C. H. B. Kitchin

C. H. B. Kitchin
A June 1924 photo of C. H. B. Kitchin by Lady Ottoline Morrell
Born Clifford Henry Benn Kitchin
17 October 1895
Harrogate, Yorkshire, England
Died 4 April 1967 (1967-04-05) (aged 71)
Brighton, United Kingdom
Nationality British
Education Exeter College, Oxford
Occupation Author; stockbroker

Clifford Henry Benn Kitchin (17 October 1895 – 4 April 1967) was a British novelist of the early twentieth century. He was best known for his four mystery novels featuring the sleuth Malcolm Warren (Death of My Aunt, Crime at Christmas, Death of His Uncle, and The Cornish Fox), but his other novels were also highly regarded, especially by other writers. His best-known novels are The Auction Sale, Streamers Waving, and Mr. Balcony. He was one of Francis King's two mentors, the other being J. R. Ackerley. His other works include The Book of Life, Ten Pollitt Place and Jumping Joan.[1]

The elder son of Clifford Kitchin (1860-1913), a barrister, young Kitchin attended Exeter College, Oxford and, like his father before him, became a barrister. Further, he was a gifted chess player, bridge player and pianist.[2] Kitchin led a varied and colourful life. He was born into wealth and increased his wealth through investment in the stock market. He used his wealth to take part in many different fields, including the breeding and racing of greyhounds, in which he was briefly an important figure. He was homosexual, and was living with his lover Clive Bertram Preen (23 October 1886 – 20 April 1944) until Preen's death in 1944.[3]

Four of his novels with gay themes—The Sensitive One, Birthday Party, Ten Pollitt Place, and The Book of Life—have been reprinted by Valancourt Books.

References

  1. ↑ "Kitchin, C. H. B." A Dictionary of Writers and their Works. Ed. Michael Cox. Oxford University Press, 2001.
  2. ↑ "Kitchin, Clifford Henry Benn" The Oxford Companion to English Literature. Edited by Dinah Birch. Oxford University Press Inc
  3. ↑ Wright, Adrian: Foreign country: the life of L.P. Hartley. London 1996, p. 131-133
  • "Clifford Kitchin biography". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2006-12-22. via knitting circle
  • Valancourt Books biography
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.