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336:(1869), established him in the front rank of British novelists of that time. With it, he pioneered a new romantic movement in English fiction. The novel's overwhelming popularity was only secured when it appeared as a one-volume edition, as distinct from the unsuccessful three-volume form in which it was originally published. However, Blackmore was of the view that it had become popular quite by accident when a book reviewer had incorrectly stated that the book was about the forefathers of Lord Lorne who had recently married Princess Louise. Hardy would write to Blackmore expressing his appreciation of the book; but the two men were divided by a certain rivalry as well as differences in temperament and opinions. Various attempts were made to dramatise
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384:. After her death, Blackmore was looked after by her nieces, Eva and Adalgisa Pinto-Leite. Blackmore died at Teddington on 20 January 1900 after a long and painful illness, and was buried next to his wife, as per his request. His final letter was to his sister Ellen, who likewise was suffering a terminal illness. Blackmore movingly ended his short Christmas letter of 1899 as follows:
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278:, to Lucy Maguire. She was 26, a Roman Catholic and said to be somewhat delicate; they never had any children. They were both fond of her sister Agnes' four children and often had them to stay. As well as helping with their education, the Blackmores seem to have adopted Eva when she was 7. Theirs was described by Blackmore's sister as a "happy marriage."
220:. His father married again in 1831, whereupon Richard returned to live with him. Having spent much of his childhood in the lush and pastoral "Doone Country" of Exmoor, and along the Badgworthy Water (where there is now a memorial stone in Blackmore's honour), Blackmore came to love the very countryside he immortalised in
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of horticulture was extensive, but through competition and other factors, the business was not a very lucrative enterprise except in his supply of pears to Covent Garden. However, he is believed to have held the view that he preferred to be remembered as the winner of first prize for swedes than as the author of
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Blackmore's two nieces continued to live in Gomer House; Amelia died in 1911 and was also buried in the
Blackmore grave. Then in October 1938 there was an auction of all its contents, which included Blackmore's own library containing first editions of his works. The house itself was later demolished
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This statement gives a rather distorted picture of
Blackmore's character. Although he was of a retiring disposition, preoccupied with the demands of writing and fruit growing, he did, in fact, have a number of very intimate friends whom he met regularly. His works had a wide following in the United
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after one of his favourite dogs, a Gordon
Spaniel. In the extensive grounds he created an 11-acre (45,000 m) market garden specialising in the cultivation of fruit. The grounds were surrounded by high walls which served to keep out thieves and to aid the ripening of tender fruit. His knowledge
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After leaving Oxford and spending some time as a private tutor, Blackmore decided on a career in law. He entered the Middle Temple in 1849 and was called to the Bar in 1852. Ill-health, however, prevented him from continuing legal work as a full-time occupation and in 1854, he took the post of
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and Doone Close, Blackmore's Grove and Gomer
Gardens were built, referencing the novelist's associations with Teddington. The end of Doone Close marks the approximate site of Gomer House. Blackmore's market garden covered the area between the present Station Road and Field Lane.
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At the time
Blackmore came to Teddington, the railway had not yet disturbed its quiet rural atmosphere. Before long, however, plans were in hand for the purchase of land and the construction of lines. In 1868, Blackmore won a fight against the claims made on his property by the
426:, where Lorna Doone was married; above it in the cathedral was a stained glass window depicting David, Jonathan, and Samson – the archetypes of courage, love, and strength, respectively. John Ridd and Lorna Doone are cast at the top of the window, not far from Carver Doone.
262:. In later years this became the Metropolitan and City of London Police Orphanage and then Fortescue House School. Soon after accepting this position, he moved from London to No. 25 Lower Teddington Road, Hampton Wick – where he lived until he moved to his new home in
290:, Glamorgan, died and left his nephew a sum of money which enabled him to realise a long-held ambition of possessing a house in the country encompassed by a large garden. Blackmore's father encouraged him in the scheme and helped him to carry it into effect.
388:"I have fallen away during the last month, having taken obstinate chills, & caring neither to eat nor drink, nor speak. All my energy & spirit are abated, & often I know not where I am. – E. & D. join me in kindest love, & I am always"
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Upon his death at the age of 74, a well-attended funeral in
Teddington Cemetery, conducted by his old friend, the Reverend Robert Borland, was held in his honour. Four years after his death, in April 1904, a memorial to him was established in
361:"He is not a social man, and seems wedded to his garden in summer and his book writing in winter. That is all I know about him; except that he keeps the most vicious dogs to protect his fruit, and I would advise you to avoid the risk ."
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His wife's health began to deteriorate and became critical by the beginning of
January 1888, and she died at the end of that month. The funeral was held on 3 February 1888 in Teddington Parish Church, and she was buried in
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Slain by the Doones or Tales from the
Telling House (1895). Collection of four short stories that includes 1. Slain by the Doones; 2. Frida, or, The Lover's Leap; 3. George Bowring, a Tale of Cader Idris; 4. Crocker's
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Some local residents in
Teddington regarded Blackmore as somewhat unsociable, if not misanthropic. Charles Deayton, a Teddington merchant, is recorded as stating to a visitor –
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Blackmore began a career as writer by publishing collections of poetry, before turning to novel-writing. His third novel, which became his best known and most successful,
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Discourse on gardening . The
Newcastle Weekly Courant (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England), Saturday, June 2, 1900; Issue 11759. British Library Newspapers, Part I: 1800-1900
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Uncollected Story: Leila, the Golden Fleece. (1896, 29 Nov & 6 Dec), in The Daily News, Denver, Colorado, and other US newspapers on these and later dates.
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which Blackmore had seen and admired for some time. Here he built his new house – completed in 1860 – in which he lived for the rest of his life. He called it
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The Author of "Lorna Doone." . Manchester Times (Manchester, England), Friday, May 25, 1900; Issue 2233. British Library Newspapers, Part I: 1800-1900.
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which had occurred in the village. After this loss John Blackmore moved to Bushey, Herts, then to his native Devon, first to Kings Nympton, then
254:– not, in fact, completed until many years later, and eventually published in 1872 - which he himself would come to consider his finest novel.
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248:, where he took his degree in 1847. During a university vacation he made his first attempt at writing a novel. This was the beginning of
132:, was one of the most famous English novelists of the second half of the nineteenth century. He won acclaim for vivid descriptions and
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Theatrical Gossip . The Era (London, England), Saturday, September 30, 1899; Issue 3184. British Library Newspapers, Part I: 1800-1900
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and others. He has been described as "proud, shy, reticent, strong-willed, sweet-tempered, and self-centred." Apart from his novel
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Blackmore, often referred to as the "Last Victorian", was a pioneer of the movement in fiction that continued with
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A catalogue of notable Middle Templars, with brief biographical notices
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Tales from a Telling House, or Slain by the Doones: four short stories
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States and during his life he formed many friendships with Americans.
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In September 1857, Blackmore's uncle, the Rev. H.H. Knight, Rector of
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classics master at Wellesley House Grammar School, Hampton Road,
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Royal Berkshire History: Richard Doddridge Blackmore (1825–1900)
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but Blackmore only authorised one and that was from the pen of
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Olding, Simon (1977). "The Indefatigable Mr. Hems of Exeter".
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of Exeter. A reduced copy of the memorial was also mounted in
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Blackmore was married on 8 November 1853 at Trinity Church,
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R.D. Blackmore literary papers at the University of Exeter
956:. Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
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125 pages. Centaur Press: 1960. ASIN B-000-6D9OE-4. (1960)
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Dariel, a romance of Surrey, by R. D. Blackmore poster art
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The land selected was a 16-acre (65,000 m) plot at
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Richard Doddridge Blackmore was born on 7 June 1825 at
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A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature
393:"PS Frost coming, I fear – don't like the look of it"
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887:219 pages. Reprint Services Corp: 1 January 1930.
878:The Last Victorian: R.D. Blackmore and His Novels.
885:Richard Doddridge Blackmore: His Life and Novels.
147:Perly-Cross, a novel by R. D. Blackmore poster ad
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915:. Vol. 1. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
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860:. London: J. M. Dent & Sons – via
921:R. D. Blackmore, the Author of Lorna Doone.
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128:(7 June 1825 – 20 January 1900), known as
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693:(New York: Random House, 1982), 179, 249.
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969:Works by R. D. Blackmore in eBook form
728:The Penguin Companion to Literature 1
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1237:People educated at Blundell's School
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905:"Blackmore, Richard Doddridge"
820:Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries
328:His works, his reputation, and death
762:The Penguin Companion to Literature
1242:People from North Devon (district)
937:, Jonathan Cape, 1934. (chapter 8)
923:316 pages. Greenwood Press: 1974.
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987:Works by or about R. D. Blackmore
717:The Five Lives of R.D. Blackmore.
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600:: a tale of the western hills
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591:: a story of west Middlesex
529:: a tale of the South Downs
232:In 1837, Blackmore entered
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503:: a tale of the New Forest
463:The Bugle of the Black Sea
372:Blackmore family grave in
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713:"Victorian Web Biography"
691:Thomas Hardy: A Biography
582:: a tale of the Great War
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996:Works by R. D. Blackmore
978:Works by R. D. Blackmore
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715:. victorianweb.org.
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297:
285:
273:
256:
249:
231:
221:
176:
156:
150:
138:Thomas Hardy
129:
125:
124:
115:
75:(1900-01-20)
29:
1207:1900 deaths
1202:1825 births
1155:Springhaven
1147:Christowell
1099:Lorna Doone
900:Lee, Sidney
773:W. Atkins,
580:Springhaven
563:Christowell
510:Lorna Doone
430:After death
353:Springhaven
334:Lorna Doone
309:Lorna Doone
304:Gomer House
222:Lorna Doone
183:Oxfordshire
158:Lorna Doone
117:Lorna Doone
63:Oxfordshire
56:7 June 1825
1196:Categories
1171:Perlycross
862:Wikisource
835:References
598:Perlycross
422:Church in
416:Harry Hems
300:Teddington
264:Teddington
260:Twickenham
94:novelist,
91:Occupation
80:Teddington
65:), England
607:Fringilla
494:: a novel
485:of Virgil
203:Tor Mohun
199:Culmstock
179:Longworth
165:Biography
86:, England
84:Middlesex
59:Longworth
1000:LibriVox
854:(1910).
775:The Moor
643:See also
483:Georgics
424:Somerset
270:Marriage
238:Tiverton
211:Elsfield
191:outbreak
106:Romantic
989:at the
849::
276:Holborn
216:, near
214:rectory
207:Ashford
1182:(1897)
1179:Dariel
1174:(1894)
1166:(1890)
1158:(1887)
1150:(1882)
1142:(1880)
1134:(1877)
1126:(1876)
1118:(1875)
1110:(1872)
1102:(1869)
1094:(1866)
1086:(1864)
1067:Novels
927:
891:
628:(1897)
624:Dariel
619:(1895)
611:(1895)
602:(1894)
593:(1890)
584:(1887)
575:(1884)
567:(1882)
558:(1880)
549:(1877)
540:(1876)
531:(1875)
522:(1872)
514:(1869)
505:(1866)
496:(1864)
487:(1862)
474:(1860)
466:(1855)
458:(1854)
450:(1854)
406:, and
246:Oxford
218:Oxford
195:typhus
1131:Erema
797:Hardy
677:Notes
635:Hole.
545:Erema
439:Works
288:Neath
925:ISBN
889:ISBN
420:Oare
70:Died
51:Born
1069:by
998:at
980:at
971:at
236:in
193:of
1198::
1027:.
950:.
908:.
824:33
822:.
753:^
698:^
344:.
311:.
266:.
244:,
224:.
201:,
82:,
1059:e
1052:t
1045:v
895:.
864:.
20:)
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