Denis Mackail
Encyclopedia
Denis George Mackail was an English novelist and short-story writer, publishing between the two world-wars.
Although his work is now largely forgotten, 'Greenery Street', a novel of early married life in upper-middle class London, was republished by Persephone Books
in 2002.
, London
on 3 June 1892 to John William Mackail
and Margaret Burne-Jones. Educated at St Paul's School, Hammersmith
, he went to Balliol College, Oxford
, but failed to complete his degree through ill-health after two years.
His first work was as a set designer, notably for J. M. Barrie
's The adored one and George Bernard Shaw
's Pygmalion
(1914).
The outbreak of World War I
interrupted this promising start, however, and Denis, not fit enough for active service, worked in the War Office
and the Board of Trade
.
In 1917 he married Diana Granet, only child of the railway manager Sir Guy Granet
, who was a director-general for railways in the War Office
.
The couple had two children, Mary (born 28 March 1919) and Anne (born 12 January 1922) and lived in Chelsea, London
.
It was the necessity of supporting his young family that lead Denis to write a novel when office jobs became insecure after the end of the war.
With his novel published, his first short-story accepted by the prestigious Strand Magazine
and the services of a literary agent, A. P. Watt, Denis was soon earning enough from his writing to give up office work.
He published a novel every year from 1920 to 1938 and among his literary friends were P. G. Wodehouse
and A. A. Milne
.
During the 1930s Mackail lived at Bishopstone House, Bishopstone near Seaford, Sussex
As therapy from a nervous breakdown, Denis agreed to write the official biography of J. M. Barrie
, which appeared in 1941. He went on to produce seven more novels and some books of reminiscences, but after the early death of his wife in 1949, he published no more and lived quietly in London
until his death. He died on 4 August 1971.
Although his work is now largely forgotten, 'Greenery Street', a novel of early married life in upper-middle class London, was republished by Persephone Books
Persephone Books
Persephone Books is an independent publisher based in Bloomsbury, London. Founded in 1999 by Nicola Beauman, Persephone has a catalogue of 93 "neglected novels, diaries, poetry, short stories, non-fiction, biography and cookery books, mostly by women and mostly dating from the early to...
in 2002.
Biography
He was born in KensingtonKensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 3 June 1892 to John William Mackail
John William Mackail
John William Mackail O.M. was a Scottish man of letters and socialist, now best remembered as a Virgil scholar. He was also a poet, literary historian and biographer....
and Margaret Burne-Jones. Educated at St Paul's School, Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, he went to Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, but failed to complete his degree through ill-health after two years.
His first work was as a set designer, notably for J. M. Barrie
J. M. Barrie
Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM was a Scottish author and dramatist, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan. The child of a family of small-town weavers, he was educated in Scotland. He moved to London, where he developed a career as a novelist and playwright...
's The adored one and George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
's Pygmalion
Pygmalion (play)
Pygmalion: A Romance in Five Acts is a play by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. Professor of phonetics Henry Higgins makes a bet that he can train a bedraggled Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, to pass for a duchess at an ambassador's garden party by teaching her to assume a veneer of...
(1914).
The outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
interrupted this promising start, however, and Denis, not fit enough for active service, worked in the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
and the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
.
In 1917 he married Diana Granet, only child of the railway manager Sir Guy Granet
Guy Granet
Sir William Guy Granet, GBE trained as a barrister but became a noted railway administrator, first as general manager of the Midland Railway then as a director-general in the War Office.-Biography:...
, who was a director-general for railways in the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
.
The couple had two children, Mary (born 28 March 1919) and Anne (born 12 January 1922) and lived in Chelsea, London
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
.
It was the necessity of supporting his young family that lead Denis to write a novel when office jobs became insecure after the end of the war.
With his novel published, his first short-story accepted by the prestigious Strand Magazine
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
and the services of a literary agent, A. P. Watt, Denis was soon earning enough from his writing to give up office work.
He published a novel every year from 1920 to 1938 and among his literary friends were P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
and A. A. Milne
A. A. Milne
Alan Alexander Milne was an English author, best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh and for various children's poems. Milne was a noted writer, primarily as a playwright, before the huge success of Pooh overshadowed all his previous work.-Biography:A. A...
.
During the 1930s Mackail lived at Bishopstone House, Bishopstone near Seaford, Sussex
As therapy from a nervous breakdown, Denis agreed to write the official biography of J. M. Barrie
J. M. Barrie
Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM was a Scottish author and dramatist, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan. The child of a family of small-town weavers, he was educated in Scotland. He moved to London, where he developed a career as a novelist and playwright...
, which appeared in 1941. He went on to produce seven more novels and some books of reminiscences, but after the early death of his wife in 1949, he published no more and lived quietly in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
until his death. He died on 4 August 1971.
Books by Denis Mackail
- What next? (1920)
- Romance to the rescue (1921)
- Bill the bachelor (1922)
- According to Gibson (1923)
- Summertime (1923)
- The Majestic mystery (1924)
- Greenery Street (1925) (Republished in 2002 by Persephone BooksPersephone BooksPersephone Books is an independent publisher based in Bloomsbury, London. Founded in 1999 by Nicola Beauman, Persephone has a catalogue of 93 "neglected novels, diaries, poetry, short stories, non-fiction, biography and cookery books, mostly by women and mostly dating from the early to...
) - The fortunes of Hugo (1926)
- The flower show (1927)
- Tales from Greenery Street (1928)
- Another part of the wood (1929)
- How amusing! (1929)
- The young Livingstones (1930)
- The Square circle (1930)
- David's day (1932)
- Ian and Felicity [US title: Peninsula Place] (1932)
- Having fun (1933)
- Chelbury Abbey (1933)
- Summer leaves (1934)
- The wedding (1935)
- Back again (1936)
- Jacinth (1937)
- London lovers (1938)
- Morning, noon and night (1938)
- The story of J. M. B. [US title: Barrie] (1941)
- Life with Topsy (1942)
- Upside-down (1943)
- Ho! or, How it all strikes me (1944)
- Tales for a godchild (1944)
- Huddlestone House (1945)
- Our hero (1947)
- We're here! (1947)
- Where am I? or, A stranger here myself (1948)
- By auction (1949)
- Her ladyship (1949)
- It makes the world go round (1950)