Robert Gittings
Encyclopedia
Robert William Victor Gittings CBE
(1 February 1911 – 18 February 1992), was an English
writer
, biographer
, BBC Radio
producer, playwright
and minor poet
. In 1978, he was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize
for The Older Hardy.
, the son of Surgeon-Captain Fred Claude Bromley Gittings and his wife Dora Mary, née
Brayshaw, the young Gittings was educated at St Edward's School, Oxford, where he was taught by George Mallaby
, and Jesus College, Cambridge
, where he arrived in 1930 with a scholarship
, gaining a First in 1933. He later wrote the article on George Mallaby in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
While still at school he published poems and thus encountered Christopher Fry
, a lifelong friend. At the University of Cambridge
, he was encouraged by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch
, editor of the Oxford Book of English Verse
, whose rooms in college were near his, and in 1931 he was awarded the Chancellor's gold medal
for English verse.
In 1940. he took a job with BBC Radio
as a producer and writer, remaining with the Corporation twenty-three years. He made broadcasts for schools, dramatizations of history and literary programmes, and contributed to radio programmes such as Poets and Poetry, World History Series, Poetry Now, and The World of Books.
He continued to write verse, and his first major book, Wentworth Place (1950), was well reviewed. History and poetry combined in him into the ability to bring the past to life. In all, he published twelve volumes of poetry.
In 1954, his biography John Keats: the Living Year was published, to be followed in 1956 by The Mask of Keats, and in 1960 by Shakespeare's Rival. He left the BBC in 1964. His John Keats (1969) was awarded the WH Smith Literary Award
, and he also wrote scholarly studies of Thomas Hardy
: The Young Thomas Hardy (1975), The Older Hardy (1978, awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize
) and (with his wife, Jo Manton) The Second Mrs Hardy (1979).
As a playwright, Gittings naturally specialized in radio drama, but he also wrote plays for Women's Institutes, This Tower my Prison (1961) and Conflict at Canterbury (1970) for the Canterbury Festival
. Introducing Thomas Hardy, a double act with Frances Horowitz, was performed from 1971 until 1978, when Horowitz died.
With Jo Manton, he wrote Dorothy Wordsworth (1985) and the same year published his last book of verse, People, Places, Personal. His last book, Claire Clairmont
and the Shelleys, was printed a few days before his death.
and was known as Kay, and they had two sons, called Robert and John, together, but this marriage ended in divorce. In 1949, he married secondly Joan Greville Manton, called Jo, who was a BBC colleague and also a biographer
. They had one daughter. He had four great-grandsons, Robert, Oliver, Henry and Harry, and two great-granddaughters, Lucy and Sarah.
A tall man, Gittings had a high forehead and bald head, a warm personality and fine sense of humour. He played several sports, including cricket
, squash
, real tennis
, and golf
, and was still playing cricket in his seventies.
He died at Chichester
on 18 February 1992, and was cremated
.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
(1 February 1911 – 18 February 1992), was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, biographer
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
, BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
producer, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and minor poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. In 1978, he was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize
James Tait Black Memorial Prize
Founded in 1919, the James Tait Black Memorial Prizes are among the oldest and most prestigious book prizes awarded for literature written in the English language and are Britain's oldest literary awards...
for The Older Hardy.
Early life
Born at SouthseaSouthsea
Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
, the son of Surgeon-Captain Fred Claude Bromley Gittings and his wife Dora Mary, née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Brayshaw, the young Gittings was educated at St Edward's School, Oxford, where he was taught by George Mallaby
George Mallaby (public servant)
Sir Howard "George" Charles Mallaby, KCMG, OBE , was an English schoolmaster and public servant. He received the US Legion of Merit in 1946 and was knighted in 1958...
, and Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
, where he arrived in 1930 with a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
, gaining a First in 1933. He later wrote the article on George Mallaby in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
While still at school he published poems and thus encountered Christopher Fry
Christopher Fry
Christopher Fry was an English playwright. He is best known for his verse dramas, notably The Lady's Not for Burning, which made him a major force in theatre in the 1940s and 1950s.-Early life:...
, a lifelong friend. At the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, he was encouraged by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch
Arthur Quiller-Couch
Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch was a Cornish writer, who published under the pen name of Q. He is primarily remembered for the monumental Oxford Book Of English Verse 1250–1900 , and for his literary criticism...
, editor of the Oxford Book of English Verse
Oxford Book of English Verse
The Oxford Book of English Verse most commonly means the Oxford Book of English Verse 1250–1900 edited by Arthur Quiller-Couch, an anthology of English poetry that had a very substantial influence on popular taste and perception of poetry for at least a generation...
, whose rooms in college were near his, and in 1931 he was awarded the Chancellor's gold medal
Chancellor's Gold Medal
The Chancellor's Gold Medal is a prestigious annual award at Cambridge University for poetry, paralleling Oxford University's Newdigate prize. It was first presented by Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh during his time as Chancellor of the University of Cambridge...
for English verse.
Career
In 1933, Gittings was elected a research fellow of Jesus College and became a history supervisor in 1938.In 1940. he took a job with BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
as a producer and writer, remaining with the Corporation twenty-three years. He made broadcasts for schools, dramatizations of history and literary programmes, and contributed to radio programmes such as Poets and Poetry, World History Series, Poetry Now, and The World of Books.
He continued to write verse, and his first major book, Wentworth Place (1950), was well reviewed. History and poetry combined in him into the ability to bring the past to life. In all, he published twelve volumes of poetry.
In 1954, his biography John Keats: the Living Year was published, to be followed in 1956 by The Mask of Keats, and in 1960 by Shakespeare's Rival. He left the BBC in 1964. His John Keats (1969) was awarded the WH Smith Literary Award
WH Smith Literary Award
The WH Smith Literary Award was an award founded in 1959 by British high street retailer W H Smith. Its founding aim was stated to be to "encourage and bring international esteem to authors of the British Commonwealth"; originally open to all residents of the UK, the Commonwealth and the Republic...
, and he also wrote scholarly studies of Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy, OM was an English novelist and poet. While his works typically belong to the Naturalism movement, several poems display elements of the previous Romantic and Enlightenment periods of literature, such as his fascination with the supernatural.While he regarded himself primarily as a...
: The Young Thomas Hardy (1975), The Older Hardy (1978, awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize
James Tait Black Memorial Prize
Founded in 1919, the James Tait Black Memorial Prizes are among the oldest and most prestigious book prizes awarded for literature written in the English language and are Britain's oldest literary awards...
) and (with his wife, Jo Manton) The Second Mrs Hardy (1979).
As a playwright, Gittings naturally specialized in radio drama, but he also wrote plays for Women's Institutes, This Tower my Prison (1961) and Conflict at Canterbury (1970) for the Canterbury Festival
Canterbury Festival
The Canterbury Festival is Kent's international festival of the arts. It takes place in Canterbury and surrounding towns and villages each October and includes performances of a variety of types of music, ranging from Opera and Oratorio to art, comedy and theatre...
. Introducing Thomas Hardy, a double act with Frances Horowitz, was performed from 1971 until 1978, when Horowitz died.
With Jo Manton, he wrote Dorothy Wordsworth (1985) and the same year published his last book of verse, People, Places, Personal. His last book, Claire Clairmont
Claire Clairmont
Clara Mary Jane Clairmont , or Claire Clairmont as she was commonly known, was a stepsister of writer Mary Shelley and the mother of Lord Byron's daughter Allegra.-Early life:...
and the Shelleys, was printed a few days before his death.
Private life
In 1934, Gittings married Katherine Edith Cambell, a Cambridge contemporary who had been at Girton CollegeGirton College, Cambridge
Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...
and was known as Kay, and they had two sons, called Robert and John, together, but this marriage ended in divorce. In 1949, he married secondly Joan Greville Manton, called Jo, who was a BBC colleague and also a biographer
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
. They had one daughter. He had four great-grandsons, Robert, Oliver, Henry and Harry, and two great-granddaughters, Lucy and Sarah.
A tall man, Gittings had a high forehead and bald head, a warm personality and fine sense of humour. He played several sports, including cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
, real tennis
Real tennis
Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original indoor racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis , is descended...
, and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, and was still playing cricket in his seventies.
He died at Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
on 18 February 1992, and was cremated
Cremation
Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....
.
Selected publications
- Wentworth Place (1950),
- John Keats: The Living Year, 21 September 1818 to 21 September 1819 (London: Heinemann, 1954)
- The Mask of Keats (1956)
- Shakespeare's Rival (1960)
- This Tower my Prison (1961)
- John Keats (1969)
- Conflict at Canterbury (1970)
- The Young Thomas Hardy (1975)
- The Older Hardy (1978)
- (with Jo Manton) The Second Mrs Hardy (1979)
- (with Jo Manton) Dorothy Wordsworth (Clarendon Press, 1985, ISBN 0-1981-8519-7)
- People, Places, Personal (1985)
- Claire Clairmont and the Shelleys (Oxford: Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 1992, ISBN 0198185944)
Honours
- Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, 1970. - Honorary DLitt, University of CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, 1970. - Honorary fellow of Jesus College, CambridgeJesus College, CambridgeJesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
, 1979. - Honorary LittD, University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, 1981.