Arnold
Bennett (27th May 1867 to 27th March 1931)
Arnold was a prolific writer who wrote about 40 novels, 17 factual
books, four films and an opera. An omelette is named after him. Do you know
anyone who has achieved all this? No me neither. He was so successful he was
offered a knighthood ( but turned it down.) Like so many successful people he was
born in a small village, gained huge success that bought a home in London, died
and was brought home to be buried. Here I am at the very end of his journey.
He was born in
modest circumstances in Hanley, a Potteries village in Staffordshire. He left
school and started working for his dad who was a solicitor. It didn’t work out
and he had sundry low-paid jobs such as rent-collecting. In the evening he did
some journalism and at 21 he moved to London to be a solicitor's clerk. He was
writing all the time and success arrived early. Aged 22 he won a literary
competition hosted by Tit-Bits
magazine and was told he was good enough to be a professional journalist. By 27
he was assistant editor of the periodical Woman.
He thought the material was so poor he wrote a serial which was taken on for £75
(now £10,000.) Aged 31 his first novel was published.
Books
flooded out of him - fiction and journalism. Aged 36 he heard other great
artists from around the world had settled in Montmartre and then Montparnasse
in Paris. He moved there for eight years writing novels and plays. Aged 41 The Old Wives' Tale was published
and was a global success. His novels were hailed as a masterpieces and are
still read today. As if he wasn’t busy
enough when he got married and was Director of Propaganda for France at the
Ministry of Information during the First World War. He was offered knighthood
for his efforts but refused it.
Ages 54 he separated from his French wife
and fell in love with the actress Dorothy Cheston. They remained together until
his death and even had a daughter. They didn’t marry but Dorothy changed her
last name to Bennett.
An omelette is named after Arnold. If you
stay in the Savoy Hotel in London you can order one. Once Arnold was staying
there and the chefs made such an exquisite omelette with smoked haddock,
Parmesan cheese and cream in it that he insisted on it being prepared wherever
he travelled. The "Omelette Arnold Bennett" remains on the menu of
many hotels and restaurants across London.
He moved to
London and I found his home in Chiltern Court, a mammoth mansion block above
Baker Street Rail Station, Marylebone. He lived, worked and died here of
typhoid. He was only 63 and would probably have lived many more years but he’d
been on trip to Paris and ignored the waiter's advice to avoid drinking tap
water. He was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.
After a full
prolific life as a respected writer his ashes were returned home and he’s
buried in Burslem cemetery with his mum and
grandparents. It was around this area he set many of his novels and have been
made into films and series - The Card
(starring Alec Guinness), Clayhanger and Anna of
the Five Towns. Here I am saluting at the family headstone. Anyone who has
an omelette names after them deserves a few salutes don't they?
I like the couch bend on the left…
You just have to visit the war
graves while you’re in any cemetery…
I saw and like this grave though the
lady’s hand seems to high if it’s supposed to be on her heart…
Where Arnold lived, worked and died…
