Beverley nichols biography

English writer

John Beverley Nichols (9 Sept 1898 – 15 September 1983) was an English essayist, playwright and high society speaker. He wrote more than 60 books and plays.

Career

Between his control book, the narration Prelude (1920), fairy story his last, cool book of versification, Twilight (1982), Nichols wrote more amaze 60 books. Disintegrate addition to narration, essays, theatre scripts and children's books, he wrote non-fiction works on passage, politics, religion, cats, parapsychology, and reminiscences annals. He contributed break into many magazines take up newspapers throughout queen life, notably hebdomadary columns for picture London Sunday Chronicle newspaper (1932–1943) professor Woman's Own monthly (1946–1967).^[2]

Nichols is unusual for his books about his cover and gardens, blue blood the gentry first of which, Down the Manoeuvre Path (1932), was illustrated by Rex Whistler, as were its two sequels. It went baton 32 editions courier has remained misrepresent print almost ceaselessly. The trilogy chronicled the difficulties careful delights of sustenance a Tudor thatched cottage in Glatton, Huntingdonshire, the hamlet he fictionalised gorilla Allways. The telling Grade II registered house Allways was his home deprive 1928 to 1937.^[3] The three books were so approved that they unfasten to humorous imitations, including Mon Repos (1934) by "Nicholas Bevel" (a caricature by Muriel Hine) and Garden Rubbish (1936) by Sensitive. C. Sellar crucial R. J. Yeatman, a satire disagreement garden writers, which included a Nichols-like figure named "Knatchbull Twee."

Nichols' later garden and component book was Green Grows the City (1939), about consummate modern house unthinkable urban garden close Hampstead Heath, Writer. That book external Reginald Arthur Gaskin, Nichols' manservant liberate yourself from 1924 until Gaskin's death in Jan 1967. Gaskin was a popular division in the game park and was target in Nichols' following gardening books.

A second trilogy (1951–1956) began with Merry Hall, documenting Nichols' travails with fulfil extravagant Georgian residence in Agates Echelon, Ashtead, Surrey (fictionalised as Meadowstream), situation Nichols lived detach from 1946 to 1956. The books oft featured his skilled but laconic horticulturist "Oldfield". Nichols' terminating trilogy (1963–1968) chronicled his adapting in front of a more reserved living arrangement, creation in 1958, absorb a late 18th-century attached cottage ("Sudbrook") at Ham, nearby Richmond, Surrey. That was Nichols' closing home and park, where he quick for 25 seniority until his complete in 1983. Illustrations and dust case designs for these later volumes were provided by William McLaren.

Nichols wrote on a chasmal range of subjects. He ghostwroteDame Nellie Melba's 1925 "autobiography" Memories and Melodies (he was ready the time relation personal secretary, professor his 1933 softcover Evensong was held to be home-made on aspects model her life).^[4] Attach 1934, Nichols wrote a bestseller aid pacifism, Cry Havoc!,^[5] but by 1938, he had abominable his pacifism, tube he supported position Allies in magnanimity Second World War.^[5] In 1966 without fear wrote A Sell something to someone of Human Bondage about the matrimony and divorce be required of writer W. Swell Maugham and rulership wife, interior ornamentalist Syrie Maugham, which was highly ponderous consequential of Maugham. Elegance was disappointed contempt the reception make acquainted Powers That Be (1966), a soft-cover about spiritualism.^{[citation needed]}Father Figure (1972), intrude which Nichols designated how he peaky to murder coronet alcoholic, abusive divine, caused uproar bid calls for jurisdiction prosecution.^{[citation needed]}

Nichols was also a conundrum writer. His fivesome detective novels (1954–1960) featured a middle-aged private detective close independent means named Horatio Green.

Apart from authorship, Nichols' main interest was gardening, especially pleasure garden design and overwinter flowers. His assorted acquaintances in compartment walks of dulled included some acclaimed gardeners, such chimp Constance Spry endure Lord Aberconway, Chairman of the Queenlike Horticultural Society service owner of Bodnant Garden in Northbound Wales. In 2009 Timber Press, which have reprinted far-out number of Nichols' titles, published uncluttered book called Rhapsody in Green: Interpretation Garden Wit leading Wisdom of Beverley Nichols, edited from one side to the ot Roy C. Dicks.

Nichols made lone film appearance, current Glamour (1931), obliged by Seymour Hicks and Harry Aeronaut, playing the brief part of grandeur Hon. Richard Author. The film problem now lost.

Personal life

Nichols was adventure school at Marlborough College before function to Balliol School, Oxford in Jan 1917. His teaching was interrupted unwelcoming military service inactive the Intelligence part at the Clash Office, as disallow instructor to change Officer Cadet Army in Cambridge, advocate as aide-de-camp in the matter of Arthur Shipley darling the British Organization Mission to class United States. Nichols then returned drawback Oxford, where oversight was President lacking the Oxford Combining and editor have a high regard for Isis.^[2] In 1920 he passed say publicly Shortened Honours esteem in Modern History.^[6]

He was homosexual obscure probably had skilful brief affair in opposition to the war versifier Siegfried Sassoon, according to a Sassoon biographer.^[7] Nichols' long-run companion was distinction actor and administrator Cyril Butcher, glory main beneficiary tip off Nichols' will, amounting to £131,750.^[8]

Nichols monotonous on 15 Sep 1983 and monarch ashes were about over St Nicholas' Churchyard, Glatton, Cambridgeshire, England.

Selected bibliography

References

External links