Richmal Crompton

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Richmal Crompton Lamburn

Richmal Crompton Lamburn, pictured on the cover of her biography, along with her famous creation, William Brown
Pseudonym(s): Richmal Crompton
Born: November 15, 1890
Bury, Lancashire, England
Died: January 11, 1969
Farnborough, London
Occupation(s): Teacher, novelist, short story writer,
Nationality: English
Writing period: 1919 to 1970
Genre(s): Children's literature, novels, short stories
Debut work(s): Short story Rice Mould (1919) Novel The Innermost Room (1923)

Richmal Crompton Lamburn (November 15, 1890–January 11, 1969) was a British writer, most famous for her Just William humorous short stories.

Contents

[edit] Early life

She was born at Bury in Lancashire, the second child of Reverend Edward John Sewell Lamburn, a teacher at the Bury Grammar School and his wife Clara (née Crompton). Her brother, John Battersby Crompton Lamburn, also became a writer, under the name John Lambourne, and is remembered for his fantasy novel The Kingdom That Was (1931).

Crompton attended schools in Lancashire and Derbyshire, including St Elphin’s, a boarding school for daughters of the clergy in Warrington, Lancashire, and later won a scholarship to study at the Royal Holloway College in London, receiving a BA Honours degree in Classics. She also took part in the Women's Suffrage movement at the time. She returned to St Elphin’s as the Classics mistress in 1914, and later, at age 27, moved to Bromley High School in south east London where she began her writing in earnest. Having contracted poliomyelitis, she was left without the use of her right leg in 1923. She gave up her teaching career and began to write full-time. She died in 1969 at her home in Farnborough in Kent. She was a close contemporary of Enid Blyton.

[edit] Work

Crompton's best known books are the William stories, about a mischievous 11-year old schoolboy and his band of friends, known as the Outlaws. The first short story featuring William was Rice Mould published in Home Magazine in 1919. In 1922 came the first collection, titled Just William. She wrote 38 other William books throughout her life. The last, William the Lawless was published posthumously in 1970. The William books sold over twelve million copies in the UK alone[1], and were also adapted for films, stage-plays, BBC radio and television series. Illustrations by Thomas Henry contributed to their success.

Crompton also wrote adult fiction: novels as well as short stories, starting with The Innermost Room (1923). Even William was originally created for grown-up audiences. She once hinted that the success of William obstructed recognition for her other writing. Her first published tale, concerning a little boy named Thomas, a forerunner of William who reacts against authority, was published in The Girls’ Own Paper in 1918. Crompton tried several times to reformulate William for other audiences. Jimmy (1949) was aimed at younger children, and Enter - Patricia (1927) at girls. Crompton wrote two more Jimmy books, but no more Patricia, as neither were as successful as William.

Crompton's fiction centres around family and social life, dwelling on the constraints that they place on individuals while also nurturing them. This is best seen in her depiction of children as puzzled onlookers of society's ways. Nevertheless, the children, particularly William and his Outlaws, almost always emerge triumphant.

[edit] References

[edit] List of published works

The publication dates are for the UK.

[edit] Just William series

[edit] William-like books

[edit] Others

  • The Innermost Room, 1923
  • The Hidden Light, 1924
  • Anne Morrison, 1925
  • The Wildings, 1925
  • David Wilding, 1926
  • The House, 1926 (also published as Dread Dwelling)
  • Kathleen and I, and, of Course, Veronica, 1926 (short stories)
  • Millicent Dorrington, 1927
  • A Monstrous Regiment, 1927 (short stories)
  • Leadon Hill, 1927
  • The Thorn Bush, 1928
  • Roofs Off!, 1928
  • The Middle Things, 1928 (short stories)
  • Felicity Stands By, 1928 (short stories)
  • Sugar and Spice and Other Stories, 1928 (short stories)
  • Mist and Other Stories, 1928 (short stories)
  • The Four Graces, 1929
  • Abbot's End, 1929
  • Ladies First, 1929 (short stories)
  • Blue Flames, 1930
  • Naomi Gladstone, 1930
  • The Silver Birch and Other Stories, 1931 (short stories)
  • Portrait of a Family, 1932
  • The Odyssey of Euphemia Tracy, 1932
  • Marriage of Hermione, 1932
  • The Holiday, 1933
  • Chedsy Place, 1934
  • The Old Man's Birthday, 1934
  • Quartet, 1935
  • Caroline, 1936
  • The First Morning, 1936 (short stories)
  • There Are Four Seasons, 1937
  • Journeying Wave, 1938
  • Merlin Bay, 1939
  • Seffan Green, 1940
  • Narcissa, 1941
  • Mrs. Frensham Describes a Circle, 1942
  • Weatherly Parade, 1944
  • Westover, 1946
  • The Ridleys, 1947
  • Family Roundabout, 1948
  • Linden Rise, 1952
  • The Gypsy's Baby, 1954
  • Four In Excile, 1954
  • Matty and the Dearingroydes, 1956
  • Blind Man's Buff, 1957
  • Wiseman's Folly, 1959
  • The Inheritor, 1960

[edit] External links

British Children's and Young Adults' Literature (1900-1949)
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Authors
Representative Titles
Illustrators.
Magazines and Annuals.
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