Pamela Frankau
Encyclopedia
Pamela Frankau was a popular British
novelist. Her parents were Dorothea Frances Markham Drummond-Black and the novelist Gilbert Frankau
and her grandmother the satirist Julia Frankau
. Her uncle was the British radio comedian, Ronald Frankau
.
She had success as a writer from a young age. A relationship with the married Humbert Wolfe
ended only with his death in 1940. She then ceased to write for a long period. During the Second World War, she worked for the BBC
, the Ministry of Food and with the Auxiliary Territorial Service
.
First published in 1954, A Wreath for the Enemy is perhaps her best loved novel and is still in print on both sides of the Atlantic (McPherson & Virago). In the novel the events of one night transform what appears at first to be a typical adolescent crisis into a prolonged struggle for self-definition on the part of the novel's teenage protagonist. In part autobiographical, Frankau clearly identified with her lead character who is presented as a writer in development.
Frankau became a Roman Catholic convert in 1942, and spent much time in the United States
. She was married there, though only for a few years. She returned to England in 1953. A long lesbian
relationship with the theatre director Margaret Webster
began in the 1950s.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
novelist. Her parents were Dorothea Frances Markham Drummond-Black and the novelist Gilbert Frankau
Gilbert Frankau
Gilbert Frankau was a popular British novelist. He was known also for verse including a number of verse novels, and short stories....
and her grandmother the satirist Julia Frankau
Julia Frankau
Julia Frankau, née Julia Davis was a successful novelist under the name of Frank Danby.She was the sister of Owen Hall, Harrie Davis and Eliza Davis. She was home-schooled by Laura Lafargue, the daughter of Karl Marx.She married the cigar importer Arthur Frankau...
. Her uncle was the British radio comedian, Ronald Frankau
Ronald Frankau
Ronald Frankau was an English comedian and musician from London who started in cabarets and made his way to radio and films.-Family:...
.
She had success as a writer from a young age. A relationship with the married Humbert Wolfe
Humbert Wolfe
Humbert Wolfe CB CBE , was an Italian-born English poet, man of letters and civil servant, from a Jewish family background, his father, Martin Wolff of German descent and his mother, Consuela, née Terraccini, Italian...
ended only with his death in 1940. She then ceased to write for a long period. During the Second World War, she worked for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, the Ministry of Food and with the Auxiliary Territorial Service
Auxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
.
First published in 1954, A Wreath for the Enemy is perhaps her best loved novel and is still in print on both sides of the Atlantic (McPherson & Virago). In the novel the events of one night transform what appears at first to be a typical adolescent crisis into a prolonged struggle for self-definition on the part of the novel's teenage protagonist. In part autobiographical, Frankau clearly identified with her lead character who is presented as a writer in development.
Frankau became a Roman Catholic convert in 1942, and spent much time in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She was married there, though only for a few years. She returned to England in 1953. A long lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
relationship with the theatre director Margaret Webster
Margaret Webster
Margaret Webster was an American-born theater actress, producer and director. Through her parents, she held dual US/UK citizenship.-Career:...
began in the 1950s.
Works
- Marriage of Harlequin (1927)
- The Fig Tree (1928)
- The Black Minute, and other stories (1929)
- Three. A Novel (1929)
- She and I (1930)
- Born at Sea (1931)
- Letters from a Modern Daughter to her Mother (1931)
- The Devil We Know (1931)
- “I was the Man.” (1932)
- Women are so Serious, and other stories (1932)
- The Foolish Apprentices (1933)
- A Manual of Modern Manners (1933)
- Walk into my Parlour (1933)
- Tassell-Gentle (1934) as Fly Now Falcon (US)
- I Find Four People (1935) autobiography
- Fifty-Fifty, and other stories (1936)
- Villa Anodyne (1936)
- Jezebel (1937)
- Some New Planet (1937)
- No News (1938)
- A Democrat Dies (1939)
- The Devil We Know (1939)
- Shaken in the Wind (1948)
- The Willow Cabin (1949)
- The Offshore Light (1952)
- The Winged Horse (1953)
- To The Moment of Triumph (1953)
- A Wreath for the Enemy (1954)
- The Bridge (1957)
- Ask me no More (1958)
- Road through the Woods (1960)
- Pen to Paper. A novelist's notebook (1961)
- Letter to a Parish Priest (1962)
- Sing for Your Supper (1963)
- Slaves of the Lamp (1965)
- Over the Mountains (1967)
- Colonel Blessington (1968) posthumous, editor Diana Raymond