Howard Spring (10 February 1889 – 3 May 1965) was a Welsh author and journalist who wrote in English. He began his writing career as a
journalist
A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...
but from 1934 produced a series of best-selling novels for adults and children. The most successful was ''
Fame Is the Spur'' (1940), which was later adapted into
a film starring
Michael Redgrave
Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave CBE (20 March 1908 – 21 March 1985) was an English stage and film actor, director, manager and author. He received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''Mourning Becomes Elect ...
and, later still a
BBC TV series (1982) starring
Tim Pigott-Smith
Timothy Peter Pigott-Smith, (13 May 1946 – 7 April 2017) was an English film and television actor and author. He was best known for his leading role as Ronald Merrick in the television drama series '' The Jewel in the Crown'', for which he wo ...
and
David Hayman
David Hayman (born 9 February 1948) is a Scottish film, television and stage actor and director, known for his role as DCS Mike Walker in ITV drama ''Trial & Retribution'', as Jonas Franks in BBC period drama '' The Paradise'' and as Brace in ...
.
Biography
Howard Spring was born in
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
, the son of a jobbing gardener. He was forced to leave school at the age of twelve, when his father died, to start work as an errand boy. He later became an office boy at a firm of chartered accountants in Cardiff Docks and then a messenger at the offices of the ''
South Wales Daily News
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...
''. He was keen to train as a reporter, and spent his leisure time learning shorthand and taking evening classes at
Cardiff University
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, image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University
, motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord
, mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord
, established = 1 ...
, where he studied English, French, Latin, mathematics and history. He graduated to be a reporter on both the morning and evening editions of the ''South Wales Daily News''.
In 1911 he joined the ''Yorkshire Observer'' in
Bradford
Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
before moving in 1915 to the ''
Manchester Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', but was there only a few months before he was called up for the
Army Service Corps as a shorthand typist.
After the war, he returned to the ''Guardian'', where he worked as a reporter.
C. P. Scott
Charles Prestwich Scott (26 October 1846 – 1 January 1932), usually cited as C. P. Scott, was a British journalist, publisher and politician. Born in Bath, Somerset, he was the editor of the ''Manchester Guardian'' (now ''the Guardian'') ...
, the editor, apparently regarded Spring's reporting skills highly; he wrote of Spring that: "Nobody does a better 'descriptive' or a better condensation of a difficult address." Whilst working for the ''Guardian'', Spring lived in the suburb of
Didsbury
Didsbury is a suburban area of Manchester, England, on the north bank of the River Mersey, south of Manchester city centre. The population at the 2011 census was 26,788.
Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, there are ...
. In 1931, after reporting on a political meeting at which
Lord Beaverbrook
William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook (25 May 1879 – 9 June 1964), generally known as Lord Beaverbrook, was a Canadian-British newspaper publisher and backstage politician who was an influential figure in British media and politics o ...
was the speaker, Beaverbrook was so impressed by Spring's piece (Spring described Beaverbrook as "a pedlar of dreams", which took Beaverbrook's fancy) that he arranged for him to be offered a post with the ''Evening Standard'' in London as a book reviewer. Spring described the offer as "irresistible" and the appointment proved successful.
At the same time, Spring was developing his ambitions as a writer; his first book, ''Darkie and Co.'', a children's story, came out in 1932, followed by his first novel, ''
Shabby Tiger
''Shabby Tiger'' is a 1934 novel by the British writer Howard Spring. It was followed by a sequel '' Rachel Rosing'' in 1935.
A millionaire's son chooses to become an artist at the height of the Great Depression.
Adaptation
In 1973 it was made ...
'', which was set in Manchester, published by
William Collins, Sons
William Collins, Sons (often referred to as Collins) was a Scottish printing and publishing company founded by a Presbyterian schoolmaster, William Collins, in Glasgow in 1819, in partnership with Charles Chalmers, the younger brother of Thomas ...
in 1934. ''Shabby Tiger'' was adapted as a
television series of the same title produced by
Granada Television
ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...
in 1973. It starred
John Nolan as Nick and
Prunella Gee
Prunella Mary Gee (born 17 February 1950) is an English counsellor, therapist and former actress, best known for her work as an actress in the 1970s and 1980s, and for the role of Doreen Heavey in ''Coronation Street'', a part she first played in ...
as Anna, with
Sharon Maughan
Sharon Patricia Maughan (born 22 June 1950) is a British actress.
Early life
Sharon Mughan grew up in Kirkby, Lancashire, with her four siblings. She later changed her surname to "Maughan".
Career
Upon graduating from RADA, Maughan gained ...
making her TV debut as the glamorous and ambitious Rachel Rosing. A sequel to the novel followed a year later, ''
Rachel Rosing'' (Collins, 1935). Both were published in the US in 1936.
The children's story ''Sampson's Circus'', illustrated by
Steven Spurrier and published by
Faber & Faber
Faber and Faber Limited, usually abbreviated to Faber, is an independent publishing house in London. Published authors and poets include T. S. Eliot (an early Faber editor and director), W. H. Auden, Margaret Storey, William Golding, Samuel B ...
in 1936, was one of two commended runners up for the
Library Association
The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, since 2017 branded CILIP: The library and information association (pronounced ), is a professional body for librarians, information specialists and knowledge management, knowle ...
's inaugural
Carnegie Medal, recognising the year's outstanding contribution to children's literature by a British subject.
["Carnegie Medal Award"]
2007(?). Curriculum Lab. Elihu Burritt Library. Central Connecticut State University
Central Connecticut State University (Central Connecticut, CCSU, Central Connecticut State, or informally Central) is a public university in New Britain, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1849 as the State Normal School, CCSU is Connecticut ...
. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
His first major success in the adult market came with ''
My Son, My Son
"My Son, My Son" is a traditional popular music song written by Gordon Melville Rees, Bob Howard and Eddie Calvert in 1954. A recording of the song by Vera Lynn reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in November that year. It was Lynn's ...
'' (1937), originally titled ''O Absalom'', which was successful in America and
adapted
In biology, adaptation has three related meanings. Firstly, it is the dynamic evolutionary process of natural selection that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness. Secondly, it is a state reached by the po ...
there as the 1940 film ''
My Son, My Son!
''My Son, My Son!'' is a 1940 American drama film based on a novel by the same name written by Howard Spring and directed by Charles Vidor. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art Direction by John DuCasse Schulze.
Cast
* Madelein ...
''. It was adapted for television by the BBC in 1977.
WorldCat
WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of tens of thousands of institutions (mostly libraries), in many countries, that are current or past members of the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. Many of the OCL ...
libraries report editions in Chinese, German, Hebrew and four other languages.
In 1939 Spring moved to
Mylor in
Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
to become a full-time writer. (His wife Marion's father had a house at
St Mawes
St Mawes ( kw, Lannvowsedh) is a village on the end of the Roseland Peninsula, in the eastern side of Falmouth harbour, on the south coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village, formerly two separate hamlets, lies on the east bank of the ...
.) In 1940, his best-known work appeared: ''
Fame Is the Spur'', the story of a Labour leader's rise to power. During the war years Spring wrote two other novels, ''
Hard Facts'' (1944) and ''Dunkerley's'' (1946).
In 1947 Spring and his wife moved to
Falmouth, The White Cottage in Fenwick Road, and in the post-war period he published ''
There Is No Armour'' (1948), ''
The Houses in Between'' (1951), ''
A Sunset Touch'' (1953), ''
These Lovers Fled Away'' (1955), ''
Time and the Hour'' (1957), ''
All the Day Long '' (1959), ''
I Met a Lady
''I Met a Lady'' is a 1961 novel by the British writer Howard Spring.Watson & Willison p.741 During the First World War a boy is sent from Manchester to stay in Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county ...
'' (1961), and his last book was ''
Winds of the Day'' (1964). Spring also produced three volumes of autobiography: ''Heaven Lies About Us, A Fragment of Infancy'' (1939); ''In the Meantime'' (1942); and ''And Another Thing'' (1946), later published in one volume as ''The Autobiography of Howard Spring'' (Collins, 1972).
During this period Spring served eight years as President of the prestigious
Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society (commonly known as The Poly) is an educational, cultural and scientific charity, as well as a local arts and cinema venue, based in Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The Society exists to promot ...
and as a Director of the
Falmouth School of Art
Falmouth University ( kw, Pennskol Aberfal) is a specialist public university for the creative industries based in Falmouth and Penryn, Cornwall, England. Founded as Falmouth School of Art in 1902, it was later known as Falmouth College of Ar ...
and President of the Cornish Drama League. The last was well known for producing plays at the open-air
Minack Theatre
The Minack Theatre ( kw, Gwaryjy Minack) is an open-air theatre, constructed above a gully with a rocky granite outcrop jutting into the sea. The theatre is at Porthcurno, from Land's End in Cornwall, England. The season runs each year from May ...
on the cliffs near Land's End.
Spring was a successful writer, who combined a wide understanding of human character with technical skill as a novelist. His method of composition was painstaking. Each morning he would shut himself in his room and write a thousand words, steadily building up to novels of around 150,000 words. He rarely made major alterations to his writings.
Howard Spring died of a stroke. In 1967, his widow, Marion Spring, wrote an affectionate story of their life together, called ''Howard'', with a foreword by
A. L. Rowse. It was published by Collins.
Works
*''Darkie And Co'', (1932)
*''
Shabby Tiger
''Shabby Tiger'' is a 1934 novel by the British writer Howard Spring. It was followed by a sequel '' Rachel Rosing'' in 1935.
A millionaire's son chooses to become an artist at the height of the Great Depression.
Adaptation
In 1973 it was made ...
'', (1934)
*''The World's Greatest Detective Stories'', (1934)
*''
Rachel Rosing'', (1935)
*''Sampson's Circus'', (1936)
*''O Absalom (title in US:
My Son, My Son
"My Son, My Son" is a traditional popular music song written by Gordon Melville Rees, Bob Howard and Eddie Calvert in 1954. A recording of the song by Vera Lynn reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in November that year. It was Lynn's ...
)'', (1938)
*''Book Parade'', (1938)
*''Heaven Lies About Us'', (1939)
*''Fame Is the Spur'', (1940)
*''Tumbledown Dick: All People And No Plot'', (1939)
*''All They Like Sheep'', (1940)
*''In The Meantime'', (1942)
*''This War We Wage'', (1942)
ith E M DELAFIELD & Herbert MORRISON*''Hard Facts'', (1944)
*''And Another Thing'', (1946)
*''Dunkerley's'', (1946)
*''There Is No Armour'', (1948)
*''Christmas Honeymoon'', (1949)
*''Christmas Awake'', (1949)
*''
The Houses in Between'', (1951)
*''Jinny Morgan'', (1952, play)
*''A Sunset Touch'', (1953)
*''Three Plays'', (1953)
inny Morgan; The Gentle Assassin; St George...*''These Lovers Fled Away'', (1955)
*''Time and the Hour'', (1957)
*''All the Day Long'', (1959)
*''I Met a Lady'', (1961)
*''
Winds of the Day'', (1964)
Source:
See also
*''
The Queen's Book of the Red Cross
''The Queen's Book of the Red Cross'' was published in November 1939 in a fundraising effort to aid the Red Cross during World War II. The book was sponsored by Queen Elizabeth, and its contents were contributed by fifty British authors and artis ...
''
References
External links
*
"Formats and Editions of ''Sampson's Circus''"at
WorldCat
WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of tens of thousands of institutions (mostly libraries), in many countries, that are current or past members of the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. Many of the OCL ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spring, Howard
1889 births
1965 deaths
20th-century Welsh novelists
Academics of Falmouth University
Writers from Cornwall
Journalists from Cardiff
Welsh children's writers
Welsh novelists
Writers from Cardiff
British Army personnel of World War I
Royal Army Service Corps soldiers
Military personnel from Cardiff