I predicted this would be a close run thing between Seacape and William Hodgson Burnet, and my instinct was right. However, although Seacape is for the third year the winner, the margin of his victory is not so colossal.
Here are some statistics (1931’s in brackets and italics). In 1932, there were 114 [108] winners, who won 201 prizes [175] to the value of £210.15s3d [£181.3s.3d]. 36 [26] entrants won more than once.
Of the entrants, 15 appeared behind initials and 45 behind pseudonyms – so, just over half, as with the previous year.
The additional prize fund has to so with the fact that there was an extra competition (Jan 1 and Dec 31 both included), and because there were a few additional A prizes. This brings me to the winners, all of whom have won more than two competitions (unlike 1931). Previous years’ achievements are shown in brackets.
1. Seacape 10 victories £12.0s.0d (1,1)
2. W. Hodgson Burnet 8 victories £9.9s.0d (3, -)
3= James Hall 8 victories £7.10s.6d (-, -)
3= W.G. 4 victories £7.10s.6d (-,-)
5. Wiliam Bliss 5 victories £5.15s.6d (-,-)
6. E.W.Fordham 6 victories £5.10s.6d (-,-)
7. Valimus 3 victories £5.5s.0d (5,-)
8. Non Omnia 3 victories £4.14s.6d (-,-)
9. Little Billee 3 victories £4.7s.3d (2,-)
10= W.A.Rathkey 3 victories £3.3s.0d (-,-)
10= Lester Ralph 3 victories £3.3s.0d (-,-)
10= Eremita 4 victories £3.3s.0d (-,-)
A few notes ….
William Bliss also won a further guinea as ‘W.B.’; Seacape won a further two guineas as ‘Black Gnat’ – on Dec 31, and perhaps an attempt to start a new year under a new name, but one which misfired.
W.G. – who may be W.Gladden – only really does so well because he is handed a four-guinea prize by Humbert Wolfe (who implies he wasn’t worth it!)
It is probable that some people are entering under more than one name and/or pseudonym. This becomes a pattern once the competitions are established in New Statesman.
Of the five signatories of the letter in the first edition of The Week-end Review, who declare themselves Saturday Review entrants ready for more, four are in this honours board (the fifth has never featured, at least not under his own name, in any competition) – Seacape, Valimus, Non Omnia and Lester Ralph.
No sign at all of two of the top ten from 1931 – Belinda and Heber. Just behind those named above are Pibwob (7= in 1931, and 2nd in 1930), Issachar, Guy Innes, Prudence, L.V.Upward, Olric and George van Raalte (the last three also featuring on the honours board the previous year).
New Statesman Competitions and New Statesman satirical poems: a history 