C. H. B. Kitchin

Clifford Henry Benn Kitchin (17 October 1895 – 4 April 1967) was a British novelist of the early twentieth century.

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
Died4 April 1967 (1967-04-05) (aged 71)
Brighton, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
EducationExeter College, Oxford
OccupationAuthor; stockbroker
Partner(s)Clive Bertram Preen

Biography

The elder son of Clifford Kitchin (1860–1913), a barrister, young Kitchin attended Clifton College[1] and Exeter College, Oxford and, like his father before him, became a barrister. 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 until Preen's death in 1944.[3]

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.[4] 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.

Works
  • Curtains. Oxford: B.H. Blackwell, 1919. (poetry)
  • Winged Victory. Oxford: B.H. Blackwell, 1920. (poetry)
  • Streamers Waving. London: Hogarth Press, 1925.
  • Mr. Balcony. London: Hogarth Press, 1927.
  • The Sensitive One. London: Hogarth Press, 1931.
  • Olive E.. London: Constable & Co, 1937.
  • The Birthday Party. London: Constable & Co, 1938.
  • The Auction Sale. London: Secker & Warburg, 1949.
  • Jumping Joan and other stories. London: Secker & Warburg, 1954.
  • The Secret River. London: Secker & Warburg, 1956.
  • Ten Pollitt Place. London: Secker & Warburg, 1957.
  • The Book Of Life. London: Peter Davies, 1960.
  • A Short Walk In Williams Park. London: Chatto & Windus, 1971.

Malcolm Warren series
  • Death Of My Aunt. London: Hogarth Press, 1929.
  • Crime At Christmas. London: Hogarth Press, 1934.
  • Death Of His Uncle. London: Constable & Co, 1939.
  • The Cornish Fox. London: Secker & Warburg, 1949.

References
  1. "Clifton College Register" Muirhead, J.A.O. p291: Bristol; J.W Arrowsmith for Old Cliftonian Society; April, 1948
  2. Drabble, Margaret, ed. (2006). The Oxford Companion to English Literature (6 ed.). London: Oxford University Press. p. 561.
  3. Wright, Adrian (1996). Foreign country: the life of L.P. Hartley. London. pp. 131–133.
  4. Cox, Michael, ed. (2001). A Dictionary of Writers and their Works. Oxford University Press.
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