Betjeman
(ˈbɛtʃəmən)
The surname of John Betjeman (1906–1984), English author and poet, applied attrib. to a style of Victorian architecture that he is known to admire. Hence ˈBetjemanic, ˌBetjemaˈnesque, ˈBetjemanish, adjs., of or pertaining to Betjeman; resembling the style admired by Betjeman; ˈBetjemanite, a supporter of Betjeman or his views.
| 1956 L. E. Jones Edwardian Youth viii. 182 We emerged from those grim Betjemanic halls. 1958 Observer 14 Dec. 9/2 Betjeman belongs to that eccentric group of people..whose names have become adjectives. Betjeman country, Betjeman houses, and Betjeman streets seem to have changed from gloomy Victoriana into charming antiquities since he started writing about them. 1959 M. Bradbury Eating People is Wrong i. 22 He found himself getting more and more a Betjemanesque frisson from Victoriana. 1959 Spectator 20 Feb. 258/3 The Beauregard Hotel..is a frowsty, tragi-comic, Betjemanish place with permanent ‘residents’, stained-glass lozenge windows, and the aspidistras and gentility and ghastliness no more exaggerated than you find them in such places. 1959 Listener 11 June 1031/2 The neo-Victorian Age is upon us. The Law Courts have become a shrine for the Betjemanites. 1963 Punch 9 Oct. 527/2 A Betjemanesque society dedicated to the preservation of fairground lettering. |