Helen de Guerry Simpson
Encyclopedia
Helen de Guerry Simpson (1 December 1897 – 14 October 1940) was an Australian novelist.
into a family that had been settled in New South Wales
for over 100 years. Her great-grandfather, Piers Simpson, R.N., was associated with Sir Thomas Mitchell and her maternal grandfather, the Marquis de Lauret, settled at Goulburn some 50 years before her birth. Her father, Edward Percy Simpson, was a well-known solicitor at Sydney who married Anne de Lauret. Helen Simpson was educated at the Rose Bay convent (now called Kincoppal-Rose Bay, School of the Sacred Heart
) and at Abbotsleigh
, Wahroonga and, in 1914, she went to France for further study. When war broke out she crossed to England and was employed by the admiralty in decoding messages in foreign languages. She then went to Oxford
, studied music and, failing in her examination for the music bachelor's degree, took up writing.
Her first appearance in print was a slight volume of verse, Philosophies in Little, published at Sydney in a limited edition in 1921. It attracted little notice but was included by Serle in his list of the more important volumes in his Bibliography of Australasian Poetry and Verse, published in 1925. Her play, A Man of His Time, based on the life of Benvenuto Cellini
and written partly in blank verse, was a remarkable piece of work for a girl of less than 25. It was performed by McMahon's repertory company at Sydney and published there by Angus and Robertson in 1923. Her first novel, Acquittal, appeared in London in 1925 and was followed by The Baseless Fabric (short stories) in 1925 and Cups, Wands and Swords (1927). The Women's Comedy (a play) was privately printed in 1926.
Simpson visited Australia in 1927 and, in the same year, married Denis John Browne, F.R.C.S., a fellow Australian practising in London who was a nephew of Thomas Alexander Browne
, "Rolf Boldrewood". Mumbudget, a collection of fairy stories, appeared in 1928 followed by The Desolate House (1929) and Vantage Striker (1931). These books were all capably written, but had comparatively little success. It was not until Boomerang was published in 1932 that Helen Simpson came into her own. Here was a long rambling novel beginning in Paris at the end of the eighteenth century, wandering all over the world, including Australia, and ending in the trenches in France during the 1914–18 war. Always interesting and vivid and often exciting, it was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize
for fiction. This was followed by The Woman on the Beast in 1933, which consisted of a prologue, three books and an epilogue. The three books have no connexion with each other; in reality they form three separate short novels with the common basis that the most hateful things may be done for apparently the best of reasons. An admirable historical novel, Saraband for Dead Lovers
, came out in 1935, as did The Female Felon, a long short story.
In 1937 Simpson came out to Australia under engagement to the Australian Broadcasting Commission. She gave an excellent series of talks and, while in Australia, collected material for the novel Under Capricorn, which appeared in 1937 and was set in Sydney about 100 years before.
In 1939 she was selected by the Isle of Wight
Liberal Association
to be their parliamentary candidate at the UK General Election which was expected to take place in 1939 or 1940. The seat was held by the Conservatives but the Liberals were expected to challenge strongly to recapture the seat they last won in 1923. She attended the Liberal Party Assembly at Scarborough in June 1939 and travelled around England speaking for the Liberal Party.
She was operated on in 1940, but died after months of suffering on 14 October 1940. Her husband survived her with a daughter. Her last novel, Maid No More, was published in 1940.
In addition to the books already mentioned, Simpson was the author of two pieces of historical biography, The Spanish Marriage (1933) and Henry VIII (1934). The Happy Housewife, a book of household management, was published in 1934 and A Woman Among Wild Men, an account of the life of Mary Kingsley
, came out in 1938. The Waiting City, which appeared in 1933, is her translation of an interesting selection from Louis-Sebastien Mercier's Le Tableau de Paris. Three novels, Enter Sir John
(1929), Printer's Devil
(1930) and Re-enter Sir John
(1932), were written in conjunction with Clemence Dane
. Enter Sir John was filmed as Murder!
(1930) directed by Alfred Hitchcock
, who later directed the film version of Under Capricorn
(1949).
Life and career
Simpson was born in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
into a family that had been settled in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
for over 100 years. Her great-grandfather, Piers Simpson, R.N., was associated with Sir Thomas Mitchell and her maternal grandfather, the Marquis de Lauret, settled at Goulburn some 50 years before her birth. Her father, Edward Percy Simpson, was a well-known solicitor at Sydney who married Anne de Lauret. Helen Simpson was educated at the Rose Bay convent (now called Kincoppal-Rose Bay, School of the Sacred Heart
Kincoppal-Rose Bay, School of the Sacred Heart, Sydney
Kincoppal-Rose Bay, School of the Sacred Heart , is a private, Roman Catholic, day and boarding school predominantly for girls, located in Rose Bay, an eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
) and at Abbotsleigh
Abbotsleigh
Abbotsleigh School for Girls is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for girls, located in Wahroonga, on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Wahroonga and, in 1914, she went to France for further study. When war broke out she crossed to England and was employed by the admiralty in decoding messages in foreign languages. She then went to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, studied music and, failing in her examination for the music bachelor's degree, took up writing.
Her first appearance in print was a slight volume of verse, Philosophies in Little, published at Sydney in a limited edition in 1921. It attracted little notice but was included by Serle in his list of the more important volumes in his Bibliography of Australasian Poetry and Verse, published in 1925. Her play, A Man of His Time, based on the life of Benvenuto Cellini
Benvenuto Cellini
Benvenuto Cellini was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, painter, soldier and musician, who also wrote a famous autobiography. He was one of the most important artists of Mannerism.-Youth:...
and written partly in blank verse, was a remarkable piece of work for a girl of less than 25. It was performed by McMahon's repertory company at Sydney and published there by Angus and Robertson in 1923. Her first novel, Acquittal, appeared in London in 1925 and was followed by The Baseless Fabric (short stories) in 1925 and Cups, Wands and Swords (1927). The Women's Comedy (a play) was privately printed in 1926.
Simpson visited Australia in 1927 and, in the same year, married Denis John Browne, F.R.C.S., a fellow Australian practising in London who was a nephew of Thomas Alexander Browne
Thomas Alexander Browne
Thomas Alexander Browne was an Australian writer, who sometimes published under the pseudonym Rolf Boldrewood and best known for his novel Robbery Under Arms.-Biography:...
, "Rolf Boldrewood". Mumbudget, a collection of fairy stories, appeared in 1928 followed by The Desolate House (1929) and Vantage Striker (1931). These books were all capably written, but had comparatively little success. It was not until Boomerang was published in 1932 that Helen Simpson came into her own. Here was a long rambling novel beginning in Paris at the end of the eighteenth century, wandering all over the world, including Australia, and ending in the trenches in France during the 1914–18 war. Always interesting and vivid and often exciting, it was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize
James Tait Black Memorial Prize
Founded in 1919, the James Tait Black Memorial Prizes are among the oldest and most prestigious book prizes awarded for literature written in the English language and are Britain's oldest literary awards...
for fiction. This was followed by The Woman on the Beast in 1933, which consisted of a prologue, three books and an epilogue. The three books have no connexion with each other; in reality they form three separate short novels with the common basis that the most hateful things may be done for apparently the best of reasons. An admirable historical novel, Saraband for Dead Lovers
Saraband for Dead Lovers
Saraband for Dead Lovers is a 1948 British historical drama film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Stewart Granger and Joan Greenwood. It is based on the novel by Helen Simpson...
, came out in 1935, as did The Female Felon, a long short story.
In 1937 Simpson came out to Australia under engagement to the Australian Broadcasting Commission. She gave an excellent series of talks and, while in Australia, collected material for the novel Under Capricorn, which appeared in 1937 and was set in Sydney about 100 years before.
In 1939 she was selected by the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight (UK Parliament constituency)
Isle of Wight is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created by the Great Reform Act for the 1832 general election, it covers the whole of the Isle of Wight and elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system.-...
Liberal Association
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
to be their parliamentary candidate at the UK General Election which was expected to take place in 1939 or 1940. The seat was held by the Conservatives but the Liberals were expected to challenge strongly to recapture the seat they last won in 1923. She attended the Liberal Party Assembly at Scarborough in June 1939 and travelled around England speaking for the Liberal Party.
She was operated on in 1940, but died after months of suffering on 14 October 1940. Her husband survived her with a daughter. Her last novel, Maid No More, was published in 1940.
In addition to the books already mentioned, Simpson was the author of two pieces of historical biography, The Spanish Marriage (1933) and Henry VIII (1934). The Happy Housewife, a book of household management, was published in 1934 and A Woman Among Wild Men, an account of the life of Mary Kingsley
Mary Kingsley
Mary Henrietta Kingsley was an English writer and explorer who greatly influenced European ideas about Africa and African people.-Early life:Kingsley was born in Islington, London on 13 October 1862...
, came out in 1938. The Waiting City, which appeared in 1933, is her translation of an interesting selection from Louis-Sebastien Mercier's Le Tableau de Paris. Three novels, Enter Sir John
Enter Sir John
Enter Sir John is a 1928 British crime novel by Clemence Dane and Helen Simpson. It concerns Martella Baring, a young actress, who is put on trial and convicted of murder and a fellow actor Sir John Saumarez who takes up her cause and tries to prove her innocence...
(1929), Printer's Devil
Printer's Devil
"Printer's Devil" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. The title comes from the profession printer's devil, an apprentice in the industry....
(1930) and Re-enter Sir John
Re-enter Sir John
Re-enter Sir John is a 1932 British crime novel written by Clemence Dane and Helen Simpson. It was the sequel to the 1928 novel Enter Sir John, which had been adapted into a film Murder! by Alfred Hitchcock. The story continued the adventures of the actor-manager Sir John Saumerez.-Bibliography:*...
(1932), were written in conjunction with Clemence Dane
Clemence Dane
Clemence Dane was the pseudonym of Winifred Ashton , an English novelist and playwright.-Life and career:...
. Enter Sir John was filmed as Murder!
Murder!
Murder! is a 1930 British drama film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Herbert Marshall, Norah Baring and Edward Chapman. It is based on a novel and play called Enter Sir John by Clemence Dane and Helen Simpson...
(1930) directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
, who later directed the film version of Under Capricorn
Under Capricorn
Under Capricorn is an Alfred Hitchcock historical feature film.-Production:The film is based on the novel Under Capricorn by Helen Simpson, with screenplay by James Bridie, and adaptation by Hume Cronyn. The movie was co-produced by Hitchcock and Sidney Bernstein for their short-lived production...
(1949).
Personal
Helen and Denis Browne had a daughter Clemence, named for her collaborator Clemence Dane.External links
- Works by Helen Simpson at Project Gutenberg Australia