her clothes and “most days he lifted a sleeve or a hem and held it for a few moments between his fingers” (l. 18). This shows that he is not over their break-up and...