Algernon Islay de Courcy Lyons (1922–1993) was a Welsh photographer, novelist and linguist.

Life and work

Born in Langland, Glamorgan, Wales on 7 March 1922, the son of Captain John Algernon de Courcy Lyons, M.C. and Doris Ada née Campbell Young. In his lifetime, he was normally just called Islay (pronounced eye-la). Lyons was educated at Bradfield College, Berkshire and Grenoble University. He was at Grenoble when World War II broke out. He made a daring escape over the Pyrenees, was caught and imprisoned in Spain from where he manage to escape and work his way back to England where he joined up and served in the Royal Air Force for the rest of the war. He served first in North Africa and then he was sent to the Far East to learn Japanese in three months. He did this with amongst others, Richard Mason, who was a lifelong friend and cousin by marriage. Lyons is portrayed by the character 'Peter' in Mason's book 'The Wind Cannot Read'.) The photographs of Lyons illustrate the works of several twentieth century literary figures, including

Bryher Bryher ( kw, Breyer "place of hills") is one of the smallest inhabited islands of the Isles of Scilly, with a population of 84 in 2011, spread across . History The name of the island is recorded as ''Brayer'' in 1336 and ''Brear'' in 1500. Ge ...

and

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...

. Lyons was the friend of the film-maker,

Kenneth Macpherson Kenneth Macpherson (27 March 1902 – 14 June 1971) was a Scottish-born novelist, photographer, critic, and film-maker, the son of Scottish painter John 'Pop' Macpherson and Clara Macpherson, and descended from six generations of artists. It i ...

, both of them living in the ‘Villa Tuoro’ on Capri, where

Norman Douglas George Norman Douglas (8 December 1868 – 7 February 1952) was a British writer, now best known for his 1917 novel ''South Wind''. His travel books, such as ''Old Calabria'' (1915), were also appreciated for the quality of their writing. L ...

was their constant companion during the last years of Douglas’s life. Both Macpherson and Lyons were at Norman Douglas’s bedside when he died. Lyons died on 17 November 1993, in Chiang-Mai, Thailand.

Legacy

Part of Lyons’s inheritance to his fostered Thai son, Manop Charoensuk, was a large quantity of photos, books, and letters relating to the life of Baron Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen, the novelist and poet. It is believed that Fersen bequeathed the inheritance to

, who bequeathed it to Kenneth Macpherson. On Macpherson’s death, Lyons inherited the estate. Charoensuk sold it to an American millionaire. In 2002, the complete collection was offered by Sotheby’s in London to the American antiquarian bookseller David Deiss, but it was eventually bought by an unknown British dealer. It is probable, although unconfirmed, that most, if not all, of this inheritance, is what the Beinecke acquired in 2008 and now forms part of the 'Norman Douglas Collection. Some of de Courcy Lyons’s work is held in various collections in the United States, notably the Catherine Walston/Graham Greene Papers at Georgetown Library, the

Nancy Cunard Nancy Clara Cunard (10 March 1896 – 17 March 1965) was a British writer, heiress and political activist. She was born into the British upper class, and devoted much of her life to fighting racism and fascism. She became a muse to some of the ...

Collection at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center and the Norman Douglas Collection (2008 Addition) at the

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library () is the rare book library and literary archive of the Yale University Library in New Haven, Connecticut. It is one of the largest buildings in the world dedicated to rare books and manuscripts. Es ...

, Yale University.

Publications

Novel

The Lyre & the Lotus. London: Harvill (1968). An historical novel set in the time of Galen.

Photography

*Gate to the Sea - Bryher (Pantheon Books, New York, 1958) Photographic illustrations by Algernon Islay de Courcy Lyons. *A Visit to Morin - Graham Greene. (London, Heinemann, 1959) Photographer Algernon Islay de Courcy Lyons *Gandharan Art In Pakistan - New York (1957) Photography by Algernon Islay de Courcy Lyons *Catherine Walston/Graham Greene Papers – Various Works (Georgetown Library) *Nancy Cunard: An Inventory of Her Collection at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center *Norman Douglas Collection (2008 Addition) (GEN MSS 614)j *Islay Lyons - Photographs. Introduced by William Warren Privately Printed: Éditions Didier Millet (1996). (Photographs of Graham Greene, Harold Acton, Bryher, Noël Coward, Janet Flanner, Peggy Guggenheim, Sybille Bedford, Margot Fonteyn, Kenneth Macpherson and many others. Also included are landscapes and Italian cityscapes). *Omnes Eodem Cogimur: Some Notes Following the Death of Norman Douglas. (Kenneth Macpherson) Privately Printed: urin(1953). A memorial album with twenty-five photographs by Islay Lyons of Douglas and his friends, including

Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...

and many others.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyons, Algernon Islay De Courcy Welsh photographers Welsh novelists 1922 births 1993 deaths 20th-century Welsh writers 20th-century British novelists Royal Air Force personnel of World War II British expatriates in France