Elinor Mordaunt
Encyclopedia
Elinor Mordaunt (7 May 1872 - 25 June 1942) was an English
author
, writer
and traveler.
Elinor was the fifth child of John Legh Clowes and his wife the Hon. Mrs Elizabeth Caroline Clowes née Bingham and was born at Cotgrave
, Nottinghamshire
, England
and was christened Evelyn May Clowes. Her early childhood was spent at Charlton House near Cheltenham
, Gloucestershire, and her teenage years near Heythrop, in the Cotswolds
. In 1897 she went to Mauritius
as companion to her cousin Caroline (wife of George Le Hunte
) and in 1898 married a planter there named Wiehe. She gave birth to two stillborn children. After a few years of marriage, Mrs Wiehe found it impossible to live with her husband and returned to England. Shortly afterwards she went to Australia
, arriving 10 June 1902 and lived at Melbourne
for about eight years. Her son, Godfrey Weston Wiehe, was born 9 March 1903.
It was necessary for Mordaunt to earn a living and while in Melbourne she edited a woman's fashion paper, wrote short stories and articles, made blouses, designed embroideries–and gardens, acted as a housekeeper, and did artistic work. Her health was not strong, but with great courage undertook any kind of work which would provide a living for herself and her infant son. At times she had a hard struggle, but she gained an experience of life which was of the greatest use to her as an author.
Mordaunt's first book, the Garden of Contentment, was published in England in 1902 under her pen-name 'Elenor Mordaunt'. At Melbourne she published a volume of sketches, Rosemary, That's for Remembrance (1909), and in 1911 appeared On the Wallaby through Victoria
, by E. M. Clowes, an interesting account of conditions in that state at that period. Returning to England on 14 July 1909 she soon began a long series of volumes of fiction. She changed her name by deed poll to Evelyn May Mordaunt on 1 July 1915 .She established a reputation as a writer of short stories for magazines. Mrs Mordaunt travelled in the East Indies
and adjacent islands and used her experiences in her fiction, and in travel books such as The Venture Book, The Further Venture Book, and Purely for Pleasure. Her interesting autobiography, Sinabada, published in 1937, includes an account of her early struggles in Australia, written without bitterness, and with appreciative reference to the kindnesses she had received. In 1933 she married R. R. Bowles. Her son by her first marriage was alive when she was writing Sinabada; she mentions that he had married and had children.
Possibly her best work was put into her short stories, often showing a grim sense of tragedy and humour. A collection of them appeared in 1934, The Tales of Elinor Mordaunt. In addition to the volumes included in Miller, she was also the author of Death it is, Judge Not, Hobby Horse, Roses in December, Tropic Heat, Here Too is Valour, and Blitz Kids.
On 27 January 1933 at Tenerife
, Canary Islands, she was married to Robert Rawnsley Bowles, aged 66, a retired barrister from Gloucestershire. In her own words, the marriage 'ended in tragedy'. She died on 25 June 1942 at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and traveler.
Elinor was the fifth child of John Legh Clowes and his wife the Hon. Mrs Elizabeth Caroline Clowes née Bingham and was born at Cotgrave
Cotgrave
-History:Cotgrave is a town in the borough of Rushcliffe, in Nottinghamshire, England, lying south east of Nottingham. With a relatively small population and an ancient heart that has largely escaped development Cotgrave has a village atmosphere...
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and was christened Evelyn May Clowes. Her early childhood was spent at Charlton House near Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, Gloucestershire, and her teenage years near Heythrop, in the Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. In 1897 she went to Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
as companion to her cousin Caroline (wife of George Le Hunte
George Le Hunte
Sir George Ruthven Le Hunte KCMG was Governor of South Australia from 1 July 1903 until 18 February 1909, soon after federation of Australia....
) and in 1898 married a planter there named Wiehe. She gave birth to two stillborn children. After a few years of marriage, Mrs Wiehe found it impossible to live with her husband and returned to England. Shortly afterwards she went to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, arriving 10 June 1902 and lived at Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
for about eight years. Her son, Godfrey Weston Wiehe, was born 9 March 1903.
It was necessary for Mordaunt to earn a living and while in Melbourne she edited a woman's fashion paper, wrote short stories and articles, made blouses, designed embroideries–and gardens, acted as a housekeeper, and did artistic work. Her health was not strong, but with great courage undertook any kind of work which would provide a living for herself and her infant son. At times she had a hard struggle, but she gained an experience of life which was of the greatest use to her as an author.
Mordaunt's first book, the Garden of Contentment, was published in England in 1902 under her pen-name 'Elenor Mordaunt'. At Melbourne she published a volume of sketches, Rosemary, That's for Remembrance (1909), and in 1911 appeared On the Wallaby through Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, by E. M. Clowes, an interesting account of conditions in that state at that period. Returning to England on 14 July 1909 she soon began a long series of volumes of fiction. She changed her name by deed poll to Evelyn May Mordaunt on 1 July 1915 .She established a reputation as a writer of short stories for magazines. Mrs Mordaunt travelled in the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
and adjacent islands and used her experiences in her fiction, and in travel books such as The Venture Book, The Further Venture Book, and Purely for Pleasure. Her interesting autobiography, Sinabada, published in 1937, includes an account of her early struggles in Australia, written without bitterness, and with appreciative reference to the kindnesses she had received. In 1933 she married R. R. Bowles. Her son by her first marriage was alive when she was writing Sinabada; she mentions that he had married and had children.
Possibly her best work was put into her short stories, often showing a grim sense of tragedy and humour. A collection of them appeared in 1934, The Tales of Elinor Mordaunt. In addition to the volumes included in Miller, she was also the author of Death it is, Judge Not, Hobby Horse, Roses in December, Tropic Heat, Here Too is Valour, and Blitz Kids.
On 27 January 1933 at Tenerife
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
, Canary Islands, she was married to Robert Rawnsley Bowles, aged 66, a retired barrister from Gloucestershire. In her own words, the marriage 'ended in tragedy'. She died on 25 June 1942 at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford.
External links
- The Best British Short Stories of 1922 contribution by Elinor Mordaunt
- Tonga extract from The Venture Book by Elinor Mordaunt