Gilbert Frankau
Encyclopedia
Gilbert Frankau was a popular British novelist. He was known also for verse (he was a war poet
of World War I
) including a number of verse novel
s, and short stories.
He was born in London into a Jewish family, but was baptised as an Anglican at the age of 13. After education at Eton College
, he went into the family cigar business.
from the outbreak of war in 1914, first in the 9th Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment
), and then with the rank of Captain as a gunner in the 107th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery
– experiences that he later used in novels. He fought in major battles of the British Expeditionary Force in France, and wrote for the Wipers Times
, before being invalided out and given a posting in Italy
. The family business not having survived the war, he became a writer.
His novels, while having conventional romantic content, also contained material from his own conservative politics, and meditations on Jewish identity in the climate of the times. Some of them were filmed (see Christopher Strong
; If I Marry Again was based on a short story). His political ambitions were frustrated by the fact that he was a divorcee (he married three times), not acceptable in the Conservative Party
of the time. His outspoken criticism of Stanley Baldwin also did nothing to endear him to the Tory leadership. He notoriously wrote a 1933 article "As a Jew I am not Against Hitler" for the Daily Express
, shortly after Adolf Hitler
had come to power in Germany; he later retracted his position.
Few of his works have survived in reputation.
(1864–1916), sister of Owen Hall
, wrote under the name Frank Danby (and is said to have collaborated with George Moore
). His daughter Pamela Frankau
from his first marriage was at least as successful as a writer. Another daughter also wrote, and Timothy D'Arch Smith, writer and bibliographer, is a grandson. His brother was comedian and musician Ronald Frankau
(1894–1951). His sister was the Cambridge don Joan Bennett (1896–1986), one of many noted defence witnesses in the 1960 Lady Chatterley trial.
War poet
A War poet is a poet writing in time of and on the subject of war. The term, which is applied especially to those in military service during World War I, was documented as early as 1848 in reference to German revolutionary poet, Georg Herwegh.-Crimean War:...
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...
) including a number of verse novel
Verse novel
A verse novel is a type of narrative poetry in which a novel-length narrative is told through the medium of poetry rather than prose. Either simple or complex stanzaic verse-forms may be used, but there will usually be a large cast, multiple voices, dialogue, narration, description, and action in a...
s, and short stories.
He was born in London into a Jewish family, but was baptised as an Anglican at the age of 13. After education at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, he went into the family cigar business.
Career
He served in the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
from the outbreak of war in 1914, first in the 9th Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment
East Surrey Regiment
The East Surrey Regiment was a regiment in the British Army formed in 1881 from the amalgamation of the 31st Regiment of Foot and the 70th Regiment of Foot...
), and then with the rank of Captain as a gunner in the 107th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
– experiences that he later used in novels. He fought in major battles of the British Expeditionary Force in France, and wrote for the Wipers Times
Wipers Times
The Wipers Times was a trench magazine that was published by soldiers fighting on the front lines of the First World War.It was produced by English soldiers from the 12th Battalion Sherwood Foresters , 24th Division British Armies in France.In early 1916, the 12th Battalion was stationed in the...
, before being invalided out and given a posting in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The family business not having survived the war, he became a writer.
His novels, while having conventional romantic content, also contained material from his own conservative politics, and meditations on Jewish identity in the climate of the times. Some of them were filmed (see Christopher Strong
Christopher Strong
Christopher Strong is a 1933 RKO film, directed by Dorothy Arzner and starring Katharine Hepburn in her second screen role. The screenplay by Zoë Akins is adapted from the novel by Gilbert Frankau.-Synopsis:...
; If I Marry Again was based on a short story). His political ambitions were frustrated by the fact that he was a divorcee (he married three times), not acceptable in the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
of the time. His outspoken criticism of Stanley Baldwin also did nothing to endear him to the Tory leadership. He notoriously wrote a 1933 article "As a Jew I am not Against Hitler" for the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
, shortly after Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
had come to power in Germany; he later retracted his position.
Few of his works have survived in reputation.
Family
His mother Julia FrankauJulia Frankau
Julia Frankau, née Julia Davis was a successful novelist under the name of Frank Danby.She was the sister of Owen Hall, Harrie Davis and Eliza Davis. She was home-schooled by Laura Lafargue, the daughter of Karl Marx.She married the cigar importer Arthur Frankau...
(1864–1916), sister of Owen Hall
Owen Hall
Owen Hall was the pen name of the Irish-born 19th and early 20th century theatre writer and theatre critic James Davis when writing for the stage...
, wrote under the name Frank Danby (and is said to have collaborated with George Moore
George Moore (novelist)
George Augustus Moore was an Irish novelist, short-story writer, poet, art critic, memoirist and dramatist. Moore came from a Roman Catholic landed family who lived at Moore Hall in Carra, County Mayo. He originally wanted to be a painter, and studied art in Paris during the 1870s...
). His daughter Pamela Frankau
Pamela Frankau
Pamela Frankau was a popular British novelist. Her parents were Dorothea Frances Markham Drummond-Black and the novelist Gilbert Frankau and her grandmother the satirist Julia Frankau. Her uncle was the British radio comedian, Ronald Frankau.She had success as a writer from a young age...
from his first marriage was at least as successful as a writer. Another daughter also wrote, and Timothy D'Arch Smith, writer and bibliographer, is a grandson. His brother was comedian and musician Ronald Frankau
Ronald Frankau
Ronald Frankau was an English comedian and musician from London who started in cabarets and made his way to radio and films.-Family:...
(1894–1951). His sister was the Cambridge don Joan Bennett (1896–1986), one of many noted defence witnesses in the 1960 Lady Chatterley trial.
Works
- Eton Echoes (1901) poems
- The XYZ of Bridge (1906)
- Jack – One of Us: A Novel in Verse (1912) also as One of Us
- Tid'apa (What Does It Matter?) (1914)
- A Song of the Guns in Flanders (1916) poems
- How Rifleman Brown Came To Valhalla (1916)
- The Woman of the Horizon: A Romance of Nineteen-Thirteen (1917)
- One of Them: A Novelette in Verse (1918)
- The Judgement of Valhalla (1918)
- The Other Side, and Other Poems (1918)
- The City of Fear and Other Poems (1918)
- Peter Jackson, Cigar Merchant: A Romance of Married Life (1919)
- The Seeds of Enchantment (1921)
- The Love Story of Aliette Brunton (1922)
- Men, Maids and Mustard Pot (1923) short stories
- Peter Jameson: A Modern Romance (1923)
- Poetical Works (1923)
- Gerald Cranston's Lady (1924)
- Life – and Erica: A Romance (1924)
- The Dominant Type Of Man (1925) non-fiction
- My Unsentimental Journey (1926)
- Masterson, a Story of an English Gentleman (1926)
- Twelve Tales (1927)
- So Much Good: A Novel in a New Manner (1928)
- Martin Make-Believe (1930)
- Dance, Little Gentleman! (1930)
- Concerning Peter Jackson and Others (c.1930)
- Christopher Strong (1932)
- Wine, Women And Waiters (1932)
- The Lonely Man: A Romance of Love and the Secret Service (1932)
- Secret Services: A Collection of Tales (1934)
- Everywoman (1934)
- A Century of Love Stories (c.1935) editor
- Farewell Romance (1936)
- Three Stories Of Romance (1936) with Warwick DeepingWarwick Deeping (novelist)George Warwick Deeping was a prolific English novelist and short story writer, whose most famous novel was Sorrell and Son .-Life:...
and Ethel ManninEthel ManninEthel Edith Mannin was a popular British novelist and travel writer. She was born in London into a family with an Irish background.... - Experiments in Crime and Other Stories (1937)
- More Of Us: Being the Present-Day Adventures of "One of Us": A Novel in Verse (1937)
- The Dangerous Years: A Trilogy (1937)
- Royal Regiment: A Drama of Contemporary Behaviours (1938)
- Gilbert Frankau's Self Portrait: A Novel of His Own Life (1940)
- Winter of Discontent (1942) as Air Ministry Room 28 (1942) in the United Staes of America
- World Without End (1942)
- Escape to Yesterday (1942)
- Selected Verses (1943)
- Three Englishman: A Romance of Married Lives (1944)
- Michael's Wife (1948)
- Son of the Morning (1949)
- Oliver Trenton K.C. (1951)
- Unborn Tomorrow: A Last Story (1953)
- The Peter Jackson Omnibus