Robert Stanley Warren Bell (1871 – 26 September 1921), was an English novelist, journalist and the first editor of The Captain, a magazine featuring stories for 'boys and old boys', of which P. G. Wodehouse was an early contributor.[1][2][3]

Life

Robert Stanley Warren Bell was born in 1871 at Long Preston, Yorkshire, the eldest son of the Rev. George Edward Bell.[1][4] In 1875 his father was appointed Vicar of Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, and it was here that Robert spent most of his childhood. One of twelve children, his brothers included John Keble Bell who, under the pen name Keble Howard, also became a writer and journalist.[5] Robert was educated at St John's School, Leatherhead.[1]

In 1890 Bell began a career in journalism on Tit-Bits and afterwards joined the Evening News.[1] He became a contributor of stories and papers to The Pall Mall Gazette and The Westminster Gazette a number of which were subsequently published as The Papa Papers and The Cub in Love.[4]

Bell’s first novel was Bachelorland.[1][6] In 1898 he was appointed first editor of The Captain which published a number of school stories written by P. G. Wodehouse.[1][7] Bell himself contributed stories to The Captain including The Duffer, Cox's Cough Drops and Green at Greyhouse.[1][8][9][10]

Bell co-wrote Marie Corelli: the Writer and the Woman, a 1903 biography of novelist Marie Corelli, with Thomas F. G. Coates.

Bell retired from The Captain in 1910.[1] He wrote a short story, Company for George, which he turned into a play that was performed at the Kingsway Theatre in 1910 and he later adapted into a novel.[1][11] Most of his later work was directed towards the schoolboy market and featured stories set in schools.[3]

In 1905 Bell married Edithe M. Barry.[1]

Bell died aged 50 on 26 September 1921, after a long illness, in the Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.[12] His obituary in The Times stated that he would be 'much missed by his friends. as well as by his large constituency of schoolboy readers, who recognized in him a kindred spirit. He was very tall, standing over 6ft. 4in.'[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Obituary in The Times, A Boys’ Novelist, Death of Mr. Warren Bell, September 27, 1921, p.12
  2. ↑ "Results for 'au:Bell, Robert Stanley Warren.'". www.worldcat.org. WorldCat.org
  3. 1 2 Sutherland, John (October 13, 2014). The Longman Companion to Victorian Fiction. Routledge. ISBN 9781317863335 – via Google Books.
  4. 1 2 Sutherland, John (July 27, 1990). The Stanford Companion to Victorian Fiction. Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804718424 – via Google Books.
  5. ↑ Keble Howard (1927). My Motley Life. London: Ernest Benn Ltd. pp. 11–14, 98. OCLC 963619742.
  6. ↑ Bell, R. S. Warren (July 27, 1902). Bachelorland: the story of a foundling. George Newnes, Limited. OCLC 84717031 – via Open WorldCat.
  7. ↑ Easdale, Roderick (June 18, 2014). The Novel Life of PG Wodehouse. Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 9781783338283 – via Google Books.
  8. ↑ BELL, Robert Stanley Warren (July 27, 1906). The Duffer, etc. T. Nelson & Sons. OCLC 774440673 – via Open WorldCat.
  9. ↑ BELL, Robert Stanley Warren (July 27, 1906). Cox's Cough Drops, etc. Bristol. OCLC 557887898 – via Open WorldCat.
  10. ↑ Bell, R. S. Warren; Whitwell, T. M. R (July 27, 1925). Green at Greyhouse: a tale of adventure and mystery at a public school. A & C Black. OCLC 1097352945 – via Open WorldCat.
  11. ↑ Bell, R. S. Warren (July 27, 2012). "Company for George". Alexander Street Press – via Open WorldCat.
  12. ↑ Western Daily Press. Tuesday 27 September 1921, p 8.
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