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Information on the Poet Beatrice Curtis Brown

Beatrice Curtis Brown was a British author of novels and children's poetry. She was born August 24, 1901, in London, England, and died in April 18, 1974. Brown, an only child, came from a wealthy literary family. Her father, Albert Curtis Brown, was an American journalist and literary agent who immigrated to London and founded the Curtis Brown Literary and Media Agency in 1899. Beatrice Curtis Brown married Victor John Adey Horton in July of 1938, but the couple later divorced in 1945.

  1. Career

    • Brown worked as a freelance writer from 1923 until 1936. During World War II, she worked as a member of the British Civil Service from 1940 until 1946. She then worked as a producer for the British Broadcasting Corporation's Radio 3 from 1947 to 1956, and then finally as a teacher of English literature and communication from 1958 to 1963. She also contributed to the "Spectator," "Times," "Guardian" and other publications.

    Novels

    • Beatrice Curtis Brown's novels were typically works of historical fiction based on lives and events often taken from British history. For example, "Alas Queen Anne: A Reading of Her Life" (1929) offers an account of this British queen's life with an emphasis on humanizing her story. In "Elizabeth Chudleigh, Duchess of Kingston" (1927), Curtis Brown tells the story of the trial of an eighteenth century society woman found guilty of bigamy. In "For the Delight of Antonio" (1932), Curtis Brown turned to an Italian setting to tell the story of Richard Campion, an Englishman who becomes involved in the Venetian revolt against Austria. Her fictionalized historical accounts brought the subject matter to life and helped make historical content more accessible for general audiences.

    Children's Poetry

    • In addition to her novels of historical fiction, Brown also wrote a collection of children's poetry. The popular "Jonathon Bing and Other Verses" first appeared in 1936 and was received with enthusiastic reviews.

      Excerpt from "Jonathon Bing":

      Poor old Jonathan Bing
      Went out in his carriage to visit the King,
      But everyone pointed and said, "Look at that!
      Jonathan Bing has forgotten his hat!"
      (He'd forgotten his hat!)

      Beatrice Curtis Brown, 1936.

    Reviews

    • As an author, Beatrice Curtis Brown received largely positive reviews from contemporary literary critics who praised her writing as accessible and detailed interpretations of the past. Though not a groundbreaking or controversial writer, her work was highly regarded and lauded as both captivating and exciting.

    Additional Works

    • The Sancroft Sisters; 1935
      Letters of Queen Anne, McCleeland & Stewart; Editor; 1935
      The Story of England; With Helen Arbuthnot; 1943
      Southwards from Swiss Cottage (Reminiscences); 1948
      Anthony Trollope; 1949
      Isabel Fry; 1960
      The Tale of Polly Polloo, a Story in Verse; 1969
      Neurosis & Crime; Editor; 1970

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