Cynthia Stockley (7 July 1873 – 15 January 1936) was a South African-Rhodesian novelist known for her romance novels usually set in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa. Her name before her marriage was Lilian Julian Webb. Cynthia was an adopted name.
Stockley was born in Bloemfontein, Orange Free State.[1][2] Her mother, Mary Ann Webb (Corbett), emigrated from County Clare in Ireland at the age of 18, in 1859,[3] whilst her father, Abel Arthur Webb, arrived from Northamptonshire, England, in 1861, at the age of 23.[4]
Her mother died when Cynthia was two. Her father subsequently remarried, and Cynthia then lived with four siblings (one died in infancy), her step-mother, a half-sister, and two half-brothers. After attending St. Michael's School, Bloemfontein, she moved to live with her sister in Mashonaland.
In 1895 she married[5] Philip Stockley (1870-1917), a member of the Mashonaland Mounted Police, in Salisbury (now Harare). They moved to Umtali (now Mutare) where her daughter Dorothy was born in 1896.
The Stockleys separated later in 1896: she to take up a career in journalism and writing, he to participate in the Boer War. Thinking Philip had been killed in the Boer War, she remarried. Her husband was Joseph Byrne (1870-1945), an Irish doctor in New York; their son Patrick was born there in 1905 pp99.[4]
She also worked as an actress and bought a farm in Rhodesia and a house in Norfolk. In 1916 married Harold Pelham Browne (1880 -1939), an officer in the British army serving in Paris pp288.[4]
Stockley died in London in January 1936, having gassed herself in her apartment. Her death was reported in newspapers around the world. The coroner returned a verdict of death by gas poisoning ‘whilst of unsound mind’.[6] She is buried in Sheringham, Norfolk.
Careeredit
Stockley wrote her first novel in her adopted country, with Virginia of the Rhodesians (1903) . In The Claw (1911), Stockley's heroes are heavily impacted by the powerful African landscape: "Africa has kissed him on the mouth and he will not leave her."[7] In The Claw, she wrote of the country's empty landscapes that allowed for both personal freedom and expansion of the soul: "The world seemed filled with gracious dimness and made up of illimitable space. An indescribable feeling of happy freedom filled my heart. It seemed to me that the lungs of my soul drew breath and expanded as they had never done in any land before."[7] Although Stockley shows a commitment to Rhodesian patriotism in her novels, her nationalism shifted towards Union with South Africa in Tagati (1930).[7]
Novelsedit
Her 16 books included:
Virginia of the Rhodesians, London: Hutchinson 1903
Poppy: the Story of a South African Girl, London: Hurst and Blackett 1909
cynthia, stockley, july, 1873, january, 1936, south, african, rhodesian, novelist, known, romance, novels, usually, rhodesia, zimbabwe, south, africa, name, before, marriage, lilian, julian, webb, cynthia, adopted, name, bornlilian, julian, webb, 1873, july, 1. Cynthia Stockley 7 July 1873 15 January 1936 was a South African Rhodesian novelist known for her romance novels usually set in Rhodesia now Zimbabwe and South Africa Her name before her marriage was Lilian Julian Webb Cynthia was an adopted name Cynthia StockleyBornLilian Julian Webb 1873 07 07 7 July 1873Bloemfontein Orange Free StateDied15 January 1936 1936 01 15 aged 62 Kensington EnglandOccupationWriterEducationSt Michael s School BloemfonteinNotable worksPoppy the Story of a South African Girl PonjolaSpousePhilip StockleyJoseph ByrneHarold Pelham BrowneChildrenDorothyPatrick Contents 1 Biography 2 Career 2 1 Novels 2 2 Films 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksBiography editStockley was born in Bloemfontein Orange Free State 1 2 Her mother Mary Ann Webb Corbett emigrated from County Clare in Ireland at the age of 18 in 1859 3 whilst her father Abel Arthur Webb arrived from Northamptonshire England in 1861 at the age of 23 4 Her mother died when Cynthia was two Her father subsequently remarried and Cynthia then lived with four siblings one died in infancy her step mother a half sister and two half brothers After attending St Michael s School Bloemfontein she moved to live with her sister in Mashonaland In 1895 she married 5 Philip Stockley 1870 1917 a member of the Mashonaland Mounted Police in Salisbury now Harare They moved to Umtali now Mutare where her daughter Dorothy was born in 1896 The Stockleys separated later in 1896 she to take up a career in journalism and writing he to participate in the Boer War Thinking Philip had been killed in the Boer War she remarried Her husband was Joseph Byrne 1870 1945 an Irish doctor in New York their son Patrick was born there in 1905 pp99 4 She also worked as an actress and bought a farm in Rhodesia and a house in Norfolk In 1916 married Harold Pelham Browne 1880 1939 an officer in the British army serving in Paris pp288 4 Stockley died in London in January 1936 having gassed herself in her apartment Her death was reported in newspapers around the world The coroner returned a verdict of death by gas poisoning whilst of unsound mind 6 She is buried in Sheringham Norfolk Career editStockley wrote her first novel in her adopted country with Virginia of the Rhodesians 1903 In The Claw 1911 Stockley s heroes are heavily impacted by the powerful African landscape Africa has kissed him on the mouth and he will not leave her 7 In The Claw she wrote of the country s empty landscapes that allowed for both personal freedom and expansion of the soul The world seemed filled with gracious dimness and made up of illimitable space An indescribable feeling of happy freedom filled my heart It seemed to me that the lungs of my soul drew breath and expanded as they had never done in any land before 7 Although Stockley shows a commitment to Rhodesian patriotism in her novels her nationalism shifted towards Union with South Africa in Tagati 1930 7 Novels edit Her 16 books included Virginia of the Rhodesians London Hutchinson 1903 Poppy the Story of a South African Girl London Hurst and Blackett 1909 The Claw London Hurst and Blackett 1911 The Dream Ship Wanderfoot in America London Hurst and Blackett 1913 Blue Aloes Stories of South Africa London Hutchinson 1918 Ponjola London Constable 1923 Tagati London Constable 1930 Films edit With the advent of silent film several of her books were made into films Poppy 1917 The Claw 1918 Wild Honey 1922 Ponjola 1923 The Female 1924 The Claw 1927 References edit Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bloemfontein Baptismal records 1850 1890 record 501 p49 Mother s death certificate Bloemfontein Esme Bull Aided Emigration from Britain to South Africa 1857 to 1867 ed J L Basson 1991 a b c Veld Girl Cynthia Stockley A life recreated by Tim and Betty Mcloughlin ISBN 9176370127 Rhodesia Herald 10 May 1895 Belfast Telegraph 17 January 1936 p 17 a b c Empire nation gender and romance the novels of Cynthia Stockley 1872 1936 and Gertrude Page 1873 1922 University of Cape Town 1997Further reading editMcLoughlin Tim and Betty 2015 Veld Girl Cynthia Stockley A life recreated Sweden Elementa ISBN 978 9176370124 Archived from the original on 18 March 2017 Retrieved 17 March 2017 External links editWorks by Cynthia Stockley at Project Gutenberg Cynthia Stockley at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cynthia Stockley amp oldid 1180097656, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
