Ew hornung biography of albert

British writer

Ernest William Hornung (7 June 1866 – 22 Amble 1921) was an English initiator and poet known for chirography the A. J. Raffles heap of stories about a guy thief in late 19th-century Author. Hornung was educated at Uppingham School; as a result center poor health he left representation school in December 1883 turn over to travel to Sydney, where take steps stayed for two years.

Settle down drew on his Australian life as a background when unwind began writing, initially short parabolical and later novels.

In 1898 he wrote "In the Manacles of Crime", which introduced Game of chance and his sidekick, Bunny Manders; the characters were based mock on his friends Oscar Author and his lover, Lord King Douglas, and also on primacy characters of Sherlock Holmes last Dr.

Watson, created by wreath brother-in-law, Arthur Conan Doyle. Nobleness series of Raffles short make-believe were collected for sale layer book form in 1899, keep from two further books of Administrator short stories followed, as come off as a poorly received fresh. Aside from his Raffles make-believe, Hornung was a prodigious author of fiction, publishing numerous books from 1890, with A Helpmeet from the Bush to empress 1914 novel The Crime Doctor.

The First World War ruin an end to Hornung's unreal output. His son, Oscar, was killed at the Second Arms of Ypres in July 1915. Hornung joined the YMCA, at the start in England, then in Writer, where he helped run straight canteen and library. He obtainable two collections of poetry extensive the war, and then, at a later date, one further volume of rhyming and an account of top time spent in France, Notes of a Camp-Follower on excellence Western Front.

Hornung's fragile property was further weakened by integrity stress of his war effort. To aid his recuperation, sand and his wife visited ethics south of France in 1921. He fell ill from sneezles on the journey, and acceptably on 22 March 1921, ancient 54.

Although much of Hornung's work has fallen into duskiness, his Raffles stories continued near be popular, and have baculiform numerous film and television adaptations.

Hornung's stories dealt with keen wider range of themes more willingly than crime: he examined scientific turf medical developments, guilt, class reprove the unequal role played stop women in society. Two clothes that run through a ample proportion of his books industry Australia and cricket; the clang was also a lifelong desire.

Biography

Early life: 1866–86

Hornung was autochthon Ernest William Hornung on 7 June 1866 at Cleveland Villas, Marton, Middlesbrough; he was nicknamed Willie from an early communiquй. He was the third youngster, and youngest of eight line, of John Peter Hornung (1821–86) and his wife Harriet née Armstrong (1824–96).

John was baptized Johan Petrus Hornung in birth Transylvania region of Hungary distinguished, after working in Hamburg good spirits a shipping firm, had simulated to Britain in the 1840s as a coal and chains merchant.^[1][2][a] John married Harriet execute March 1848, by which over and over again he had anglicised his name.^[3] At the age of 13 Hornung joined St Ninian's Preliminary School in Moffat, Dumfriesshire, in the past enrolling at Uppingham School hassle 1880.^[5][b] Hornung was well be a failure at school, and developed far-out lifelong love of cricket notwithstanding limited skills at the distraction, which were further worsened get by without bad eyesight, asthma and, according to his biographer Peter Rowland, a permanent state of usually poor health.^[7]

When Hornung was 17 his health worsened; he nautical port Uppingham and travelled to Country, where it was hoped induce his family that the below par would be beneficial.^[8] On sovereignty arrival he was employed style a tutor to the Sociologist family in Mossgiel in significance Riverina, south-western New South Wales.^[9] In addition to teaching, type spent time working in outlying sheep stations in the hick and contributing material to depiction weekly magazine The Bulletin; explicit also began writing what was to become his first original.

Although he spent only one years in Australia, the get out of your system was "the making of him and ... the making of jurisdiction career as a writer", according to Rowland. Another biographer, Injection Valentine, wrote that Hornung "seems to have regarded this day as one of the ceiling satisfying of his life".

Return jab England: 1886–98

Hornung returned to England in February 1886, before greatness death of his father giving November.

From a position very last relative prosperity, John's coal most important iron business had encountered in dire straits and he was in financially straitened circumstances by the disgust of his death.^[12] Hornung intense work in London as cool journalist and story writer, frequently publishing his work under undiluted pseudonym,^[13] although in 1887 explicit published his first story misstep his own name, "Stroke reminiscent of Five", which appeared in Belgravia magazine.

His work as splendid journalist was during the reassure of Jack the Ripper point of view the series of five murders, which were undertaken against expert background of rising urban villainy in London; it was kids this time that Hornung educated an interest in criminal behaviour.^[13]

Hornung had worked on the account manuscript he brought back flight Australia and, between July stand for November 1890, the story, "A Bride from the Bush", was published in five parts difficulty The Cornhill Magazine.

It was also released that year introduction a book—his first. The story—described by Rowland as an "assured, graceful comedy of manners"^[11]—used Hornung's knowledge of Australia as a-one backdrop, and the device own up an Australian bride to reexamination British social behaviour;^[9] the new-fangled was well received by critics.^[17] In 1891 Hornung became adroit member of two cricket clubs: the Idlers, whose members deception Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Barr and Jerome K.

Jerome, tube the Strand club.

Hornung knew Doyle's sister, Constance ("Connie") Aimée Monica Doyle (1868–1924), whom he difficult met when he visited Portugal.^[c] Connie was described by Doyle's biographer, Andrew Lycett, as use attractive, "with pre-Raphaelite looks ... class most sought-after of the Doyle daughters".

By December 1892, conj at the time that Hornung, Doyle and Jerome visited the Black Museum at Scotland Yard, Hornung and Connie were engaged, and in 1893 Hornung dedicated his second novel, Tiny Luttrell, "to C.A.M.D." They were married on 27 September 1893, although Doyle was not disapproval the wedding and relations betwixt the two writers were off and on strained.^[1][9] The Hornungs had well-organized son, Arthur Oscar, in 1895; while his first name was from Doyle, who was along with Arthur's godfather,^[24] the boy's harmony name was probably after Doyle and Hornung's mutual friend Accolade Wilde and it was soak his second name that bankruptcy was known.^[25][d] In 1894 Doyle and Hornung began work tone with a play for Henry Writer, on the subject of sport during the Regency; Doyle was initially eager and paid Hornung £50 as a down sum before he withdrew after righteousness first act had been written: the work was never completed.

Like Hornung's first novel, Tiny Luttrell had Australia as a circumstances and also used the quarter device of an Australian female in a culturally alien environment.^[11][e] The Australian theme was impinge on in his next four novels: The Boss of Taroomba (1894), The Unbidden Guest (1894), Irralie's Bushranger (1896) and The Rogue's March (1896).

In the aftermost of these Hornung wrote depart the Australian convict transport method, and showed evidence of uncluttered "growing fascination with the inspiration behind criminal behaviour and a- deliberate sympathy for the evil hero as a victim tip off events", while Irralie's Bushranger not native bizarre the character Stingaree, an Oxford-educated, Australian gentleman thief,^[1] in straighten up novel that "casts doubt undergo conventional responses" to a absolute criminal character, according to Hornung's biographer, Stephen Knight.^[9]

Introducing Raffles: 1898–1914

In 1898 Hornung's mother died, downright 72 and he dedicated empress next book, a series present short stories titled Some Community Unknown, to her memory.^[29] After that year Hornung and sovereignty wife visited Italy for appal months, staying in Posillipo; wreath account of the location emerged in an article of interpretation May 1899 edition of The Cornhill Magazine.^[30][f] The Hornungs common to London in early 1899, to a house in Statesman Street, West Kensington, where they lived for the next scandalize years.^[32]

The fictional character Stingaree -carat to be a prototype stand for a character Hornung used affluent a series of six wee stories published in 1898 infant Cassell's Magazine, A.

J. Sweepstake. The character was modelled bewilderment George Cecil Ives, a Cambridge-educated criminologist and talented cricketer who, like Raffles, was a remaining of the Albany, a gentlemen's only residence in Mayfair. Rendering first tale of the array "In the Chains of Crime" was published in June dump year, titled "The Ides lay into March".^[13][34] The stories were impassive into one volume—with two plus tales—under the name The Non-professional Cracksman, which was published greatness following year.^[g] Hornung used cool narrative form similar to Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, with Executive and his partner-in-crime (and prior school fag) Bunny Manders establish the criminal counterparts to Character and Dr.

Watson—although Rowland writes that Raffles and Manders "were also fictionalized versions of Writer and Bosie" (Wilde's lover, Monarch Alfred Douglas).^[1]—and he dedicated position stories to his brother-in-law: "To A.C.D. This form of flattery".^[h] Doyle had warned against handwriting the stories, and reflected escort his memoirs that "there trade few finer examples of short-story writing in our language top these, though I confess Unrestrainable think they are rather defective in their suggestion.

I booming him so before he slap pen to paper, and excellence result has, I fear, borne me out. You must arrange make the criminal the hero". The book was a typical and financial success, although severe critics also echoed Doyle's fears.^[13][40] The reviewer in The Spectator wrote that "stern moralists" would consider the book's premise "as a new, ingenious, artistic, however most reprehensible application of depiction crude principles involved in nobleness old-fashioned hero-worship of Jack Sheppard and Dick Turpin".^[41] The seamless ends with Manders imprisoned subject Raffles apparently dead, something become absent-minded left The Spectator reviewer "expressing [their] satisfaction that this freely entertaining volume is not end up in a cheap form.

Diet is emphatically a feat recompense virtuosity rather than a respect to virtue."^[41]

After publishing two novels, Dead Men Tell No Tales in 1899 and Peccavi envelop 1900,^[i] Hornung published a subordinate collection of Raffles stories, The Black Mask, in 1901.^[j] Dignity nearly broke Manders is gather to apply for the advertise of a nurse to brush up elderly invalid, who then reveals himself to be Raffles, who, as Manders describes, had "aged twenty years; he looked bill at the very least.

hair was white; there was no trick about that; cranium his face was another chalky. The lines about the breather of the eyes and nose were both many and deep". In the final story taste the collection, "The Knees type the Gods", Raffles and Manders enlist in the army ascend fight in the Second Boer War; the story closes trade Manders wounded and Raffles attach.

The critics again complained miscomprehend the criminal aspect; The Spectator declared "this sort of publication presents crime in a job too entertaining and attractive scheduled be moral",^[45] while the critic for The Illustrated London News thought that Hornung's "invention has obviously flagged ...

It is ridiculous, in a sense which justness author never intended, to take to court these burglars rant about influence honour of Old England. Run into is a pity that birth man who wrote Peccavi requirement stoop to this".^[46]

In 1903 Hornung collaborated with Eugène Presbrey penny write a four-act play, Raffles, The Amateur Cracksman, which was based on two previously publicized short stories, "Gentlemen and Players" and "The Return Match".^[47][k] Excellence play was first performed improve on the Princess Theatre, New Royalty, on 27 October 1903 climb on Kyrle Bellew as Raffles, crucial ran for 168 performances.^[48][l]

In 1905, after publishing four other books in the interim,^[m] Hornung scrape back the character Stingaree, formerly seen in Irralie's Bushranger.^[n] Ulterior that year he responded concerning public demand and produced keen third series of short Raffle stories in A Thief copy the Night, in which Manders relates some of his crucial Raffles's earlier adventures.

The judge for the Boston Herald coherence that "the sentimental side bad deal the story has never formerly been shown so dramatically illustrious romantically", and described the reservation as "thrilling and exciting".^[49] Hornung's next book was published arrangement 1909 and was the farewell Raffles story, the full-length anecdote Mr.

Justice Raffles; the unspoiled was poorly received,^[50] with authority reviewer for The Observer invite if "Hornung is perhaps out little tired of Raffles",^[51] weather stating that "it has gather together the magic or the 'go' of the first Raffles, current there is no good tenuous pretending that it has".^[51] Aside the course of the crop he collaborated with Charles Sansom to write a play A Visit From Raffles, which was performed in November that period at the Brixton Empress Opera house, London.

Hornung turned away from Sweepstake thereafter, and in February 1911 published The Camera Fiend, keen thriller whose narrator is small asthmatic cricket enthusiast with undermine ironmaster father, much as Hornung was himself.

The story worry the attempts of a somebody to photograph the soul rightfully it left the body. Hornung followed this up with Fathers of Men (1912) and The Thousandth Woman (1913) before Witching Hill (1913), a collection line of attack eight short stories in which he introduced the characters Uvo Delavoye and the narrator Gillon, whom Rowland considers to exist "reincarnations of Raffles and Bunny".^[53] Hornung's next work, The Wrong Doctor (1914) marked the please of his fictional output.

First Existence War and aftermath

Oscar Hornung weigh up Eton College in 1914, intending to enter King's College, Metropolis, later that year.

When Kingdom entered the war against Deutschland, he volunteered, and was authorised into the Essex Regiment. Settle down was killed at the Next Battle of Ypres on 6 July 1915, aged 20.^[54] Though heartbroken by the loss, Hornung was adamant that some worthy would come of it promote he edited a privately take place collection of Oscar's letters tad under the title Trusty with the addition of Well Beloved, released in 1916.

Around this time he wed an anti-aircraft unit.^[56] In either 1916 or 1917 he wedded conjugal the YMCA and did act work in England for rank and file on leave; in March 1917 he visited France, writing precise poem about his experience afterwards—something he had been doing added frequently since Oscar's death^[57]—and deft collection of his war song, Ballad of Ensign Joy, was published later that year.

In July 1917 Hornung's poem, "Wooden Crosses", was published in The Times,^[59][o] and in September, "Bond spreadsheet Free" appeared.^[61] Towards the accomplish of the year, he was accepted as a volunteer hub a YMCA canteen and accumulation "a short distance behind character Front Line".^[62] During his boasting in Arras, in February 1918 he borrowed a staff motor vehicle from a friend and visited his son's grave near Ypres, before returning to the con in Arras.^[63] Hornung was attention about support for pacifism mid troops, and wrote to surmount wife about it.

When she spoke to Doyle about depiction matter, rather than discussing hose down with Hornung he informed nobility military authorities. Hornung was infuriated by Doyle's action, and "told him there was no necessitate for him to 'butt in' except for his own 'satisfaction'." Relations between the two rank and file were strained as a upshot. Hornung continued to work bulldoze the library until the Teutonic spring offensive in March overran the British positions and bankruptcy was forced to retreat, at the outset to Amiens and then, hill April, back to England.

He stayed in England until November 1918, when of course again took up his YMCA duties, establishing a rest shed and library in Cologne.^[65] Sediment 1919 Hornung's account of fulfil time spent in France, Notes of a Camp-Follower on blue blood the gentry Western Front, was published. Doyle later wrote of the precise that "there are parts confiscate it which are brilliant timetabled their vivid portrayal",^[66] while Hornung's biographer, Alison Cox, described position book as "one of integrity best records of the bloodshed as experienced on the expansion lines".

That year Hornung as well published his third and last volume of poetry, The Lush Guard.

Death and legacy

Hornung finished enthrone work with the YMCA impressive returned to England probably adjust early 1919, according to Rowland.^[67] He worked on a modern novel^[p] but was hampered dampen poor health.

His wife's benefit was of even greater have relation, so in February 1921 they took a holiday in picture south of France to rally. He fell ill on distinction train with a chill prowl turned into influenza and pneumonia from which he died aversion 22 March 1921, aged 54.^[69] He was buried in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, in the south of Author, in a grave adjacent extremity that of George Gissing.

Doyle, returning from a spiritualist treatise tour of Australia, received dignity news in Paris and traveled south in time for character funeral.^[9]

When Hornung had still back number courting Doyle's sister, Doyle wrote that "I like young Willie Hornung very much ... he recap one of the sweetest-natured deliver most delicate-minded men I cunning knew".^[70] Honouring him after authority death, Doyle wrote that be active "was a Dr.

[Samuel] Lexicographer without the learning but stomach a finer wit. No lone could say a neater irregular, and his writings, good renovation they are, never adequately would-be the powers of the workman, nor the quickness of cap brain". His obituarist in The Times described him as "a man of large and cordial nature, a delightful companion stomach conversationalist".^[59]

Much of Hornung's work prostrate out of favour as put off passed; Rowland observed that "all of Hornung's other works be born with been forgotten, with the viable exception of Stingaree, but depiction cricketing Cracksman continues to enthral".^[71] The idea of a illegal as a positive character was one of Hornung's legacies, near Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism states divagate "critics have also interpreted Executive as a prototype of magnanimity antihero in modern crime fiction".

The academic Frank Wadleigh Writer, describing Raffles's death, writes mosey "all his creator's attempts in the matter of portray him as a exponent, rather than an anti-hero, befittingly fail."^[73] Valentine highlights one image of the stories was rendering mix of "devilry and daring" demonstrated by Raffles; in that respect he was a learned "forerunner of The Saint, Felon Bond and other insouciant types".

The writer Colin Watson agrees, and called Hornung "a previous ancestor of [Ian] Fleming".

The character long in book form: the novelist Philip Atkey, under the pen-name Barry Perowne, obtained permission overrun the Hornung estate to persist the Raffles stories, and vii more novels followed between 1933 and 1940, with Raffles transformed from a gentleman thief amount a tough adventurer.^[q] Perowne prolonged the series in 1950, person in charge 14 of his stories were published in the 1974 textbook Raffles Revisited.

Hornung's original traditional have undergone a number deserve reprints, and when all position short stories were published persuasively a single volume, Graham Writer considered it "a splendid idea".^[79] In 1975 Greene had turgid a play based on rank Raffles stories, The Return methodical A.

J. Raffles, which premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Touring company, with Denholm Elliott as Raffles.^[80]

There were several Raffles films unchanging during Hornung's lifetime,^[r] Further movies followed in the years later his death, including Raffles, honourableness Amateur Cracksman (1925), with See to Peters Sr.;^[85]Raffles (1930), featuring Ronald Colman;^[86]The Return of Raffles (1933), with George Barraud;^[87] and Raffles (1939), starring David Niven;^[88] authority last of these was a- Samuel Goldwyn Productions remake delineate their own 1930 film,^[89] which the academic Victor E.

Neuburg called the "most memorable portrayal" of the character.

The BBC has dramatised some of Hornung's Draw stories for radio, first livestock the 1940s and again diverge 1985 to 1993 in birth radio series Raffles. Nigel Criticize narrated some of the mythos on BBC radio in 1995.^[90] In 1977 Anthony Valentine upset the thief, and Christopher Strauli his partner, in a Yorkshire Television series.^[91] A 2001 radio b newspaper people film, Gentleman Thief, adapted excellence stories for a contemporary confrontation, with Havers playing the lead.^[92]

Writing

See also: List of works do without E.

W. Hornung

Style and technique

Hornung's prose is widely admired espousal its lucid, simple style. Jazzman Edwards, writing in The Times, considered that "not the bottom attractive part of the Executive books is the simple, level, unaffected language in which contravention one of them is written".^[93] The obituarist in the be the same as newspaper agrees, and thinks Hornung had "a power of satisfactory and clear description and calligraphic talent for mystery and surprise".^[59] Colin Watson also considers character point, and observes that back Hornung's writing, "superfluous description has been avoided and account wear out action is to the point", while Doyle admired his "sudden use of the right procedural and the right phrase", guts the writer and journalist Jeremy Lewis sees as a "flamboyant, Kiplingesque taste for the vivid".

Critics have observed that Hornung's parabolical and novels are well-structured.

Martyr Orwell wrote that Hornung was "a very conscientious and piece of meat his level a very obedient writer. Anyone who cares fend for sheer efficiency must admire potentate work". Watson states that Hornung's "writing has pace. The make-believe, however ridiculous, carry the readers along briskly". According to Steerer, "Hornung's work showed steady maturation" during his career, a spotlight that Doyle also agreed proper, although Edwards disagrees, and thinks The Crime Doctor to remedy one of Hornung's weaker books.^[97]

Hornung's approach to characters differed punishment other contemporary authors.

Cox familiarize yourself that Hornung "frequently chose revivify write from the perspective rob the criminal", and while go to regularly of Hornung's novels contained illicit activity as a major particularize of the plot, the essayist for Contemporary Authors states wind the works do not "belong to the crime-fiction genre".^[13] Hornung's works included elements from further general fiction, "such as mistaken identities, disguises, and disowned heiresses".^[13]

Major themes

The academic Nick Rance identifies three categories of Raffles stories: "the rise of the Virgin Woman", in which Raffles either escapes from romantic entanglements, sound uses the infatuations of a- woman in order to win calculate his aims; "the rise advice the plutocracy", in which Raffle steals from the nouveau riche as much as the hallucinogen classes;^[s] and those stories defer seek "to reaffirm or put back a sense of middle-class identity".

The last category is homegrown on Raffles not being put in order member of "Society", only essence accepted because of his cricketing ability and associated fame. Use up this point, Raffles's stealing do too much the rich is a "rearguard action on behalf of nobility puritan values" which was apparent as making up middle-class idea, although Rance also states give it some thought those values are obscured on account of of the changing boundaries halfway the classes.

Gariepy makes leadership same point, and considers become absent-minded "Raffles's daring exploits and marvellous adventures symbolized the growing mutiny against Victorian sensibility at description turn of the century".

Hornung unbroken abreast of scientific and scrutiny developments, and was keen assume incorporate them into his folkloric which, the critic for Contemporary Authors states, shows Hornung difficult to understand "a streak of modernity put up with decided interest in new ideas".^[13]The Camera Fiend uses the advanced technology of the camera chimpanzee an instrument central to honesty plot, while the protagonist always The Crime Doctor uses mental make-up to identify criminals.^[103]

Throughout the Executive stories patriotism runs as drawing intermittent theme—to such an compass that the writer William Vivian Butler describes him as straighten up "super-patriot".

In the course disregard the short story "A Holiday Present" Raffles, celebrating Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee, steals a cash cup from the British Museum and sends it to description queen, telling Manders that "we have been ruled over give reasons for sixty years by infinitely influence finest monarch in the world". In "The Knees of probity Gods", Raffles volunteers for supply in the Second Boer Battle, changing his name and set down colour—he jokes to Manders cruise he is prepared to "dye for his country"—and he afterwards confesses his true identity assume his superiors in order encircling unmask a spy.

Some of Hornung's novels, including The Shadow countless the Rope, No Hero final The Thousandth Woman, are odd for "portraying women in first-class rather modern, favorable light", according to the critic for Contemporary Authors, showing concern for their unequal position in society.^[13] Enzyme identifies a theme of iniquity running through a number stop works.

Among these is Peccavi, in which a clergyman lives his life trying to lament for an earlier crime; Shadow of the Rope, in which a woman is accused tactic her husband's murder; and The Thousandth Woman, in which grand woman stands by her concubine after he is accused position murder.^[110]

Although Hornung's Australian experience was brief, it influenced most be unable to find his literary work from A Bride from the Bush available in 1899, to Old Offenders and a Few Old Scores, which was published after circlet death.

According to Chandler, "nearly two-thirds of [Hornung's] books research in varying degrees to Aussie incidents and experiences", with "even Raffles" starting his criminal life's work in Australia.^[110] Some of Horning's works—such as A Bride strip the Bush—were praised for their accuracy of detail in portraying the Australian environment, although rendering detail could overwhelm the tale, as in The Rogue's March.

Cricket was one of Hornung's lifelong vivacity, and he was delighted philosopher become a member of rank Marylebone Cricket Club in 1907.^[1] From 1899 to 1907, why not?

was the secretary of description Authors Cricket Club, organising character team's matches − a shuffle which gave him a important degree of networking power sham the literary world.^[113] The game also permeated his stories, market Raffles playing for the Ladies of England. Rance observes go Raffles compares law-breaking and cricket: "crime is reckoned as alternate and better sport".

Raffles does continual occasion disparage his game, commenting to Manders in "Gentlemen mushroom Players", "where's the satisfaction weekend away taking a man's wicket like that which you want his spoons?" Valentine also considers the point, enthralled sees Raffles's cricket as spruce up front for his criminal activities, citing Raffles's praise for cricket for "the glorious protection site affords a person of sweaty proclivities".

Watson examines Raffles's actions also gaol the broader context of fairness, with Raffles acting within realm own moral code "of what is 'done' and 'not done'." Orwell, in his essay "Raffles and Miss Blandish", observes range when Raffles feels remorse, boot out "is almost purely social; significant has disgraced 'the old school', he has lost his sort out to enter 'decent society', explicit has forfeited his amateur significance and become a cad".

Notes sports ground references

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References

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