Edward Upward
Encyclopedia
Edward Falaise Upward was a British
novelist and short story
writer and, prior to his death, was believed to be the UK's oldest living author.
, where he became a friend of Christopher Isherwood
. As an undergraduate at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
he won the Chancellor's Medal for English Verse in 1924. He was part of a group of writers including Isherwood (with whom he created the surreal world of the Mortmere stories), W. H. Auden
and Stephen Spender
.
After graduation Upward worked in various teaching jobs, and in 1932 took up a post at Alleyn's School
, Dulwich where he was to remain for nearly thirty years. He joined the Communist Party that year and remained committed to internationalism
and socialism
, although he and his wife Hilda left the Communist Party in 1948, believing its policies in Britain were no longer revolutionary.
Upward's first novel, Journey to the Border, was published by the Hogarth Press
in 1938. It describes in poetic prose the rebellion of a private tutor against his employer and the menacing world of the 1930s, moving from a nightmarish state to one where he recognizes that he must join the workers' movement.
The semi-autobiographical trilogy, The Spiral Ascent, was published in the 1960s and 70s after he had retired from teaching and moved to Sandown
, Isle of Wight
. It deals with a poet's life and his struggle to combine artistic creativity with political commitment, including in its historical sweep the fight against the British Union of Fascists in the 1930s, opposition to the leadership of the Communist Party in the 1940s and later involvement in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
In the last decades of the twentieth century Upward returned to writing short stories, which were published, along with earlier works, by Enitharmon Press. In 2005, Upward was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
and awarded their Benson Medal
.
He died aged 105 on 13 February 2009 in Pontefract
, England.
A full bibliography can be found in Edward Upward: A Bibliography 1920–2000, Alan Walker, Enitharmon Press (2000).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
novelist and short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
writer and, prior to his death, was believed to be the UK's oldest living author.
Biography
Upward was educated at Repton SchoolRepton School
Repton School, founded in 1557, is a co-educational English independent school for both day and boarding pupils, in the British public school tradition, located in the village of Repton, in Derbyshire, in the Midlands area of England...
, where he became a friend of Christopher Isherwood
Christopher Isherwood
Christopher William Bradshaw Isherwood was an English-American novelist.-Early life and work:Born at Wyberslegh Hall, High Lane, Cheshire in North West England, Isherwood spent his childhood in various towns where his father, a Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army, was stationed...
. As an undergraduate at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
he won the Chancellor's Medal for English Verse in 1924. He was part of a group of writers including Isherwood (with whom he created the surreal world of the Mortmere stories), W. H. Auden
W. H. Auden
Wystan Hugh Auden , who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet,The first definition of "Anglo-American" in the OED is: "Of, belonging to, or involving both England and America." See also the definition "English in origin or birth, American by settlement or citizenship" in See also...
and Stephen Spender
Stephen Spender
Sir Stephen Harold Spender CBE was an English poet, novelist and essayist who concentrated on themes of social injustice and the class struggle in his work...
.
After graduation Upward worked in various teaching jobs, and in 1932 took up a post at Alleyn's School
Alleyn's School
Alleyn's School is an independent, fee-paying co-educational day school situated in Dulwich, south London, England. It is a registered charity and was originally part of the historic Alleyn's College of God's Gift charitable foundation, which also included James Allen's Girls' School , Dulwich...
, Dulwich where he was to remain for nearly thirty years. He joined the Communist Party that year and remained committed to internationalism
Internationalism (politics)
Internationalism is a political movement which advocates a greater economic and political cooperation among nations for the theoretical benefit of all...
and socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, although he and his wife Hilda left the Communist Party in 1948, believing its policies in Britain were no longer revolutionary.
Upward's first novel, Journey to the Border, was published by the Hogarth Press
Hogarth Press
The Hogarth Press was founded in 1917 by Leonard Woolf and Virginia Woolf. It was named after their house in Richmond, in which they began hand-printing books....
in 1938. It describes in poetic prose the rebellion of a private tutor against his employer and the menacing world of the 1930s, moving from a nightmarish state to one where he recognizes that he must join the workers' movement.
The semi-autobiographical trilogy, The Spiral Ascent, was published in the 1960s and 70s after he had retired from teaching and moved to Sandown
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort town and civil parish on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, neighbouring the town of Shanklin to the south. Sandown Bay is the name of the bay off the English Channel which both towns share, and it is notable for its long stretch of easily accessible...
, Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. It deals with a poet's life and his struggle to combine artistic creativity with political commitment, including in its historical sweep the fight against the British Union of Fascists in the 1930s, opposition to the leadership of the Communist Party in the 1940s and later involvement in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
In the last decades of the twentieth century Upward returned to writing short stories, which were published, along with earlier works, by Enitharmon Press. In 2005, Upward was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
Royal Society of Literature
The Royal Society of Literature is the "senior literary organisation in Britain". It was founded in 1820 by George IV, in order to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". The Society's first president was Thomas Burgess, who later became the Bishop of Salisbury...
and awarded their Benson Medal
Benson Medal
The Benson Medal is a medal awarded by the Royal Society of Literature in the UK.It was founded in 1916 by A. C. Benson who was a Fellow of the Society, to honour those who produce "meritorious works in poetry, fiction, history and belles-lettres."...
.
He died aged 105 on 13 February 2009 in Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
, England.
Novels
- Journey to the Border (1938, revised 1994)
- In the Thirties — vol. 1 of The Spiral Ascent (1962)
- The Rotten Elements — vol. 2 of The Spiral Ascent (1969)
- No Home but the Struggle — vol. 3 of The Spiral Ascent (1977)
Short story collections
- The Railway Accident and Other Stories (1969)
- The Night Walk and Other Stories (1987)
- The Mortmere Stories (1994)
- An Unmentionable Man (1994)
- The Scenic Railway (1997)
- The Coming Day and Other Stories (2000)
- A Renegade in Springtime (2003)
A full bibliography can be found in Edward Upward: A Bibliography 1920–2000, Alan Walker, Enitharmon Press (2000).
External links
- Edward Upward website Includes electronic editions of The Spiral Ascent and other works
- World Socialist Website obituary 30 March 2009
- New York Times obituary 22 February 2009
- Socialist Worker obituary
- The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
obituary 16 February 2009 - GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
article August 2003 - ObserverThe ObserverThe Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
article March 2003 - Socialist ReviewSocialist ReviewThe Socialist Review is the monthly magazine of the British Socialist Workers Party. As well as being printed it is also published online.-Original publication: 1950-1962:...
article October 2003 - Socialist ReviewSocialist ReviewThe Socialist Review is the monthly magazine of the British Socialist Workers Party. As well as being printed it is also published online.-Original publication: 1950-1962:...
review May 2003 - Camden New JournalCamden New JournalThe Camden New Journal is a free, independent newspaper that covers the London Borough of Camden. It was born out of a strike in the 1980s supported by campaigning journalist Paul Foot, Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson and the paper's editor Eric Gordon...
review August 2003 - The Dulwich Society review Winter 2003
- New HumanistNew HumanistNew Humanist is a monthly magazine published by the Rationalist Association in the UK. It has been in print for 125 years; starting out life as Watts's Literary Guide, founded by C. A. Watts in November 1885....
review June 2003 - "Morning Star" http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/features/obituary-edward-upward-1903-2009 16 February 2009
- "An Unrepentant Communist-blog" http://unrepentantcommunist.blogspot.com/2009/02/edward-upward-farewell-to-gentle-man.html February 2009