John Davys Beresford (17 March 1873 – 2 February 1947) was an English writer, now remembered for his early science fiction and some short stories in the

horror story Horror is a genre of fiction which is intended to frighten, scare, or disgust. Horror is often divided into the sub-genres of psychological horror and supernatural horror, which is in the realm of speculative fiction. Literary historian J ...

and ghost story genres. Beresford was a great admirer of H.G. Wells, and wrote the first critical study of Wells in 1915. His Wellsian novel '' The Hampdenshire Wonder'' was a major influence on

Olaf Stapledon William Olaf Stapledon (10 May 1886 – 6 September 1950) – known as Olaf Stapledon – was a British philosopher and author of science fiction.Andy Sawyer, " illiamOlaf Stapledon (1886-1950)", in Bould, Mark, et al, eds. ''Fifty Key Figures ...

. His other science-fiction novels include ''The Riddle of the Tower'', about a dystopian, hive-like society.

Life

His father, John James Beresford (1821 - 1897), was a clergyman in Castor, now in

Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a county in the East of England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the ...

near

Peterborough Peterborough () is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, east of England. It is the largest part of the City of Peterborough unitary authority district (which covers a larger area than Peterborough itself). It was part of Northamptonshire until ...

. His mother was Adelaide Elizabeth Morgan (1837 - 1902). J. D. Beresford was affected by

infantile paralysis Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe sym ...

, which left him partially

disabled Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, ...

. Stanley J. Kunitz and Howard Haycraft, ''Twentieth Century Authors, A Biographical Dictionary of Modern Literature'', (Third Edition). New York, The H.W. Wilson Company, 1950, (p.p. 130-1) He was educated at

Oundle Oundle () is a market town on the left bank of the River Nene in North Northamptonshire, England, which had a population of 5,735 at the time of the 2011 census. It is north of London and south-west of Peterborough. The town is home to Ound ...

. After training to become an architect, he became a professional writer, first as a

dramatist A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

, and journalist. In early adulthood, he broke away from his father's views and became a "determined but defensive" agnostic. He combined a prominent place in Edwardian literary London with time spent in the provinces, in particular

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 ...

, where

D. H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...

had an extended stay in his

Porthcothan Porthcothan ( kw, Porthkehodhon) is a coastal village between Newquay and Padstow in Cornwall, England, UK. It is within the civil parish of St Eval. Porthcothan lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Almost a third ...

cottage. Later in life Beresford abandoned his earlier agnosticism and described himself as a

Theosophist Theosophy is a religion established in the United States during the late 19th century. It was founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and draws its teachings predominantly from Blavatsky's writings. Categorized by scholars of religion ...

and a pacifist. Beresford was also interested in

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between ...

, and attended several meetings organised by A.R. Orage to discuss psychological issues. Other attendees at these meetings included

Havelock Ellis Henry Havelock Ellis (2 February 1859 – 8 July 1939) was an English physician, eugenicist, writer, progressive intellectual and social reformer who studied human sexuality. He co-wrote the first medical textbook in English on homosexuality i ...

Clifford Sharp Clifford Dyce Sharp (1883–1935) was a British journalist. He was the first editor of the ''New Statesman'' magazine from its foundation in 1913 until 1928; a left-wing magazine founded by Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other members of the socia ...

David Eder (Montague) David Eder (1 August 1865 – 30 March 1936) was a British psychoanalyst, physician, Zionist and writer of Lithuanian Jewish descent. He was best known for advancing psychoanalytic studies in Great Britain. Education and medical trai ...

and

Maurice Nicoll Henry Maurice Dunlop Nicoll (19 July 1884 – 30 August 1953) was a Scottish neurologist, psychiatrist, author and noted Fourth Way esoteric teacher. He is best known for his ''Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspen ...

. Beresford also contributed to numerous publications; in addition to being a book reviewer for ''

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 ...

'', he also wrote for the ''

New Statesman The ''New Statesman'' is a British Political magazine, political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney Webb, Sidney and Beatrice ...

'', ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...

'', ''

Westminster Gazette ''The Westminster Gazette'' was an influential Liberal newspaper based in London. It was known for publishing sketches and short stories, including early works by Raymond Chandler, Anthony Hope, D. H. Lawrence, Katherine Mansfield, and Saki, ...

'', and the Theosophist magazine '' The Aryan Path''. At one point, Beresford was offered the editorship of the pacifist magazine ''

Peace News ''Peace News'' (''PN'') is a pacifist magazine first published on 6 June 1936 to serve the peace movement in the United Kingdom. From later in 1936 to April 1961 it was the official paper of the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), and from 1990 to 2004 w ...

'' but declined because he felt he "would be a bad editor". Beresford's interest in the spiritual and philosophical may be best illustrated by the publisher notes to his novel, ''On A Huge Hill'': "Mr Beresford's readers have long known that that for him there are more things in heaven or earth than are dreamt of in official medical philosophy. He has used his novelist's skill to convince the sensitive reader that the age of miracles is not over, and that, in certain circumstances, the spirit may exercise what seem to us miraculous powers over the substance of the body. This he did in 'The Camberwell Miracle' and 'Peckover'; and in this absorbing novel, he returns to the theme, with the study of a man fitting himself to become a great healer."

Dorothy L. Sayers Dorothy Leigh Sayers (; 13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957) was an English crime writer and poet. She was also a student of classical and modern languages. She is best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between th ...

quotes from Beresford's essay "Writing Aloud" in her book on theology, '' Mind of the Maker''. She also mentions him in passing in ''

Whose Body? ''Whose Body?'' is a 1923 mystery novel by Dorothy L. Sayers. It was her debut novel, and the book in which she introduced the character of Lord Peter Wimsey. Plot Thipps, an architect, finds a dead body wearing nothing but a pair of pince-n ...

''. George Orwell in 1945 described him as a "natural novelist", whose strength, particularly in ''A Candidate for Truth'', was his ability to take seriously the problems of ordinary people. Elisabeth Beresford (1926–2010), children's writer and creator of

The Wombles ''The Wombles'' are fictional pointy-nosed, furry creatures created by Elisabeth Beresford and originally appearing in a series of children's novels from 1968. They live in burrows, where they aim to help the environment by collecting and recyc ...

, was his daughter. Through his son, writer Marc Brandel (Marcus Beresford), he is the great-grandfather of American actor James Newman. He was married twice, first to Florence Linda Brown (1870 - 1916) and then to Eveline "Trissy" Beatrice Auford Roskams (1880 - 1975)

Works

*''The Early History of Jacob Stahl'' (1911), the first of a trilogy of novels with ''A Candidate for Truth'' and ''The Invisible Event'' *'' The Hampdenshire Wonder'' (1911) Novel *''A Candidate for Truth'' (1912) *''Goslings: A World of Women'' (1913) Novel *''The House in Demetrius Road'' (1914) Novel *''The Invisible Event'' (1915) Novel *''H.G. Wells'' (1915) criticism *''These Lynneskers'' (1916) Novel *''William Elphinstone Ford'' (1917) biography, with Kenneth Richmond *''House Mates'' (1917) Novel *''Nineteen Impressions'' (1918) stories *''God's Counterpoint'' (1918) Novel *''The Jervaise Comedy'' (1919) Novel *''The Imperfect Mother'' (1920) Novel *''Signs and Wonders'' (1921,

Golden Cockerel Press The Golden Cockerel Press was an English fine press operating between 1920 and 1961. History The private press made handmade limited editions of classic works. The type was hand-set and the books were printed on handmade paper, and sometimes ...

) stories *''Revolution'' (1921) Novel *''The Prisoners of Hartling'' (1922) Novel *''The Imperturbable Duchess and Other Stories'' (1923) *''Monkey Puzzle'' (1925) *''That Kind of Man, or Almost Pagan'' (1926) Novel *''The Decoy'' (1927) Novel *''The Instrument of Destiny'' (1928)

mystery novel Mystery is a fiction genre where the nature of an event, usually a murder or other crime, remains mysterious until the end of the story. Often within a closed circle of suspects, each suspect is usually provided with a credible motive and a re ...

*''All or Nothing'' (1928) Novel *''Real People'' (1929) Novel *''The Meeting Place and Other Stories'' (1929) *''Love's Illusion'' (1930) *''The Next Generation'' (1932) Novel *''The Old People'' (1932) Novel *''The Camberwell Miracle'' (1933) novel *''Peckover'' (1934) Novel *''On a Huge Hill'' (1935) Novel *''Blackthorn Winter and other stories'' (1936) *''Cleo'' (1937) Novel *''What Dreams May Come'' (1941) Novel *''A Common Enemy'' (1941) Novel *''Men in the Same Boat'' (1943) (with Esmé Wynne-Tyson) *''The Riddle of the Tower'' (1944) (with Esmé Wynne-Tyson) *''The Gift'' (1947) (with Esmé Wynne-Tyson) *''The Prisoner'' *''Love's Pilgrim'' *''The Tapestry''

References

External links

* * *
J. D. Beresford, The Online Books Page, University of Pennsylvania
* *
Digitized works by J. D. Beresford
at

Toronto Public Library Toronto Public Library (TPL) (french: Bibliothèque publique de Toronto) is a public library system in Toronto, Ontario. It is the largest public library system in Canada, and in 2008 had averaged a higher circulation per capita than any other pub ...

Play by J. D. Beresford and Kenneth Richmond on Great War Theatre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beresford, JD 1873 births 1947 deaths English science fiction writers English short story writers English pacifists English Theosophists People from Peterborough People educated at Oundle School People educated at The King's School, Peterborough English male novelists

Life

Works

References

Further reading

External links