Edgar Christian
Encyclopedia
Edgar Christian was born on 6 June 1908, the son of Lt Col Frank Christian RA.
He attended prep school at the Grange School, Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone and hoped to follow his brother Charles to Marlborough College
; in the end he went on to Dover College
which was more local, despite the fact the family moved in 1919 to Bron Dirion in North Wales.
After Dover College, Edgar went to Canada with his second cousin John Hornby
("Hornby of the North") and with him died of starvation near the Thelon River. He wrote a diary detailing this adventure which was published in the 1930s under the title "Unflinching". The diary is kept at his old school, Dover College, but the story has been told several other times in books and plays.
Books and plays about Edgar and his fatal adventure include:
The Bruce Valpy play Hornby was performned in the 2007 Canterbury Festival
by pupils from Dover College.
He attended prep school at the Grange School, Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone and hoped to follow his brother Charles to Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
; in the end he went on to Dover College
Dover College
Dover College is a co-educational independent school in Dover in southeast England. It was founded in 1871, and takes both day pupils and boarders....
which was more local, despite the fact the family moved in 1919 to Bron Dirion in North Wales.
After Dover College, Edgar went to Canada with his second cousin John Hornby
John Hornby
John Hornby was an English explorer best known for his expeditions in the Arctic region, notably in the "barren lands" in the Northwest Territory of Canada...
("Hornby of the North") and with him died of starvation near the Thelon River. He wrote a diary detailing this adventure which was published in the 1930s under the title "Unflinching". The diary is kept at his old school, Dover College, but the story has been told several other times in books and plays.
Books and plays about Edgar and his fatal adventure include:
- Edgar Christian. Death in the Barren Ground. Edited by George Whalley. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1980.
- Edgar Christian. Unflinching: A Diary of Tragic Adventure. With an introduction and conclusion by B. Dew Roberts and a preface by Major Hon. J.J. Astor, MP. London: John Murray, 1937.
- Jeffery, Lawrence. Who Look in Stove [and] The Edgar Christian Diary. (play) Toronto: Exile Editions, 1993.
- Powell-Williams, Clive. Cold Burial: A Journey into the Wilderness. London: Viking, 2001.
- Valpy, Bruce. Hornby. (play) Canadian Theatre Review, 73 (Winter 1992), 60-76.
The Bruce Valpy play Hornby was performned in the 2007 Canterbury Festival
Canterbury Festival
The Canterbury Festival is Kent's international festival of the arts. It takes place in Canterbury and surrounding towns and villages each October and includes performances of a variety of types of music, ranging from Opera and Oratorio to art, comedy and theatre...
by pupils from Dover College.