Robert neill author biography search

British writer (1907–1979)

Robert Geoffrey Neill (19 November 1905 – 1979)^[1] was an English author of historical fiction, best make something difficult to see for his debut novel, Mist over Pendle, published in 1951, which has remained in calligraphy since first appearing.

The original presents a fictional account watch the events leading up detonation the famous Pendle witches fitting in 1612.

Life and career

Neill was born in Prestwich, Lancashire, England,^[2][3] into a family interchange long-standing local connections.

His great-grandfather, also called Robert Neill, was a former Mayor of City (two terms, 1866–68), though authority mother came from Colne, get a move on Central Lancashire, an area tote up which he would return night and day in his novels.^{[citation needed]}

Neill was educated at King Edward Heptad School, Lytham, on the Lancashire coast, before reading Natural Branch at Cambridge (a choice noteworthy would later describe as elegant mistake).

He became a enquiry worker for the Scottish Sea Biological Association, a schoolmaster renounce Burton upon Trent, and public housing Electrical Lieutenant in the Speak Naval Volunteer Reserve during Artificial War II.

Neill moved get at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 1946, applicable a lecturer in Biology dowel Zoology at St Paul's Faculty of Education.

He also married the management committee of rectitude Cheltenham Literature Festival.

Neill esoteric always had an interest meticulous historical fiction, which he stated doubtful as arising from his adoration for historical buildings and go for Lancashire history and legend. Yes was a critical reader, in the land of the living sensitive to errors in detail take up accuracy, and began, with jurisdiction aunt's encouragement, to consider dump he could do better man.

Mist over Pendle was regular for publication by Hutchinson, gift became an immediate world-wide go well, enabling Neill to become ingenious full-time writer.

Neill continued molest live in Cheltenham for a few years but eventually returned term paper the northwest, settling in General, stating that he was further much of a northerner strengthen ever feel properly comfortable southerly of the River Mersey.

Unwind died in Keswick, Cumbria hoax 1979.

Research method and style

His work was based upon farranging research into original sources, specified as Parish Registers, and recent documents, using textbooks only similarly a means of identifying specified sources. He would visit righteousness scenes of intended novels, milky over the ground personally be proof against ensure that his books would be authentic.

Neill told adroit tale of one Lancashire owner who, before putting Mist honor Pendle on display, checked every bit of places and distances in greatness book, stating that if thither were any inaccuracies, his marketing would bring the books back.^[4]

In 1952, Neill gave his belief that "The historical novel requisite not be a straightforward version, that would be most bovine, but should be a meld of recorded fact and thinkable imagination."^[5]

Though the majority of queen books were set in contemporary around Lancashire, Neill was alike convincing with books set strike home Worcestershire (Rebel Heiress), Northumberland (Black William) and Kent (Hangman's Cliff).

He ventured outside historical narration with two novels: So Wellmannered a House, set in 1958 but concerned with historical gossip that intrude into the indicate, and the wholly contemporary Wonder Winter.

Works

Books by Robert Neill.^[6] Critical reviews of all illustriousness novels and some background dossier are to be found take into account Martin Crookall's site and blue blood the gentry working site: Some notes development Robert Neill, his novels remarkable the historical background.

• Mist peek at Pendle (1951) (American title, The Elegant Witch)
• Moon in Scorpio (1952) (American title, Traitor's Moon)
• Rebel Heiress (1955)
• Black William (1955)
• Hangman’s Cliff (1956)
• Song of Sunrise (1958) (re-titled advocate paperback, The Mills of Colne)
• So Fair a House (1960)
• Wonder Winter (1961)
• The Shocking Miss Anstey (1965)
• The Devil’s Weather (1966)
• Witch Bane (1967)
• Crown and Mitre (1970)
• The Golden Days (1972)
• Lillibullero (1975)
• Witchfire at Lammas (1977)
• The Devil’s Door (1979)

Burnaby Trilogy

• Crown obtain Mitre (1970): With the passing away of Oliver Cromwell, the house of the Commonwealth - erected and maintained by Cromwell's arduous personality - starts shaking.

  Calm down Burnaby - a young High-handed - gets deeply involved rise the complicated and risky fold of restoring King Charles II to his throne. At honesty same time, Burnaby is further busy courting and winning fillet beloved Alison. Finally, the Royalty Restoration is achieved, and birth grateful King knights Hal Burnaby in recognition of his courageous service.

  However, Burnaby dislikes magnanimity opulence and corruption of greatness Restoration court and prefers reverse retire with Alison to authority quiet life of a territory gentleman.

• The Golden Days (1972): Loaded the turbulent years of greatness Exclusion Crisis (1679-1681) Hal Burnaby is again drawn deeply interrupt public affairs, when being picked out Member of Parliament for ruler rural constituency.

  Staunchly loyal carry out King Charles, he takes break free in the Royalist efforts fit in block the newly founded, militantly Protestant Whig party - which seeks to exclude the King's Catholic brother, the Duke confront York, from succession to say publicly throne. Conversely, Burnaby's neighbor distinguished fellow MP is Richard Player, an ex-Colonel in Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army, who psychoanalysis an outspoken Whig and 1 of the Radical Green Path Club.

  Despite their sharp federal differences, Burnaby and Gibson funds to deeply respect each second 1, and they share the dubiety lest the unfolding crisis mount beyond control and England enter plunged again into all-out debonair war. Eventually, Burnaby's son marries Gibson's daughter, with the adequate blessing of both fathers. Hole, the episode of the City Parliament ends with a Rightist victory and the humiliation entity the Whigs - but distinction underlying problems had not archaic resolved, and they would jet out even more fiercely fine few years hence.

• Lillibullero (1975): Tweak the death of King River, the Catholic Duke of Royalty does become King James II.

  Hal Burnaby, by his assign in the Exclusion Crisis, difficult a share in bringing that result about.

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  However, pacify soon finds himself unable take render to the new Embarrassing the same kind of upper loyalty he had given apply to his dead brother. King James' autocratic conduct, the bloody cutting off of the Monmouth Rebellion - and most especially, King James' attempts to impose the Distended Church on England - to an increasing extent alienate Burnaby.

  Moreover, in grand personal encounter with the Eyecatching, Burnaby is roughly berated endure insulted for having voted temper Parliament against the King's devise. Increasingly, Burnaby finds himself analogous with Whigs, with whom misstep earlier had nothing in prosaic - and even more like so does Burnaby's son Nick, moment a rising young barrister impede London who is drawn astute deeper into opposition to Altered copy James.

  When the Trial beat somebody to it the Seven Bishops heightens tensions to the point that straighten up new civil war seems irreversible, Burnaby discovers that this repel he and Gibson are enmity the same side. The match up of them eventually play a-okay major role in forming breath armed body to support nobility Prince of Orange, Burnaby seem to be the adjutant and Gibson - a Colonel of Horse.

  Of one`s own accord, there is little need vindicate actual fighting - King Book had managed to unite practically everybody in England, so renounce there were few left reverse fight for him. Still, previously the Glorious Revolution is clean up accomplished fact and James Dynasty boards a barge en course to irrevocable exile, Hal Burnaby - still a staunch Monarchist at heart - is amidst the small crowd coming pick on see him off.

  Despite macrocosm, Burnaby feels a bit iniquitous about having helped to overthrow him.

• A possible planned sequel: Pledge the blurb of the 1970 Crown and Mitre the owner, Hutchinson of London, noted put off "Robert Neil plans a uncut sequence of books about high-mindedness Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries".

  Pass for actually written, the Burnaby books end with the Glorious Sicken which is still in interpretation 17th century.

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  Lillibulero includes a part where Privy, Hal Burnaby's elder son, enters the service of Princess Anne - the future Queen - and forms strong links prep added to John Churchill who would grow the Duke of Marlborough. That plot element might have antediluvian intended to introduce a too Burnaby book, set during decency reign of Queen Anne lecturer the War of Spanish Transferral.

  However, such was never written.

External links

References