William John Locke
Locke, c. 1912
Locke, c. 1912
Born(1863-03-20)20 March 1863
Cunningsbury St George, Christ Church, Demerara, British Guiana
Died15 May 1930(1930-05-15) (aged 67)
Paris, France
OccupationNovelist and playwright
NationalityBritish
GenreDrama
SpouseAimee Maxwell Close (née Heath)
RelativesJohn Locke – Father
Sarah Elizabeth Locke (née Johns) – Mother
Charlie Alfred Locke – Brother
Anna Alexandra Hyde (née Locke) – Half-sister
Henry Lytton Locke – Half-brother

William John Locke (20 March 1863 – 15 May 1930) was a British novelist, dramatist and playwright, best known for his short stories.

Biography

He was born in Cunningsbury St George, Christ Church, Demerara, British Guiana on 20 March 1863, the eldest son of John Locke, bank manager of Barbados, and his first wife, Sarah Elizabeth Locke (née Johns). His parents were English. In 1864 his family moved to Trinidad and Tobago. In 1865, a second son was born, Charlie Alfred Locke, who was eventually to become a doctor. Charlie Locke died in 1904 aged 39. His half-sister, Anna Alexandra Hyde (née Locke), by his father's second marriage, died in 1898 in childbirth aged 25.

At the age of three, Locke was sent to England for further education. He remained in England for nine years, before returning to Trinidad to attend prep school with his brother at Queen's Royal College. There, he won an exhibition to enter St John's College, Cambridge. He returned to England in 1881 to attend Cambridge University, where he graduated with honours in Mathematics in 1884, despite his dislike of that "utterly futile and inhuman subject".[1]

Simon the Jester (1910)

After leaving Cambridge, Locke became a schoolmaster. He disliked teaching, but is known to have been a master at the Oxford Military College at Temple Cowley, in 1889 and 1890, and at Clifton College, Bristol in 1890; from 1891 to 1897 he was modern languages master at Trinity College, Glenalmond. In 1893 he published a school edition of Murat, an extract from the Celebrated Crimes (Les crimes célèbres) of Alexandre Dumas père. In 1890 he became seriously ill with tuberculosis, which affected him for the rest of his life. From 1897 to 1907 he was secretary of the Royal Institute of British Architects and lived in London.

In 1894 he published his first novel, At the Gate of Samaria, but he did not achieve real success for another decade, with The Morals of Marcus Ordeyne (1905) and The Beloved Vagabond (1906). Chambers Biographical Dictionary wrote of his "long series of novels and plays which with their charmingly written sentimental themes had such a success during his life in both Britain and America.... His plays, some of which were dramatised versions of his novels, were all produced with success on the London Stage" (p. 836).

On 19 May 1911, Locke married Aimee Maxwell Close (née Heath), the divorced wife of Percy Hamilton Close, in Chelsea in London. The wedding was attended by Alice Baines and James Douglas.

Five times Locke's books made the list of best-selling novels in the United States for the year. His works have been made into 24 motion pictures the most recent of which was Ladies in Lavender, filmed in 2004 and starring Dame Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. Adapted to the screen by Charles Dance, it was based on Locke's 1916 short story of the same title that had been published in a collection entitled "Faraway Stories." Probably the most famous of Locke's books adapted to the screen was the 1918 production of Stella Maris starring Mary Pickford. In addition, four of his books were made into Broadway plays, two of which Locke wrote and were produced by Charles Frohman.

In the early twentieth century Locke lived at Corner Hall, Hemel Hempstead in England. [2]

Locke died of cancer at 67 rue Desbordes-Valmore, Paris, France, on 15 May 1930.

Bibliography

Books

Short stories

  • "Aftermath". [Uncollected]
    • 1895 Jul, in The New Review Vol. 13, pp. 103–116
    • 1895 Sep, in The Eclectic Magazine New Series Vol. 62, pp. 399–407 (from New Review)
    • 1895 Nov 30, @ PapersPast
  • "A Fool's Errand". [Uncollected]
  • "The Redemption of Jonas Eames". [Uncollected]
    • 1898 Jan 21, in Manchester Weekly Times
    • 1898 Jan 22, in The Nottinghamshire Guardian
    • 1898 Jul 27, @ Trove
    • 1903 Feb 14, @ PapersPast
    • 1912 Jul 13, @ Trove
    • 1927 Feb, in Argosy (UK)
  • "The Strange Making of Roddy Nicol". [Uncollected]
    • 1899 Feb 18, in The Newcastle Courant
    • 1900 Feb 3, in The Manchester Courier Weekly Supplement
    • 1902 Oct 11, in The Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
  • Ridet Olympus.
  • "Martha Barrable’s Plot". [Uncollected]
  • "An Open Window". [Uncollected]
    • 1900 Jul 21, in The Newcastle Courant
    • 1902 Sep 13, in The Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
  • "The Story of Bertha Begg". [Uncollected]
    • 1900 Jul 27, in The Lichfield Mercury
  • "The Dawn of a Day After a Night of Suffering". [Uncollected]
    • 1901 Jun 15, in The Manchester Courier Supplement
    • 1901 Aug 10, @ Trove
    • 1902 Mar 8, @ PapersPast
    • 1903 Nov 7, in The Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
  • "The Princess’s Kingdom".
  • "A Lover’s Dilemma".
    • 1908 Apr 11, in Collier's Vol. 41, pp. 15–
    • 1908 May, in The Pall Mall Magazine Vol. 41, pp. 527–535
    • 1926 May, in Famous Story Magazine
    • 1926 Jun, in The Famous Story Magazine (UK)
  • "The Heart at Twenty".
    • 1908 Nov, in Ainslee's Magazine
    • 1925 Nov, in Ainslee's Magazine
    • 1926 Jun, in Argosy (UK)
  • "Ladies in Lavender".
    • 1908 Dec 26, in Collier's Vol.42, pp. 15–
    • 1915 Apr 11, in Illustrated Sunday Magazine
    • 1927 Dec, in Argosy (UK)
  • "A Moonlight Effect".
    • 1908, in The Illustrated London News Christmas Number
    • 1909 Aug, in The American Magazine Vol. 68, pp. 392–
  • "An Old-World Episode".
    • 1909 Sep 25, in The Saturday Evening Post Vol. 182, pp. 3–
    • 1926 Nov, in The Famous Story Magazine
    • 1927 Mar, in The Famous Story Magazine (UK)
  • "A Christmas Mystery".
    • 1909 Dec, in The American Magazine Vol. 69, pp. 147–
    • 1926 Dec, in Argosy (UK)
    • 1929 Dec, in The Golden Book Magazine Vol. 10, pp. 39–
  • "Viviette".
    • 1910 Nov etc., in Ainslee's Magazine
    • 1929 Jul, in Argosy (UK)

The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol:

  • "The Adventure of the Fair Patronne".
  • "The Adventure of the Arlesienne".
    • 1911 Feb, in The American Magazine Vol. 71, pp. 467–
  • The Adventure of the Foundling".
    • 1911 May, in The American Magazine Vol. 72, pp. 21–
    • 1928 Dec, in Argosy (UK)
  • "The Adventure of the Kind Mr. Smith".
    • 1911 Jul, in The American Magazine Vol. 72, pp. 339–
    • 1926 Sep, in The Golden Book Magazine Vol. 4, pp. 331–
    • 1936 Oct, in Argosy (UK)
    • 194?, in Short Story Magazine #9
    • 1950 Aug, in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
  • "The Adventure of Fleurette".
    • 1911 Sep, in The American Magazine Vol. 72, pp. 578–
    • 1925 Oct, in The Golden Book Magazine Vol. 2, pp. 537–
  • "The Adventure of the Miracle".
    • 1911 Oct, in The American Magazine Vol. 72, pp. 766–
  • "The Adventure of the Fickle Goddess".
    • 1912 Aug, in The American Magazine Vol. 74, pp. 439–
    • 1930 Aug, in The Golden Book Magazine Vol. 12, pp. 30–
  • "The Adventure of a Saint Martin’s Summer".
    • 1912 Sep, in The American Magazine

———

  • The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol (1912)
  • "The Adventure of the Fair Patronne" (1911)
  • "The Adventure of the Arlesienne" (1911)
  • "The Adventure of the Kind Mr. Smith" (1911)
  • "The Adventure of the Foundling" (1911)
  • "The Adventure of the Pig’s Head"
  • "The Adventure of Fleurette" (1911)
  • "The Adventure of the Miracle" (1911)
  • "The Adventure of the Fickle Goddess" (1912)
  • "The Adventure of a Saint Martin’s Summer" (1912)

———

  • "The Conqueror".
  • "The Song of Life".
  • "The Scourge".
    • 1914 Sep, in Hearst's Magazine Vol. 26, pp. 296–308
    • 1926 Jan, in The Famous Story Magazine
    • 1926 May, in The Famous Story Magazine (UK)
    • 1939 Dec, in Argosy (UK)
  • "A Woman of the War".

———

  • Far-Away Stories (1916) (1919)
  • "The Song of a Life" (1913)
  • "Ladies in Lavender" (1908)
  • Studies in Blindness:
  • "An Old-World Episode" (1909)
  • "The Conqueror" (1912)
  • "A Lover’s Dilemma" (1908)
  • "A Woman of the War" (1918) [added 1919]
  • "A Christmas Mystery" (1909) [omitted 1919]
  • "The Princess’s Kingdom" (1905)
  • "The Heart at Twenty" (1908)
  • "The Scourge" (1914)
  • "Viviette" (1910) [omitted 1919]
  • "My Shadow Friends" [added 1919]

———

  • "As it was in the Beginning" ("The Song of Oo-oo")
  • The Golden Journey of Mr. Paradyne.
  • Pontifex.
  • "A Spartan of the Hills".
    • 1926 Jun, in Cosmopolitan Vol. 80
  • "Roses".
    • 1926 Sep, in Cosmopolitan Vol. 81

———

  • Stories Near and Far (1926) (1927)
  • "The Song of Oo-oo" (1924, as "As it was in the Beginning")
  • "A Moonlight Effect" (1908)
  • "A Spartan of the Hills" (1926)
  • "Pontifex" (1926)
  • "An Echo of the Past"
  • "The Apostle"
  • "Ridet Olympus" (1899)
  • "The Golden Journey of Mr. Paradyne" (1924)
  • "Roses" (1926) [added 1927]

———

  • "Madeleine of Creille".
  • "Too Many Dreams". ("A Lady Paramount")
    • 1927 Apr, in Cosmopolitan Vol. 82
  • "Love in Provence" ("The Mayorality of Creille")
    • 1927 Oct, in Cosmopolitan Vol. 83
  • "The Famous Max Cadol".
    • 1928 Jan, in Cosmopolitan Vol. 84
  • "When the Circus Came to Creille".
    • 1928 May, in Cosmopolitan Vol. 84
  • "A Tale of Tombarel’s Past" ("Bouillabaisse")
    • 1930 Apr, in Cosmopolitan Vol. 88
  • "A Snowflake from Picardy".
    • 1930 Jun, in Cosmopolitan Vol. 88

———

  • The Town of Tombarel (1930)
  • "A Spartan of the Hills" (1926)
  • "Roses" (1926)
  • "Madeleine of Creille" (1926)
  • "A Lady Paramount" (1927, as "Too Many Dreams")
  • "The Famous Max Cadol" (1928)
  • "The Mayorality of Creille" (1927, as "Love in Provence")
  • "When the Circus Came to Creille" (1928)
  • "Bouillabaisse" (1930, as "A Tale of Tombarel’s Past")
  • "A Snow-Flake from Picardy" (1930)
———

Film adaptations

References

  1. ↑ "Locke, William John (LK881WJ)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. ↑ "Locke, William John | KU Libraries Digital Collections". digital.lib.ku.edu. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  • Campbell, C. C., The Young Colonials: A Social History of Education in Trinidad and Tobago 1834 – 1939, The Press of the University of the West Indies (1996).
  • Chambers Biographical Dictionary (rev. edn 1984)
  • D. C. Browning (ed.), Everyman's Dictionary of Literary Biography English & American (1958)
  • "E. O'Brien", Locke, William John (1863–1930), rev. Charlotte Mitchell, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press (2004).
  • Tibbetts, J. C. "Mary Pickford and the American 'Growing Girl'" (2001), Journal of Popular Film and Television, Volume 29, No. 2, Routledge (2001).
  • The William J. Locke Calendar (1914). Compiled by Emma M. Pope – Reference from the British Library (www.bl.uk)
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