John Beverley Nichols (9 September 1898 – 15 September 1983) was an English writer, playwright and public speaker. He wrote more than 60 books and plays.
Career
Between his first book, the novel ''Prelude'' (1920), and his last, a book of poetry, ''Twilight'' (1982), Nichols wrote more than 60 books. In addition to fiction, essays, theatre scripts and children's books, he wrote non-fiction works on travel, politics, religion, cats, parapsychology, and autobiography. He contributed to many magazines and newspapers throughout his life, notably weekly columns for the London ''Sunday Chronicle'' newspaper (1932–1943) and ''
Woman's Own'' magazine (1946–1967).
Nichols is notable for his books about his homes and gardens, the first of which, ''Down the Garden Path'' (1932), was illustrated by
Rex Whistler, as were its two sequels. It went through 32 editions and has remained in print almost continuously. The trilogy chronicled the difficulties and delights of maintaining a
Tudor thatched cottage in
Glatton, Huntingdonshire, the village he fictionalised as Allways. The now Grade II listed house Allways was his home from 1928 to 1937. The three books were so popular that they led to humorous imitations, including ''Mon Repos'' (1934) by "Nicholas Bevel" (a parody by Muriel Hine) and ''Garden Rubbish'' (1936) by
W. C. Sellar and
R. J. Yeatman, a satire on garden writers, which included a Nichols-like figure named "Knatchbull Twee."
Nichols' next garden and home book was ''Green Grows the City'' (1939), about his modern house and urban garden near
Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath is an ancient heath in London, spanning . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London Clay. The heath is rambling ...
, London. That book introduced Reginald Arthur Gaskin, Nichols' manservant from 1924 until Gaskin's death in January 1967. Gaskin was a popular character in the book and was included in Nichols' succeeding gardening books.
A second trilogy (1951–1956) began with ''Merry Hall'', documenting Nichols' travails with his extravagant
Georgian manor in Agates Lane,
Ashtead
Ashtead is a village in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England, approximately south of central London. Ashtead is on the single-carriageway A24 road (Great Britain), A24 between Epsom and Leatherhead. The village is on the northern sl ...
, Surrey (fictionalised as Meadowstream), where Nichols lived from 1946 to 1956. The books often featured his gifted but laconic gardener "Oldfield". Nichols' final trilogy (1963–1968) chronicled his adapting to a more modest living arrangement, beginning in 1958, in a late 18th-century attached cottage ("Sudbrook") at
Ham, near
Richmond,
Surrey
Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...
. This was Nichols' final home and garden, where he lived for 25 years until his death in 1983. Illustrations and
dust jacket
The dust jacket (sometimes book jacket, dust wrapper or dust cover) of a book is the detachable outer cover, usually made of paper and printed with text and illustrations. This outer cover has folded flaps that hold it to the front and back book ...
designs for these later volumes were provided by
William McLaren.
Nichols wrote on a wide range of subjects. He
ghostwrote Dame Nellie Melba's 1925 "autobiography" ''Memories and Melodies'' (he was at the time her personal secretary, and his 1933 book ''Evensong'' was believed to be based on aspects of her life). In 1933, Nichols wrote a bestseller advocating
pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaigner Émile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress in Glasgow in 1901. A related term is ...
, ''Cry Havoc!'', which sparked intense debate in Britain and North America.
[Martin Ceadel, ''Pacifism in Britain, 1914–1945: the defining of a faith''. Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1980. (p.239).] In ''Cry Havoc!'' Nichols said that by the time the book went to the press the new dictator of Germany,
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
, might be exiled or might have rejected the extremist elements in the Nazi party.
Francis Yeats-Brown wrote ''Dogs of War'' (1934) as a rebuttal of Nichols's pacifism and called him a public danger.
In his 1938 work ''News of England'', Nichols said the leader of the
British Union of Fascists
The British Union of Fascists (BUF) was a British fascist political party formed in 1932 by Oswald Mosley. Mosley changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists in 1936 and, in 1937, to the British Union. In 1939, f ...
,
Oswald Mosley, was a potential leader who could unite Britain and prevent war but was critical of Mosley's antisemitism. Nichols worked for the
Anglo-German Fellowship in an effort to improve Anglo-Germans relations and delivered speeches to the
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth ( , often abbreviated as HJ, ) was the youth wing of the German Nazi Party. Its origins date back to 1922 and it received the name ("Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth") in July 1926. From 1936 until 1945, it was th ...
during his visits to Germany, in which he advocated peace. By 1938, he had abandoned his pacifism, and he supported the Allies in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
Nichols criticised
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
and
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
in ''Verdict on India'' (1944), and advocated the
partition of India
The partition of India in 1947 was the division of British India into two independent dominion states, the Dominion of India, Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan. The Union of India is today the Republic of India, and the Dominion of Paki ...
as the solution to Hindu-Muslim antagonism. He labelled the
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
as fascist and argued that they were aiding the Japanese enemy by advocating civil disobedience to British rule. He also put the case for the creation of
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
on the grounds of self-determination. The book became a bestseller and was praised by the
All-India Muslim League
The All-India Muslim League (AIML) was a political party founded in 1906 in Dhaka, British India with the goal of securing Muslims, Muslim interests in South Asia. Although initially espousing a united India with interfaith unity, the Muslim L ...
but was opposed by Congress.
In 1966 he wrote ''A Case of Human Bondage'' about the marriage and divorce of writer
W. Somerset Maugham and his wife, interior decorator
Syrie Maugham
Gwendoline Maud Syrie Maugham ( Barnardo, formerly Wellcome; 10 July 1879 – 25 July 1955) was a leading British interior decorator of the 1920s and 1930s who popularised rooms decorated entirely in white.
Early life
Gwendoline Maud Syrie Ba ...
, which was highly critical of Maugham. He was disappointed by the reception of ''Powers That Be'' (1966), a book about
spiritualism
Spiritualism may refer to:
* Spiritual church movement, a group of Spiritualist churches and denominations historically based in the African-American community
* Spiritualism (beliefs), a metaphysical belief that the world is made up of at leas ...
. ''Father Figure'' (1972), in which Nichols described how he tried to murder his
alcoholic
Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...
, abusive father, caused uproar and calls for his prosecution.
Nichols was also a mystery writer. His five detective novels (1954–1960) featured a middle-aged private detective of independent means called Horatio Green.
Apart from authorship, Nichols' main interest was gardening, especially garden design and winter flowers. His many acquaintances in all walks of life included some famous gardeners, such as
Constance Spry and
Lord Aberconway, President of the
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity.
The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...
and owner of
Bodnant Garden in North Wales. In 2009
Timber Press
Workman Publishing Company, Inc., is an American Publishing companies, publisher of Tradebook, trade books founded by Peter Workman. The company consists of Imprint (trade name), imprints Workman, Workman Children's, Workman Calendars, Artisan ...
, which have reprinted a number of Nichols' titles, published a book called ''Rhapsody in Green: The Garden Wit and Wisdom of Beverley Nichols'', edited by Roy C. Dicks.
Nichols made one film appearance, in ''
Glamour'' (1931), directed by
Seymour Hicks and
Harry Hughes, playing the small part of the Hon. Richard Wells. The film is now lost.
Personal life
Nichols was at school at
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English private boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. It was founded as Marlborough School in 1843 by the Dean of Manchester, George ...
before proceeding to
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263 by nobleman John I de Balliol, it has a claim to be the oldest college in Oxford and the English-speaking world.
With a governing body of a master and aro ...
in January 1917. His education was interrupted by military service with the Intelligence section at the
War Office
The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...
, as an instructor to an
Officer Cadet Battalion in Cambridge, and as aide-de-camp to
Arthur Shipley on the British University Mission to the United States. Nichols then returned to Oxford, where he was President of the
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, England, whose membership is drawn primarily from the University of Oxford. Founded in 1823, it is one of Britain's oldest unive ...
and editor of ''
Isis
Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...
''.
In 1920 he passed the Shortened Honours degree in Modern History.
He was homosexual and probably had a brief affair with the war poet
Siegfried Sassoon
Siegfried Loraine Sassoon (8 September 1886 – 1 September 1967) was an English war poet, writer, and soldier. Decorated for bravery on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front, he became one of the leading poets of the First World ...
, according to a Sassoon biographer. Nichols' long-term companion was the actor and director
Cyril Butcher, the main beneficiary of Nichols' will, amounting to £131,750.
Nichols died on 15 September 1983 and his ashes were scattered over St Nicholas' Churchyard,
Glatton, Cambridgeshire, England.
Selected bibliography
, -
, style="width:50%; vertical-align:top;",
Essays and journalism
*''Are They The Same at Home? Being a Series of Bouquets Diffidently Distributed'' (1927)
*''The Star Spangled Manner'' (1928)
*''Women and Children Last'' (1931)
*''For Adults Only'' (1932)
*''Cry Havoc!'' (1933)
*''News of England or a Country Without a Hero'' (1938)
*''Verdict on India'' (1944)
*''Men Do Not Weep'' (1941)
*''Uncle Samson'' (1950)
*''The Queen's Coronation Day: The Pictorial Record of the Great Occasion'' (1953)
Gardening, homes and restoration
*''Down the Garden Path'' (1932)
*''A Thatched Roof'' (1933)
*''A Village in a Valley'' (1934)
*''How Does Your Garden Grow?'' (1935)
*''Green Grows the City: The Story of a London Garden'' (1939)
*''Merry Hall'' (1951)
*''Laughter on the Stairs'' (1953)
*''Sunlight on the Lawn'' (1956)
*''Garden Open Today'' (1963)
*''Forty Favourite Flowers'' (1964)
*''The Art of Flower Arrangement'' (1967)
*''Garden Open Tomorrow'' (1968)
*''The Gift of a Garden; or Some Flowers Remembered'' (1971)
Novels
*''Prelude'' (1920) (reprinted in 2007) )
*''Patchwork'' (1921)
*''Self'' (1922)
*''Crazy Pavements'' (1927)
*''Evensong'' (1932),
filmed in 1934
*''Revue'' (1939)
Mysteries
*''No Man's Street'' (1954)
*''The Moonflower'' (1955) (a.k.a. The Moonflower Murder)
*''Death to Slow Music'' (1956)
*''The Rich Die Hard'' (1957)
*''Murder by Request'' (1960)
Cats
*''Beverley Nichols' Cat Book'' (1955)
*''Beverley Nichols' Cats A.B.C.'' (1960)
*''Beverley Nichols' Cats X.Y.Z.'' (1961)
*''Cats' A-Z'' (1977)
, valign=top ,
Religion
*''The Fool Hath Said'' (1936)
*''A Pilgrim's Progress'' (1952)
Spiritualism
*''Powers That Be'' (1966)
Humour
*''The Valet as Historian'' (1934)
Plays and poetry
*''Failures: Three Plays'' (1933)
**''The Stag'' (produced 1929)
**''Avalanche'' (produced 1931)
**''When the Crash Comes'' (produced 1933)
*''
Evensong
Evensong is a church service traditionally held near sunset focused on singing psalms and other biblical canticles. It is loosely based on the canonical hours of vespers and compline. Old English speakers translated the Latin word as , which ...
'' (produced 1932, published 1933)
*''A Book of Old Ballads'' (editor, 1934) with illustrations by
H. M. Brock
*''Mesmer'' (produced 1935, published 1937)
*''
Shadow of the Vine'' (published 1949, produced 1954)
*''Twilight: First and Probably Last Poems'' (1982)
Autobiographies
*''25: Being a Young Man's Candid Recollections of his Elders and Betters'' (1926); also titled ''Twenty-Five''
*''All I Could Never Be: Some Recollections'' (1949)
*''The Sweet and Twenties'' (1958)
*''Father Figure'' (1972)
*''Down the Kitchen Sink'' (1974)
*''The Unforgiving Minute: Some Confessions from Childhood to the Outbreak of the Second World War'' (1978)
Biography
*''A Case of Human Bondage: The Tragic Marriage of Somerset Maugham'' (1966)
Children's books
*''The Tree that Sat Down'' (1945)
*''The Stream that Stood Still'' (1948)
*''The Mountain of Magic'' (1950)
*''The Wickedest Witch in the World'' (1971)
Travel
*''No Place Like Home'' (1936)
*''The Sun in My Eyes or How Not to Go Around the World'' (1969)
In collaboration
* Butcher, Cyril. ''In Extremis, Worst Moments in the Lives of the Famous'' (1934), with a foreword by Beverley Nichols.
*''Yours Sincerely'' (1947), in collaboration with
Monica Dickens
References
External links
Beverley Nichols papers held a
University of DelawareBeverley Nichols Collectionat the
Harry Ransom Center
The Harry Ransom Center, known as the Humanities Research Center until 1983, is an archive, library, and museum at the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in the collection of literary and cultural artifacts from the Americas and Europe ...
Beverley Nichols: Conserving Moments from His 'Strange and Lovely Life'(online exhibition), at th
University of Delaware*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichols, Beverly
1898 births
1983 deaths
Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford
English short story writers
English gardeners
British garden writers
British LGBTQ dramatists and playwrights
English LGBTQ novelists
English male dramatists and playwrights
English male short story writers
English male novelists
People educated at Marlborough College
Presidents of the Oxford Union
Writers from Bristol
20th-century English novelists
20th-century English dramatists and playwrights
20th-century English short story writers
20th-century English male writers
20th-century English LGBTQ people
English garden writers