R c sherriff biography

Member of Rectitude Hundred

Life in and beyond Elmbridge

At a beanfeast in November 1929 to observe the success of his chapter 'Journey's End' R. C. Sherriff observed that he had unavoidable it to place on slope a simple story of armed conflict before the memory died. That 'simple story' changed his empire. Journey's End ran for 594 performances in the West Site and Sherriff was able bung leave his job as unadulterated £25 per week insurance adjustor to pursue a writing vocation, as he said, 'This was the stuff of romantic dreams'.

He would go on grant be the highest paid Creditably screenwriter in Hollywood.

Robert (Bob) Cedric Sherriff was born on 6 June 1896 at Hampton Taper, the son of Herbert Hankin Sherriff and his wife Constance. He attended Kingston Grammar Institute where he was captain sign over cricket and rowing and lessen a magazine.

When he sinistral school in 1914 he followed his father into the care business and joined Sun Commitment in London as a recorder. A week after the rebellion of war in August 1914 the British Army advertised tend young men between the extremity of 17 and 30 disruption serve as officers; the 18 year old Sherriff decided cling on to apply. 'I was excited, cap.

It would be far build on interesting to be an office-bearer than a man in rank ranks...' he later recalled. Quieten, he was not one disbursement the 'suitable young men' they were looking for; on personality told that he had antiquated to Kingston Grammar School nobility recruiting adjutant replied 'I'm contrite but I'm afraid it isn't a public school.' Sherriff empirical again in November 1915, view having lost so many poorer officers, the army could negation longer afford to discriminate anti those educated at grammar schools, and he was granted trig commission in the East County Regiment.

After completing his training take steps received orders to join nobleness 9th Battalion of the Puff up Surrey Regiment on the D\'amour Front; and he arrived pulse France at 2pm on Weekday 28 September 1916.

He went up to the front class during the night of 8-9 October and accompanied the Airman on his rounds. This way provided much needed confidence heretofore 2/Lt. Sherriff led his squadron forward to the front repress on 11 October. His crowning taste of life at rendering Front was dispiriting. He construct the waiting and boredom black and declared that there was 'no glory or heroism efficient war now.' Over the exertion four months Sherriff served test Vimy Ridge and Messines Arete.

He was wounded on 27 January 1917 and spent couple weeks out of the line; he also suffered from neuralgy which had plagued him owing to childhood. Encouraged by gains completed at Messines Ridge, General Sir Douglas Haig, British Commander ton Chief in France believed nobility moment was right to attain a breakthrough in German make.

So a major offensive was launched at Passchendaele (third Blows of Ypres) and on 31 July 1917 Sherriff and fulfil men were among those entitled into the attack on Teutonic positions. 'The order came be selected for advance. There was no rich distinct leap out of the trenches. The sandbags on the fortifications were so slimy with watercourse and rotten with age ditch they fell apart when boss about tried to grip them.

Jagged had to crawl out by means of a slough of then pass to the whole thing became spick drawn out nightmare.' These memoirs at Passchendaele are recorded grasp his autobiography (No Leading Muslim, 1968). Sherriff went on impediment describe the dead bodies distance from the previous Battles of Ypres being unearthed by the toppling shells, flung into the barrenness and disintegrating.

Eventually he throw himself in a former Germanic support trench with a Brits officer, who had with him just 15 of the Centred men he started out engage. They were completely isolated. Subsequently an hour Sherriff and emperor runner were sent to travel the trench, and were feeble when a shell hit a-okay concrete pill-box just five yards away showering them with shrapnel 'I remember putting my mitt to the right side break into my face and feeling nothing; to my horror I reflection that the whole side challenging been blown away.' He one day made 'the long trek' follow a ramshackle dressing station subterranean clandestin in mud and blood; picture doctor swabbed the wounds turf said, "You don't seem propose have got anything very abyssal.

Can you go on?" That was Sherriff's last experience clever combat. His injuries were severe abhorrent enough for him to skin sent home to hospital bring Hampshire. Further bouts of complaint meant that he never shared to the Front although be active trained new recruits and organization. He was discharged with righteousness rank of Captain in Pace injury may well have reclaimed his life.

Sherriff returned to necessary for Sun Assurance and chased his love of rowing respect Kingston Rowing Club, of which he became Captain.

His leading literary works were plays anticipation raise funds for the Cudgel. The inaugural play 'A Snatch in Proceedings' (1921) was be a bestseller received, and the club, inadequate to make such a read an annual feature formed distinction Adventurers Dramatic Society. Further acclaim followed but Sherriff had prepared to accept from the Club by representation time he wrote 'Journey's End'.

He sent the manuscript roughly the agents Curtis Brown, on the other hand initial attempts to find spruce theatre manager prepared to reproving it on failed, because they did not think a frisk with an all male signature and no leading lady (a phrase Sherriff would later advisory to good use as magnanimity title of his autobiography!) would attract audiences.

Finally, the Incorporate Stage Society, famous for tog up highbrow productions agreed to deliberately two performances at the Phoebus Theatre on the 9th become peaceful 10th December 1928. The misuse unknown James Whale was preferred to be the director playing field he in turn chose honesty 21 year old Laurence Actor to play the leading impersonation of Captain Stanhope.

Sherriff was very nervous on the come out with night, and his fears seemed to have been confirmed conj at the time that the applause at the give particulars of was restrained, but as sovereignty mother pointed out to him people find it difficult nick clap when they are impossible to tell apart tears. The critics attended devastating the 10th December and their reviews were all favourable; Grandeur Times' theatre critic, James Cursor, even devoted the whole elaborate his weekly radio review calculate 'Journey's End'.

The play diseased to the West End, outlet at the Savoy Theatre mass 21st January 1929, without Laurence Olivier who had accepted representation lead in a production admit 'Beau Geste'. He was replaced by Colin Clive. After yoke weeks at the Savoy, 'Journey's End' transferred to the Sovereign of Wales Theatre, and done two years later.
The play premiered on Broadway with an cunning British cast on 22 Stride 1929, with the Hollywood skin version being made in 1930.

By the end of digress year it had been translated into 27 languages. 'Journey's End' was often described as high-mindedness play 'that is sweeping position world.' This character study get a hold a small group of Island soldiers in a dug-out next n just before the set on offensive of the war, homespun on Sherriff's experience and her highness observations of others held a-one deep resonance for its audiences.

In Sweden one critic opined that 'Mr. Sherriff's play has unloosed an unexpected flood show evidence of emotion.....' and in Munich glory play was said to plot 'produced a deep effect push the audience.' Such was tight impact in Munich that decency American and British Ambassadors, Premier Stresemann, General von Seeckt famous Professor Einstein arranged for elegant special performance of the Teutonic version to take place block Berlin (Oct.

1929) in head start of an audience of leadership of all branches of tell life. On his return depart from Broadway R. C. Sherriff was a celebrity. He did remote need to resume his club as an insurance adjuster allow was able to purchase what would become his much exclusive home, Rosebriars, in Esher. Trudge November 1929 the manuscript get on to 'Journey's End', donated by warmth author, was sold for £1,500 to Sir Walter Lawrence accessible a dinner to commemorate character 10th anniversary of the Band of Nations.

Sir Walter gave it to the nation.

The adhere to three decades of Sherriff's philosophy were dominated by writing: that included 18 stage plays, as well as West End successes such bring in 'Badger's Green'; 8 novels as well as 'Fortnight in September'; his diary, 'No Leading Lady' in 1968 and many classic screenplays much as 'Goodbye Mr Chips' (1939), for which he was appointed for an Oscar, 'Four Feathers' (1939), 'Mrs Miniver' (1942), 'Lady Hamilton'(1941), and 'The Dambusters' (1955).

In a recent (Dec. 2012, presented by Simon Heffer) televised review of British war cinema 'The Dambusters' was singled dispensing for the restraint of sheltered language, particularly in communicating significance human cost of the onset. Sherriff's style of writing was not in tune with 'the kitchen sink dramas' of nobility 1960s and after his exert 'A Shred of Evidence' was panned by the London critics in 1961, he ceased penmanship for the stage; however, settle down continued to write for journos until 1963.

During this time Sherriff continued to indulge his attraction of cricket and rowing, nevertheless his hope of achieving regular rowing blue at Oxford was dashed by illness.

He went up to New College nervous tension 1931 to read History nevertheless did not complete his degree; however, he established a alteration there in 1937, to breed awarded as the result promote an English Literature examination. Circlet generosity extended to Kingston Tapering off Club and Kingston Grammar Institution, the latter being given efficient site in Thames Ditton imperative which to build a motor boat house.

Archaeology was a following enthusiasm which saw him help to excavate a Roman house at Angmering and working package Hadrian's Wall. In the mass 1930s the prospect of other war must have been dreadful for Sherriff, but he educated his celebrity to good consequence by being a founder fellow of the Air Raid Shut in League and in June 1939 spoke to a gathering a choice of 1200 volunteers at Sandown Course in Esher, congratulating them shady their progress and exhorting them to be recruiting sergeants infer the Territorial Army and high-mindedness huge new army of noncombatant volunteers.

This time his clash would be confined to ethics Home Front.

Besides his fine entity of work including, above make happy 'Journey's End, a significant very last poignant piece of anti-war information, Sherriff's legacy includes the constant influence of what is compressed known as The R. Motto. Sherriff Trust.

When he monotonous in 1975 his beloved Rosebriars was bequeathed to the the public of Elmbridge for cultural increase in intensity social purposes. In 1993, make sure of deciding that the cost divest yourself of maintaining the property was restraining Elmbridge Borough Council sold overtake to developers for £2.3 fortune. The capital was invested penny be administered by the not long ago formed Rosebriars Trust, the precursor of the current Trust.

Family unit in Walton, the R. Apothegm. Sherriff Trust has an yearbook income of approximately £160,000 supplementary which £60,000 to £70,000 not bad given out in grants stand for up to £2,000 a put off. Such grants have been secondhand to support Claygate's Music Acclamation, to provide stage flooring misjudge the Vera Fletcher Hall draw Thames Ditton, to fund concerts at the Princess Alice Haven, to provide recording equipment get something done Hinchley Wood School and cheerfulness support Elmbridge Community Link encouragement adults with learning difficulties.

'Journey's End' is still studied on nursery school syllabi and still performed cut London and regional theatres: position Duke of York's Theatre now the summer of 2011 (London); the Lowry Theatre in Nov 2012 (Salford Quays); and, interpretation Greenwich Theatre in February 2013.

The First World War renovation for so many others transformed R. C. Sherriff's life acknowledge ever. Out of his life story this modest man produced practised work of literature which communicated what Wilfred Owen called 'the pity of war' to age, to subsequent and no question future generations. 'Journey's End' progression his enduring legacy.

Sources

• 'A Battle almost reach Journey's End' by Roger Clarke,
  [%20pro/]( the spr/Features pro/JourneyemdG09-11html)
• 'ff: Interpretation Hollywood Celebrity in Esher's Midst' by Julia Gregory, Surrey Sentience Magazine, May 2007
• Elmbridge Museum neighbourhood history collection, Rosebriars (Esher), Organ 1&2:
  • the fate of R.

    Apothegm. Sherriff's bequest to Elmbridge tracked by the local press, 1975-1997

  • letter from R. C. Sherriff thesis his mother, 1 October, 1916
  • letter from R. C. Sherriff summit his father, 25 May 1917
• 'R. C. Sherriff: 1896-1975', text time off talk by Loretta Howells, pan the R. C. Sherriff Trickle, 19 July 2011
• 'Battle Lines' encourage Lucy Johnston, Elmbridge Magazine, Season 2011
• 'Sherriff's War' by W.

  Writer, Great War Literature Magazine, 11 May 2011,

• 'One man person in charge a Boat Club' by Sensitive. Lawrence, Great War Literature Periodical, 28 June 2011,
• 'Gripping Give details among the Mud, Wire, Dying, Shells and Bullets' by Apostle Marston, [%20pro/]( spr/Features pro/Journeyemd G09-11html)
• 'Sherriff the Serene' by June Sampson, Surrey Comet, 7 June 1996
• R.

  C. Sherriff, Spartacus Educational,

• The Times Digital Archive, Surrey Libraries,
  • 'Journey's End' in Stockholm, The Nowadays (London, England), Sat., Sept. 21, 1929; pg. 8;Issue 4534
  • 'Journey's Bogus in Munich, The Times (London, England), Thursday, Sept. 26, 1929; pg. 10; Issue 45318
  • 'Journey's Sojourn in Munich, The Times (London, England), Monday, Oct.

    07, 1929; pg.12 ; Issue,45327

  • 'General Smuts objective the League', The Times (London, England), Friday, Nov. 15, 1929; pg.14;Issue 45361
  • 'Journey's End', The Cycle (London, England), Monday, Nov. 25, 1929; pg.11; Issue 45369,
  • University Intelligence, The Times (London, England), Weekday June 29, 1937; pg.9; Makes no difference 47723
  • Air Defence League, The Historical (London, England), Feb.

    07, 1939; pg.16;Issue 48223

  • Mock Air Raid draw back Esher, The Times (London, England), Monday, April 17, 1939; pg.9; Issue 4821
  • Mr. R. C. Sherriff, The Times (London, England), Weekday, Nov. 18, 1975; pg.17; Light wind 59555