George Irving Scott-Moncrieff (9 April 1910 – 11 March 1974) was a Scottish novelist, playwright, poet, journalist, editor, and author of several well-known books on Scotland.

Early life and education

George Scott-Moncrieff was born in Morningside, Edinburgh, the younger son of Rev. Colin William Scott-Moncrieff and Constance Elizabeth Hannah Lunn. He was a nephew of the famous translator C. K. Scott Moncrieff. His elder brother, Colin Herbert (8 November 1908 – November 1941), was killed in action in Libya. He was educated at

Edinburgh Academy The Edinburgh Academy is an independent day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, which was opened in 1824. The original building, on Henderson Row in the city's New Town, is now part of the Senior School. The Junior School is located on Arboretum Ro ...

and

Aldenham School Aldenham School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged eleven to eighteen, located between Elstree and the village of Aldenham in Hertfordshire, England. There is also a preparatory school for pupils from the ages of five to ele ...

in Hertfordshire, England.

Career

Scott-Moncrieff's first novel ''Café Bar'' was published in 1932. He married his first wife Ann Shearer in 1936, having met her in London where they both worked as journalists. Under her influence he converted from Episcopalianism to Catholicism. He lived with his first wife in Breakacky near

Kingussie Kingussie ( ; gd, Ceann a' Ghiùthsaich ) is a small town in the Badenoch and Strathspey ward of the Highland council area of Scotland. Counties of Scotland, Historically in Inverness-shire, it lies beside the A9 road (Great Britain), A9 road, ...

, then

Dalwhinnie Dalwhinnie ( ; Scottish Gaelic: ''Dail Chuinnidh'' "meeting place") is a small village in the Scottish Highlands. Dalwhinnie is located at the head of Glen Truim and the north-east end of Loch Ericht, on the western edge of the Cairngorms Natio ...

, and finally Edinburgh. After her death at the age of 29, he moved to the

Isle of Eigg Eigg (; gd, Eige; sco, Eigg) is one of the Small Isles in the Scotland, Scottish Inner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the Isle of Skye and to the north of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is long from north to south, and east to west. W ...

in 1945 and lived there a hermit-like existence in a simple cottage for about five years. His novel ''Death's Bright Shadow'' (1948) is a fictional account of his grief. He moved back to Edinburgh in 1951 and eventually married Eileen née Ward, only daughter of the American illustrator Keith Ward. Upon his death he was survived by Eileen and seven children from the two marriages. The defence of tradition runs through all of Scott-Moncrieff's writings – his books about Scottish architecture and Scottish religions, his plays, his novels, his poems, his short history of the Catholic faith in Scotland, his many book reviews, his moving little volume of religious meditations. He coined the term "Balmorality" to describe the cultural manifestations of Scotland's accommodation with the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...

. In 1951, he wrote ''Living Traditions of Scotland'', a booklet published on behalf of the

Council of Industrial Design The Design Council, formerly the Council of Industrial Design, is a United Kingdom charity incorporated by Royal Charter. Its stated mission is "to champion great design that improves lives and makes things better". It was instrumental in the prom ...

Scottish Committee to accompany the Living Traditions exhibition of architecture and crafts held in Edinburgh as part of the

Festival of Britain The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition and fair that reached millions of visitors throughout the United Kingdom in the summer of 1951. Historian Kenneth O. Morgan says the Festival was a "triumphant success" during which people: ...

. He died in Peeblesshire and is buried in

Traquair Traquair ( gd, Cille Bhrìghde) is a small village and civil parish in the Scottish Borders; until 1975 it was in the county of Peeblesshire. The village is situated on the B709 road south of Innerleithen at . History Traquair, said to mea ...

Churchyard.

Selected publications

* * * 15 editions published between 1939 and 1983 * * 42 editions published between 1947 and 1967 * * * * * * 13 editions published between 1960 and 1961 * * * * s.d., 25th ed. *as editor: ** ** 11 editions published between 1938 and 1983 **

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scott-Moncrieff, George 1910 births 1974 deaths People educated at Aldenham School People educated at Edinburgh Academy Scottish journalists Scottish novelists Scottish Renaissance