Oliver Stonor
Encyclopedia
Oliver Stonor (3 July 1903 -- 1987) was an English novelist, reviewer, translator, and man of letters. He was briefly the husband of the Irish writer Norah Hoult
.
He was born at Teddington
, the son of Alfred Hills Stoner and Sarah Louise Stoner, and educated at Kingston Grammar School
. His father and grandfather were quantity surveyor
s, and he was trained in this profession at the offices of the family firm in Broad Street, City of London. As soon as he was 21, he took up writing as a career in the Literary London of the 1920s, though he later put his surveying to good use in wartime.
He used the nom-de-plume Oliver Stonor because he felt it looked and sounded better than his own name; the "er" at the end of "Oliver", clashing with "Stoner", prompted the change to "Stonor". He was not related to the Stonor family of Stonor Park; the Stoners came originally from Cowfold
in Sussex
; his grandfather had bought Harcourt, near Pembury
, in Kent. The name Morchard Bishop
is actually that of a town in Devon
.
In 1926, he visited the home of the writer Arthur Machen
, who was living at Melina Place. He joined the wide and varied circle of those who sought out and admired Machen for his conversation, as well as for his writing; and when Machen and his wife Purefoy moved to Amersham, they stayed in touch.
Norah Hoult
Norah Hoult was an Irish writer of novels and short stories.She was born in Dublin. Her mother, Margaret O'Shaughnessy, was a Catholic girl who eloped at the age of 21 with a Protestant English architect named Powis Hoult...
.
He was born at Teddington
Teddington
Teddington is a suburban area in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London, on the north bank of the River Thames, between Hampton Wick and Twickenham. It stretches inland from the River Thames to Bushy Park...
, the son of Alfred Hills Stoner and Sarah Louise Stoner, and educated at Kingston Grammar School
Kingston Grammar School
Kingston Grammar School is an independent co-educational school in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London. The school was founded by Royal Charter in 1561 but can trace its roots back to at least the 13th century. It is a registered charity under English law....
. His father and grandfather were quantity surveyor
Quantity surveyor
A quantity surveyor is a professional working within the construction industry concerned with building costs.The profession is one that provides a qualification gained following formal education, specific training and experience that provides a general set of skills that are then applied to a...
s, and he was trained in this profession at the offices of the family firm in Broad Street, City of London. As soon as he was 21, he took up writing as a career in the Literary London of the 1920s, though he later put his surveying to good use in wartime.
He used the nom-de-plume Oliver Stonor because he felt it looked and sounded better than his own name; the "er" at the end of "Oliver", clashing with "Stoner", prompted the change to "Stonor". He was not related to the Stonor family of Stonor Park; the Stoners came originally from Cowfold
Cowfold
Cowfold is a village and civil parish between Billingshurst and Haywards Heath in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England, located at the intersection of the A272 and A281 roads. The parish has a land area of 1926 hectares . In the 2001 census 1,864 people lived in 729 households, of...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
; his grandfather had bought Harcourt, near Pembury
Pembury
Pembury is a large village in Kent, in the south east of England, with a population of around 6,000. It lies just to the north-east of Tunbridge Wells.The village centre, including the village green and High Street area is a conservation area.-History:...
, in Kent. The name Morchard Bishop
Morchard Bishop
Morchard Bishop is a village and civil parish in Mid Devon in the English county of Devon. It has a population of 975, and contains a primary school, two churches, and a playing field with tennis court. Notable past residents include Ernest Bevin....
is actually that of a town in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.
In 1926, he visited the home of the writer Arthur Machen
Arthur Machen
Arthur Machen was a Welsh author and mystic of the 1890s and early 20th century. He is best known for his influential supernatural, fantasy, and horror fiction. His novella The Great God Pan has garnered a reputation as a classic of horror...
, who was living at Melina Place. He joined the wide and varied circle of those who sought out and admired Machen for his conversation, as well as for his writing; and when Machen and his wife Purefoy moved to Amersham, they stayed in touch.
Selected works
- The Way to Succeed (translation of Le moyen de parvenir by François Béroalde de Verville, 1930)
- End of Mr Davidson (1932)
- Two for Joy (1938)
- Aunt Betty (1939)
- The Green Tree and the Dry (1939)
- The Star Called Wormwood (1941)
- The Song and the Silence (1947)
- Valerie, a Study of a Temperament (1948)
- Blake's Hayley (1951)
- A First Book of Synonyms (1963)