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Biographical note on Jeffery Farnol
John Jeffery Farnol was born at Edgbaston, Birmingham, England in 1878, the eldest son of Henry John and Katherine Farnol.
The family moved to London in 1888. A somewhat mercurial character he was unapproachable before breakfast and was at his best at night. He was educated privately, excelled at Latin and History and started writing as early as 1895. He was urged by his father to get a 'proper job' rather than spend his time writing and in a fit of pique left home to stay with an aunt.
He did take up the job proposed by his father, however, but soon lost it for reasons which differ depending on the source. He then went to art college for a time, eventually returning home having married Blanche, an American, and they lived in the attic of his parents home.
In 1902 Blanche's father paid for them both to go to America. He did not get on with his father-in-law, left the family home and found work in New York as a scene painter in a theatre. He wrote several short stories which were published and then spent two years writing 'The Broad Highway' but was unable to find a publisher in USA. He sent it to his mother who, with Edward his brother, approached Sampson Low in London who agreed to publish it and Jeffery Farnol returned to England in 1910.
Because of his short-sightedness he did not take part in WW1 but was used by Military Intelligence as a travelling correspondent to various fronts at home and abroad, writing some rousing articles some of which were published as 'Some War Impressions'. After the war he settled with his wife in Brighton but was a frequent visitor to Kent where many of his novels are set.
His brother Edward had the task of researching his earlier novels, looked after his contracts and arranged for a secretary. When this secretary died suddenly, however, and Farnol wanted to appoint someone that Edward did not trust they quarrelled and parted. Jeffery Farnol later discovered that his brother has been correct but it was not in his nature to admit it and they remained estranged.
In 1938 Jeffery and Blanche were divorced and he married his second wife Phyllis - an event which Edward ignored. Jeffery Farnol continued writing but without his brother doing the research many of his later books are a reworking of earlier material. He fell ill during writing 'The Waif of the River' and died in 1952 before finishing his last novel, 'Justice by Midnight', which was completed by his wife.
Many of the first editions of titles published between 1918 and 1946 are undated but most have dated advertisements bound into the back of the book. Our grateful thanks to the late Peter Skiggs who compiled a checklist for identifying first editions, where known, which is incorporated in the following bibliography.
First editions of the Farnol titles so marked have the title panel on the upper board in the format shown - most are in black but a few are in white.
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First edition has title panel in black on upper
board shown in bibliog as: |
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NB Cloth colour varies |
Bibliography of the UK works of Jefery Farnol in Date order
Original works
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Rejecting Philomena |
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The Oubliette |
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How I Began |
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The Honourable Mr. Tawnish |
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Some War Impressions |
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Voices from the Dust |
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Portrait of a Gentleman |
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A Book for Jane |
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Hove |
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A New Book for Jane |
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Associated works
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Gods of Modern Grub Street by A. St. John
Adcock |
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Jeffery Farnol by Edward Farnol |
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More Memories of My Brother Jack by Edward
Farnol |
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The Saturday Book - No. 34 |
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Jeffery Farnol - A Biographical Sketch by
Harold Armitage |
End of List