Josephine Bell
Encyclopedia
Josephine Bell was an English
physician and author.
She was born Doris Bell Collier in Manchester
. Between 1910 and 1916 she studied at Godolphin School
, then trained at Newnham College, Cambridge
until 1919. At the University College Hospital
in London
she was granted M.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. in 1922, and a M.B. B.S. in 1924.
In 1923 she married Dr. Norman Dyer Ball, and the couple had a son and three daughters. From 1927 until 1935 the couple practiced medicine in Greenwich
and London. Her husband died in 1936 and she moved to Guildford
, Surrey
. From 1954–62 she was a member of the management committee of St. Luke's Hospital.
Using her pen name she wrote numerous detective novels beginning in 1936. Many of her works used a medical background. Her early books featured the fictional character Dr. David Wintringham who worked at Research Hospital in London as a junior assistant physician. She helped found the Crime Writers' Association
in 1953 and served as chair during 1959–60.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
physician and author.
She was born Doris Bell Collier in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Between 1910 and 1916 she studied at Godolphin School
Godolphin School
The Godolphin School is an independent boarding school for girls at Salisbury in Wiltshire, England, founded in 1726. The school educates some 430 girls between the ages of eleven and eighteen.-History:...
, then trained at Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...
until 1919. At the University College Hospital
University College Hospital
University College Hospital is a teaching hospital located in London, United Kingdom. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is closely associated with University College London ....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
she was granted M.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. in 1922, and a M.B. B.S. in 1924.
In 1923 she married Dr. Norman Dyer Ball, and the couple had a son and three daughters. From 1927 until 1935 the couple practiced medicine in Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
and London. Her husband died in 1936 and she moved to Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. From 1954–62 she was a member of the management committee of St. Luke's Hospital.
Using her pen name she wrote numerous detective novels beginning in 1936. Many of her works used a medical background. Her early books featured the fictional character Dr. David Wintringham who worked at Research Hospital in London as a junior assistant physician. She helped found the Crime Writers' Association
Crime Writers' Association
The Crime Writers Association is a writers' association in the United Kingdom. Founded by John Creasey in 1953, it is currently chaired by Peter James and claims 450+ members....
in 1953 and served as chair during 1959–60.
David Wintringham
- Death on the Borough Council, 1937
- Murder in Hospital, 1937
- Fall Over Cliff, 1938
- Death at Half-Term, 1939
- From Natural Causes, 1939
- All Is Vanity, 1940
- Death at the Medical Board, 1944
- Death in Clairvoyance, 1949
- The Summer School Mystery, 1950
- Bones in the Barrow, 1953
- The China Roundabout, 1956
- The Seeing Eye, 1958
Other novels
- The Port of London Murders, 1938
- Trouble at Wrekin Farm, 1942
- The Backing Winds, 1951
- To Let, Furnished, 1952
- Fires at Fairlawn, 1954
- Death in Retirement, 1956
- Double Doom, 1957
- Easy Prey, 1959
- The House Above the River, 1959
- A Well-Known Face, 1960
- New People at the Hollies, 1961
- Adventure with Crime, 1962
- A Flat Tyre in Fulham, 1963
- The Hunter and the Trapped, 1963
- The Alien, 1964
- The Upfold Witch, 1964
- No Escape, 1965
- The Catalyst, 1966
- Death on the Reserve, 1966
- Death of a Con Man, 1968
- The Fennister Affair, 1969
- The Wilberforce Legacy, 1969
- A Hydra with Six Heads, 1970
- A Hole in the Ground, 1971
- Death of a Poison-Tongue, 1972
- A Pigeon Among the Cats, 1974
- Victim, 1975
- The Trouble in Hunter Ward, 1976
- Such a Nice Client, 1977
- A Swan-Song Betrayed, 1978
- Wolf! Wolf!, 1979
- A Question of Inheritance, 1980
- The Innocent, 1983
External links
- Josephine Bell 1897-1987, Crime & Mystery Fiction.
- Josephine Bell, Detective-Fiction.com.
- History of the CWA.