|
|
|
Biographical and Bibliographical note on Howard
Spring
See
latest website
|
|
|
|
Howard Spring
|
|
|
|
Robert Howard Spring was
born in Cardiff, South Wales in
1889. His father, an itinerant gardener
from Co. Cork, and his mother lived
in poverty with their nine children
in a small 2 bedroomed house.
His father died while he was
still at school. His mother would
go out scrubbing other peoples doorsteps
and taking in their washing to earn
some money while he and some of
the other children took to selling
firewood and rhubarb. He also found
a Saturday job for 16 hours a day
at a greengrocer. When was 12 years
old he left school and started work
as an errand boy at a butcher's
shop which he hated.
His next job was as office boy
with an accountant four miles from
home in Cardiff Docks, a journey
he walked each day. He was there
for a year and learned how to use
a typewriter. He then found a post
at the South Wales Daily News as
a messenger boy and here he taught
himself shorthand and attended night
school to improve his education.
He grasped the opportunities
for advancement within the newspaper
and was soon taking copy from the
various reporters before being invited
to join the reporting staff himself.
After failing to have his first
novel accepted he tried his hand
at short stories and with his first
earnings bought himself an overcoat.
After nine years with this newspaper
he transferred to the Yorkshire
Observer in Bradford, adding book
reviewing to his talents. In early
1915 he obtained a reporter's job
at the Manchester Guardian where
he was to work for 15 years. He
was unfit for active service during
WW1 but joined the Army Service
Corps and held every rank up to
and including that of Warrant Officer,
mainly attached to the Intelligence
Department. His one surviving brother
was killed at Arras.
In 1919 he met his future wife
Marion and they married in March,
1920. He spent some time in Ireland
reporting on the troubles between
Great Britain and Sinn Fein and
was present* at the fall of the
Four Courts and the bombardment
of the rebel headquarters in Sackville
Street.
* Source: Biographical
note by publisher on dustjacket
of first edition of 'Shabby Tiger'
Marion introduced him to Cornwall
where she had spent her childhood
holidays, a county which was to
figure largely in his novels and
to which they would eventually move.
By 1931 his work had been noticed
nationally and he was invited to
work for the Evening Standard in
London and became their book reviewer,
succeeding J. B. Priestley and Arnold
Bennett. His only published book
at this stage, Darkie and Co., had
been written for his children and
he had sold all rights in it for
£50.00.
Reviewing new books gave him
confidence to try writing a novel
again and his first, Shabby Tiger
(1934), was accepted by the publisher
Collins. Its moderate success was
enough to encourage the sequel,
Rachel Rosing (1935).
His major success came with O
Absalom! (1938), his first novel
set in Cornwall. Renamed My Son,
My Son! for the American market
this title was later adopted for
the UK reprints. This andhis next
novel, Fame is the Spur (1940),
received critical acclaim and film
rights to both were sold, putting
Spring on a sound financial footing.
After the publication of O Absalom!
he was able to give up journalism
and he and his wife moved to Mylor
in Cornwall.
In August 1941 he received a
strange request to leave England
for three weeks to an undisclosed
destination. He agreed and it turned
out that he was to accompany the
entourage of Winston Churchill,
with H. V. Morton, on the battleship
Prince of Wales to Newfoundland
for the meeting with President Roosevelt.
He covered the incident in his second
volume of autobiography 'In the
Meantime' (1942) and there is a
fuller account in H. V. Morton's
'Atlantic Meeting' (1943).
Hard Facts (1944) and Dunkerleys
(1946) followed and in 1947 they
moved from Mylor to Falmouth. Novels
continued to appear at regular intervals
and he was reviewing books for Country
Life when in the early 1960's he
had a minor stroke and lost the
use of his right hand. He recovered
enough to write his last novel,
Winds of the Day (1964) but had
a further stroke and died 3rd May,
1965.
|
|
List of the UK works of Howard Spring in date order
Original works
Darkie and Co.
First issue date: 1932
Genre/Series: Children's Book
Publisher: Oxford University Press, London
Synopsis: The adventures of 'Darkie', an eleven-year-old really called John and his dog Bingo, who run away from home and meet some extraordinary people,
Notes: The author's first published book
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
1969 Oxford University Press reprint |
Shabby Tiger
First issue date: 1934
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: Set in Manchester, follows the lives of some of the inhabitants including artist, Nick Faunt, the beautiful but amoral Anna Fitzgerald and ambitious Rachel Rosing who features in his second novel of that name.
Notes: The author's first adult novel
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
1950 Collins reprint |
Rachel Rosing
First issue date: 1935
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: Beautiful and calculating, the heartless social climber Rachel Rosing's story of her marriage, career as an actress and near fame until a final disaster.
Notes: Sequel to Shabby Tiger
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
1943 Collins reprint |
Sampson's Circus
First issue date: 1936
Genre/Series: Children's Book
Publisher: Faber and Faber, London
Synopsis:
Notes: Illustrated by Stephen Spurrier
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
1964 Faber and Faber edition |
Book Parade
First issue date: 1938
Genre/Series: Criticism
Publisher: Constable, London
Synopsis:
Notes: Book reviews
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Viking, New York, 1939 |
|
O Absalom! (later My Son, My Son!)
First issue date: 1938
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: The story of William Essex, author and playwright and his friend, Dermot O'Riorden, an 'arts and crafts' interior decorator and their respective sons Oliver and Rory, from lowly roots in 19thC Mancester to public acclaim in London and holidays in Cornwall, their lives, loves, successes and failures.
Notes: The first US edition was named My Son, My Son! as another book 'Absalom, Absalom' had just been published. The US title was later adopted for UK reprints, filmed in 1940.
US Title (If different): My Son, My Son!
US Publisher: Viking, 1938 |
1939 Collins reprint |
Heaven Lies about Us
First issue date: 1939
Genre/Series: Autobiography
Publisher: Constable, London
Synopsis:
Notes: First volume of autobiography covering childhood years, 6 line drawings by Gill-Lancaster on pale blue leaves tipped in, later reprinted in sl. smaller format to match 'In the Meantime' and 'And Another Thing'.
A larger format edition was published by Collins in 1956, illustrated by Lynton Lamb.
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Viking, New York, 1939 |
1939 1st UK edition |
Tumbledown Dick: All People and No Plot
First issue date: 1939
Genre/Series: Children's Book
Publisher: Faber and Faber, London
Synopsis:
Notes: Illustrated by Stephen Spurrier
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Viking, New York, 1940 |
|
All They Like Sheep
First issue date: 1940
Genre/Series: Criticism
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis:
Notes: Anti-Nazi propaganda, 30pp card covers,
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
|
Fame is the Spur
First issue date: 1940
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: The story of Hamer Shawcross, his youth as a poor Manchester boy and his political rise to Cabinet Minister during the first half of the 20th century, includes the birth of the Labour Party and the Suffragette movement.
Notes: Filmed in 1947 with Nigel Balchin writing the script.
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Viking, New York, 1940 |
1944 Collins reprint |
In the Meantime: Reminiscences
First issue date: 1942
Genre/Series: Autobiography
Publisher: Constable, London
Synopsis:
Notes: Second volume of autobiography covering early maturity, pictorial endpapers by L. S. Lowry,
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
1942 1st UK edition |
Hard Facts
First issue date: 1944
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: The story of Daniel Dunkerley, printer and entrepreneur and Alec Dillworth, would-be poet, his sister Elsie, their respective families and Theodore Crystal, curate, set in Manchester from 1885.
Notes:
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Viking, New York, 1944 |
1944 1st UK edition |
And Another Thing
First issue date: 1946
Genre/Series: Autobiography
Publisher: Constable, London
Synopsis:
Notes: Third volume of autobiography expanding on the earlier autobiographies and adding accounts of more recent times,
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Harper and Bros., New York, 1945 |
1946 1st UK edition |
Dunkerleys
First issue date: 1946
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: Sir Daniel Dunkerley, now of Manchester Square, London, his son Laurie, Alec Dillworth and his sister Elsie, and the Rev. Crystal, with a new generation of characters.
Notes: Continuing the story started in 'Hard Facts' (1944)
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Harper and Bros., New York, 1947 |
1946 1st UK edition |
The Houses In Between
First issue date: 1948
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: A family saga of Sarah Rainborough, from the opening of the Crystal Palace in 1851, to WW2, in London and Cornwall,
Notes:
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Harper and Bros., New York, 1951 |
1948 1st UK edition |
There is No Armour
First issue date: 1948
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: Family saga of Edward Pentcost RA, from 1899 Manchester to Cornwall and London, 1946. A successful artist looks back on his life and family.
Notes:
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Harper and Bros., New York, 1948 |
1948 1st UK edition |
Christians Awake
First issue date: 1949
Genre/Series: Short Story
Publisher: St. Hughs Press, London
Synopsis:
Notes: No date in first edition, consists of Chapter 12 of Tumbledown Dick
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
|
Christmas Honeymoon
First issue date: 1949
Genre/Series: Short Stories
Publisher: St. Hughs Press, London
Synopsis:
Notes: First separate publication, no date in first edition
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
|
Jinny Morgan
First issue date: 1952
Genre/Series: Drama
Publisher: Evans Brothers, London
Synopsis:
Notes: Acting edition
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
|
A Sunset Touch
First issue date: 1953
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: Set during and after WW2, Mr. Menheniot believes himself the last descendant of a old Cornish family. His dream is to regain Rosemullion, a formidable country house in Cornwall which the family lost in the eighteenth century, and he is suddenly in a position to purchase it.
Notes:
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Harper and Bros., New York, 1953 |
1953 1st UK edition |
Three Plays
First issue date: 1953
Genre/Series: Drama
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis:
Notes: Contains the plays Jinny Morgan, The Gentle Assassin, St. George at the Dragon
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
1953 1st UK edition |
These Lovers Fled Away
First issue date: 1955
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: A family saga, the story of writer Chad Boothroyd starts in Cornwall at the end of 19th C and ends in the Home Counties at the end of WW2,
Notes:
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Harper and Bros., New York, 1955 |
1955 1st UK edition |
Time and the Hour
First issue date: 1957
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: A saga starting from Bradford of 1912 to the Yorkshire Dales and London, a story of young people growing up between the two World Wars,
Notes: Includes some of the characters introduced in 'Hard Facts' and continued in 'Dunkerleys
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Harper and Bros., New York, 1957 |
1957 1st UK edition |
All the Day Long
First issue date: 1959
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: Story of Maria Legassick, born 1876, youngest daughter of a Cornish vicar, her two sisters, Louisa and Bella and her brother Roger, set to start with in Cornwall where it also finishes,
Notes:
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Harper and Bros., New York, 1959 |
1959 1st UK edition |
I Met a Lady
First issue date: 1961
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: A family saga of George Ledra from his childhood in Manchester, 1901 to Cornwall and London just after WW2, and his friendship with the Chown family and Robert Meagher who eventually became Lord Meagher,
Notes:
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Harper and Bros., New York, 1961 |
1961 1st UK edition |
Winds of the Day
First issue date: 1964
Genre/Series: Novel
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis: The life story of Alice Openshaw who was born at the end of Victoria's reign, orphaned when she was twelve, in domestic service in Manchester and then Cardiff and her struggle to get on in life,
Notes:
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: Harper and Row, New York, 1964 |
1964 1st UK edition |
The Autobiography of Howard Spring
First issue date: 1972
Genre/Series: Autobiography
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis:
Notes: Collected edition of previous volumes of autobiography with a foreword by A. L. Rowse,
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
1972 1st UK edition |
Eleven Stories and a Beginning
First issue date: 1973
Genre/Series: Short Stories
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis:
Notes:
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
|
Associated works
Christmas Honeymoon (in The Queens Book of the Red Cross)
First issue date: 1939
Genre/Series: Short story
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton, London
Synopsis:
Notes: This book was a fund raising volume for nursing charities published shortly after the outbreak of WW2, of stories and illustrations by many popular authors and artists of the day and includes this short story
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
1939 1st (and only) edition |
Memories and Gardens by Marion Howard Spring
First issue date: 1964
Genre/Series: Autobiography and gardening
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis:
Notes: By Howard Spring's wife, an account of her interest in gardening as well as memories of their shared interests
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
1964 1st UK edition |
Howard by Marion Howard Spring
First issue date: 1967
Genre/Series: Biography
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis:
Notes: An affectionate memoir using much material from his own autobiographies but also adding her own personal memories
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
1967 1st UK edition |
Frontispiece by Marion Howard Spring
First issue date: 1969
Genre/Series: Autobiography
Publisher: Collins, London
Synopsis:
Notes: Marion Howard Spring's autobiography of the years before she met her future husband, Howard Spring
US Title (If different):
US Publisher: |
|
|
|
End of list:
|
|
