LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL Organist of Saint Paul’s church
CHAPTER 14: RIZAL IN LONDON Mrs. Beckett
the wife of Mr. Beckett
After visiting the United States, Rizal lived in London
from May 1888 to March 1889. Mr. Beckett and Ms. Beckett has 2 sons
He choose the English City to be his new home for 3 Rizal came to know Dr. Reinhold Frost
reasons: 1. He called “Rizal “A Pearl of Man”.
1. To improve my knowledge of the English Language 2. I was impressed by Rizal’s teaming and character and
2. To study and annotate Morga’s Sucesos de Las Islas he gladly recommended Rizal to the authorities of the
Filipinas by Antonio de Morga British Museum.
3. London was safe place for me to carry on my fight _____________________________________________
against Spanish Tyranny.
BAD NEWS: NEWS FROM HOME
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TRIP ACROSS THE ATLANTIC 1. Persecution of the Filipino patriots who signed the
“Anti-friar Petition 1888”.
Rizal was on board the “SS City of Rome”
2. Persecution of the Calamba tenants
While on the board, Rizal entertained the American and 3. Furious attacks on Rizal by Senators Salamanca
European passengers with his marvelous skill on the and Vida in the Spanish Cortes and Wenceslao
YOYO as a defensive weapon. Retana and Pablo Feced in Spanish newspapers.
Rizal arrived at Liverpool, England on May 24, 1888. 4. A friend of Rizal, Laureano Viado, a medical
He spent his night at Adelphi Hotel. student at the University of Santo Tomas, was
arrested and Jailed in Bilibid prison because of the
Rizal wrote to his family: copies of Noli that were found in his house.
“Liverpool is a big and beautiful city and its celebrated
5. Rizal’s brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo, husband
port is worthy of its great fame. The entrance is
of Saturnina was exiled by Governor General Weyler
magnificent and customhouse is quite good”. to Bohol without due process of law.
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LIFE IN LONDON GOOD NEWS: NEWS FROM HOME
May 25,1888 – Rizal Went to London 1. Rev. Vicente Garcia’s defense of the Noli against the
He stayed as a guest at the home of attacks of the friars.
Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor
2. Rizal heard this good news from Mariano Ponce.
By the end of May, he found a modest boarding place at
January 7, 1891- He wrote to Father Garcia, expressing
No. 37 Chalcot, Crescent, Primrose Hill
his personal thanks
Rizal was a boarder of the Beckett Family.
BECKETT FAMILY
Mr. Beckett
ANNOTATING MORGA’S BOOK RIZAL AND THE LA SOLIDARIDAD NEWSPAPER
The greatest achievement of Rizal on London was the February 15, 1889- Graciano Lopez Jaena founded the
annotating of Morga’s book, Sucessos de Las Isla patriotic newspaper called La Solidaridad in Barcelona,
Filipinas which was published in Mexico, 1609. Spain.
Rizal spent many days in the reading room of the British
LA SOLIDARIDAD AIMS:
Museum poring over the pages of this book and
laboriously reading the old histories of the Philippines. 1. To work peacefully for political and social reforms.
2. To portray the deplorable conditions of the
Philippines so that the Spain may remedy them.
SHORT VISIT TO PARIS AND SPAIN
3. To oppose the evil forces of reaction and
September 1888- Rizal visited Paris for a week in order
medievalism.
to search for more historical materials Bibliotheque
Nationale 4. To advocate liberal ideas and progress.
December 11, 1888- Rizal went to Madrid and 5. To champion the legitimate aspirations of the Filipino
Barcelona, Spain. For the first time, Rizal met Marcelo people to life, democracy and happiness.
del Pilar and Mariano Ponce
Two titans of Propaganda movement:
1. Marcelo H. Del Pilar RIZAL’S FIRST ARTICLE IN LA SOLIDARIDAD
2. Mariano Ponce Rizal’s first article in La Solidaridad was entitled
Los Agricultores Filipinos (The Filipino Farmers).
CHRISTMAS IN LONDON (1888) It was published on March 25, 1889, six days after he
left London for Paris.
1. Rizal returned to London on December 24 and spent
Christmas and New Year’s days with the Becketts.
2. To his friend, Bluemetritt, Rizal sent as Christmas gift WRITING’S IN LONDON
a bust of Emperor Augustus which he had made. Rizal received news on Fray Rodriguez’ unabated attack
2. To another friend, Dr. Carlos Czepelak, Rizal gave as on his Noli.
Christmas gift a bust of Julius Cesar. In defense he wrote a pamphlet entitled La Vision del
Fray Rodriguez (The Vision of Fray Rodriguez) which
was published in Barcelona under his pen name Dimas
Rizal’s landlady, Mrs. Beckett, knowing of his interest in Alang.
magic, gave him as Christmas gift a book entitled The
Life and Adventures of Valentine Vox, the Ventriloquist. In La Vision del Fray Rodriguez. I demonstrated two
things:
1. my profound knowledge of religion
Rizal becomes leader of Filipinos in Europe 2. my biting satire.
By unanimous vote of all the members, Rizal was
chosen honorary president of society called Asociacion
La Solidaridad (Solidaridad Association)
This was a recognition of his leadership among all
Filipino patriots in Europe.
In London, Rizal wrote the famous “Letter to the Young Rizal suppressed the passionate yearning of his heart,
Women of Malolos” in Tagalog. and decided to go away so that Gettie may not forget
him.
He penned it, upon the request of Marcelo del Pilar to
praise the young ladies of Malolos for their courage to Before leaving London, Rizal finished four sculptural
establish a school where they could learn Spanish, works:
despite opposition of Father Felipe Garcia, Spanish 1. Prometheus Bond
parish priest of Malolos.
2. The Triumph of Death over Life
Dr. Frost, editor of Trubner’s Record, a journal devoted 3. A composite carving of The heads of the Beckett
to Asian studies, requested Rizal to contribute some sisters (gave as farewell gift to the Beckett sisters)
articles.
4. The Triumph of Science over Death
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Dr. Reinhold Frost In response to his request, Rizal
prepared two articles which were published in June ADIOS, LONDON
1889.
1. Specimen of Tagal Folklore
March 19, 1889- He bade goodbye to the kind Beckett
2. Two Eastern Fables
family and left London for Paris. He was sad as he
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crossed the English Channel, for he cherished so many
beautiful memories of London.
ROMANCE WITH GERTRUDE BECKETT
Rizal had a romantic interlude with the oldest of the
three Beckett sisters – Gertrude (Gettie).
Gettie , as she was affectionately called, was a buxom
English girl with brown hair, blue eyes, and rosy cheeks.
“I fell in love with Rizal. On cold winter mornings I had a
sunny smile for him, chattering gaily like a humming
bird. During the family picnics, I was particularly very
happy because Rizal was with them and I gave him all
my attention. And in rainy days when Rizal stayed at
home, I helped him by mixing his colors for painting or
assisted in preparing the clay for sculpturing”.
Their friendship drifted towards romance. Rizal
affectionately called her “Gettie” and she fondly called
him “Pettie”.
As their flirtation was fast approaching the point of no
return. Rizal suddenly realized that he could not marry
Gettie for he had a mission to fulfill in life.
