Lady Cynthia Asquith Explained

Lady Cynthia Asquith
Birth Name:Cynthia Mary Evelyn Charteris
Birth Date:27 September 1887
Birth Place:Clouds House, East Knoyle, Wiltshire, England
Death Place:Oxford, England
Nationality:English
Occupation:Writer
Years Active:1926–1960
Children:3

Lady Cynthia Mary Evelyn Asquith (née Charteris; 27 September 1887 – 31 March 1960) was an English writer and socialite, known for her ghost stories and diaries.[1] She also wrote novels, edited a number of anthologies, wrote for children and covered the British Royal family.

Early life

Lady Cynthia was born at Clouds House, East Knoyle, Wiltshire on 27 September 1887,[2] one of seven children of Hugo Richard Charteris, 11th Earl of Wemyss (1857–1937), and Mary Constance Wyndham, of The Souls fame.[3] Among her siblings were Hugo Francis Charteris, Lord Elcho (who married Lady Violet Manners, the daughter of Henry Manners, 8th Duke of Rutland, and was killed in action in the Great War),[4] Guy Lawrence Charteris, Colin Charteris (who died young), Lady Mary Charteris (wife of Capt. Algernon Walter Strickland and, after his death, John George Lyon), Yvo Alan Charteris (also killed in action during the Great War),[5] and Lady Irene Charteris (wife of Ivor Windsor-Clive, 2nd Earl of Plymouth).

Her paternal grandparents were Francis Charteris, 10th Earl of Wemyss and his first wife Lady Anne Frederica Anson (second daughter of Thomas Anson, 1st Earl of Lichfield). Her maternal grandparents were Capt. Hon. Percy Scawen Wyndham MP for Cumberland West (second son of George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield), and the former Madeleine Eden Campbell (sixth daughter of Maj.-Gen. Sir Guy Campbell, 1st Baronet).

Career

In 1913, Asquith met D. H. Lawrence in Margate and became a friend and correspondent.[6] She took a position as secretary to the Peter Pan creator J. M. Barrie,[7] [8] with whom she became close friends, continuing to work for him until his death in 1937. Barrie left most of his estate to her, except for the Peter Pan works.[9] Author L. P. Hartley became a lifelong friend after they met in the early 1920s.

Asquith became known for editing The Ghost Book, an anthology of supernatural fiction, including work by D. H. Lawrence, Algernon Blackwood, Arthur Machen, Oliver Onions, and May Sinclair.[10]

One of Asquith's stories, "The Follower", was adapted for BBC Radio, along with others by Algernon Blackwood, Marjorie Bowen, and Noel Streatfeild; all were later reprinted in the Cecil Madden anthology My Grimmest Nightmare (1935).[1] She contributed to the screenplay of the 1937 film Dreaming Lips, which starred Elisabeth Bergner.[11]

In 1957, Asquith appeared as a contestant in the ITV Quiz show The 64,000 Question (hosted by Jerry Desmonde) where she won the top prize of £3,200 answering questions on the works of Jane Austen.[12]

Personal life

On 28 July 1910, Lady Cynthia married Herbert Asquith (1881–1947), second son of H. H. Asquith, the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916, with whom he is sometimes confused.[13] They had three children:[14]

Lady Cynthia's husband died in Bath on 5 August 1947 aged 66,[14] and Lady Cynthia herself on 31 March 1960, aged 72.[19]

Works

As editor

Adaptations

"God Grante That She Lye Stille", first published in When Churchyards Yawn, was adapted in 1961 by Robert Hardy Andrews as an episode of the anthology TV series Thriller.[21]

See also

Further reading

. Donald H. Tuck . The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy . Chicago . Advent . 1974 . 0-911682-20-1 . 23.

External links

Notes and References

  1. [Richard Dalby]
  2. Asquith [née Charteris], Lady Cynthia Mary Evelyn (1887–1960), writer ]. 2021-02-22 . 2004 . en . 10.1093/ref:odnb/30480 . MacKenzie . Raymond N..
  3. Book: Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage . 2018 . Debrett's Peerage Limited . 978-1-870520-73-7 . 1213 . 11 September 2020 . en.
  4. Web site: Casualty Details | CWGC.
  5. Web site: Casualty Details | CWGC.
  6. See Mark Kinkead-Weekes, D. H. Lawrence: Triumph to Exile, 1912–1922 (Cambridge, 1996), pp. 69 ff.
  7. Andrew Birkin, J. M. Barrie & the Lost Boys, Constable, 1979; revised edition, Yale University Press, 2003.
  8. Kevin Telfer,"Captain Scott and J M Barrie: an unlikely friendship", Telegraph, 9 March 2012.
  9. Chaney, Lisa. Hide-and-Seek with Angels - A Life of J. M. Barrie, Hutchinson, 2005.
  10. [Mike Ashley (writer)|Mike Ashley]
  11. Film Reviews. Sydney Morning Herald [Sydney] 25 October 1937, p. 8; web: 17 April 2013.
  12. News: Davis . Clifford . 18 May 1957 . Lady Cynthia tries for £3,200 … In the 64,000 Question show . 6 . Daily Mirtor . 22 January 2022.
  13. Web site: Oxford and Asquith, Earl of (UK, 1925) . cracroftspeerage.co.uk . Heraldic Media Limited . 11 September 2020.
  14. News: Mr. Herbert Asquith – Poet and Novelist. . 7. 8 August 1947 .
  15. Book: Beauman, Nicola . Nicola Beauman . Cynthia Asquith . Hamish Hamilton . London . 0241123682 . 134–148 . 16: John. 1987 .
  16. Book: Atkinson . Damian . The Selected Letters of Charles Whibley: Scholar and Critic . 2018 . Cambridge Scholars Publishing . 978-1-5275-1294-8 . 152 . 11 September 2020 . en.
  17. Book: Kidd . Charles . Shaw . Christine . Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage 2008 . 2008 . Debrett's . 978-1-870520-80-5 . 1103 . 11 September 2020 . en.
  18. Book: Fleming . Ann . The Letters of Ann Fleming . 1985 . Collins Harvill . 978-0-00-217059-8 . 27 . 11 September 2020 . en.
  19. Web site: Wemyss, Earl of (S, 1633) . cracroftspeerage.co.uk . Heraldic Media Limited . 11 September 2020.
  20. Web site: THE FUNNY. BONE. Compiled by Lady Cynthia Asquith. » 6 Oct 1928 » The Spectator Archive . 2024-01-24 . The Spectator Archive.
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0723074/combined IMDB

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