Lord Dismiss Us is a 1967 novel by Michael Campbell, that deals with issues of

homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...

in an English boys' public school.

Plot summary

The novel is set in a

public school Public school may refer to: * State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government * Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England an ...

in England in the 1960s. It deals with the love affair between two boys, together with the internal politics of the school itself. Carleton, a

sixth form In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...

er loves Allen, a boy two years his junior. At the same time, the headmaster is trying to enforce a policy against such liaisons.

Historical context

The novel is set firmly in the era in which it was written. It appeared in the same year that homosexuality between consenting adults was legalised in the UK.

Adaptations

In 2017, ''

Taggart ''Taggart'' is a Scottish detective fiction television programme created by Glenn Chandler, who wrote many of the episodes, and made by STV Studios for the ITV network. It originally ran as the miniseries "Killer" from 6 until 20 September 19 ...

'' creator

Glenn Chandler Glenn Chandler (born 12 March 1949) is a Scottish playwright, novelist, producer and theatre director. He has written plays for theatre and radio, original screenplays for television and films, television series, and also novels. His best known ...

adapted the novel into a play for the

Edinburgh Festival Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...

, to mark the 50th Anniversary of the partial legalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales. The play received positive reviews, and subsequently transferred to the Above The Stag Theatre in London later that year. The play was once again reviewed positively, and received four

Off West End Award Off West End refers to theatres in London which are not included as West End theatres. The term is a relatively recent one, coined after the similar American term "off-Broadway" (though without the same strict definition). It is usually used synony ...

nominations, including "Best Production" and "Best New Play"."The Offies (The Off West End Theatre Awards)"
''The Offies'' Retrieved 18 November 2017

Author

The author, Michael Mussen Campbell (1924–1984) was the grandson of the 1st Lord Glenavy and brother of the 3rd Baron, the humorist Patrick Campbell. He was a

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

er who attended St Columba's College and

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

. ''Lord Dismiss Us'' was allegedly based on the suicide of a St Columba's schoolmaster. Briefly a barrister at the

Irish Bar The Bar of Ireland ( ga, Barra na hÉireann) is the professional association of barristers for Ireland, with over 2,000 members. It is based in the Law Library, with premises in Dublin and Cork. It is governed by the General Council of the Ba ...

, Campbell worked in London for the ''

Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

''. His other novels included ''Peter Perry'' (1956), a "story of Dublin Theatrical Life", ''Oh Mary, This London'' (1959), a fantasy set in London, and ''Across the Water'' (1959). Michael Campbell succeeded his brother Patrick in 1980 to become the 4th and last

Baron Glenavy Baron Glenavy, of Milltown in the County of Dublin, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 26 July 1921 for the noted Irish lawyer and Unionist politician Sir James Campbell, 1st Baronet. He served as Lord Chief Jus ...

. He died in 1984, having never married.

References

{{Reflist 1967 British novels British LGBT novels Heinemann (publisher) books Novels set in schools 1960s LGBT novels Novels with gay themes