Donisthorpe was born as Gladys Millie Leon in London in 1898.
In 1916, Donisthorpe married British inventor and tennis player[1] Frank Wordsworth Donisthorpe, son of Wordsworth Donisthorpe.[2][3] Donisthorpe was eighteen years old, and the two married in Southwark, England.[4] Her name thus changed to Gladys Sheila Donisthorpe.
Career
Donisthorpe composed advertising copy for Selfridges department stores.[5] Donisthorpe's first novel, You (1928), was called "a childishly immature, pretentious, and trivial book, with no artistic excuse for its existence" in an American newspaper.[6] Her next novel was the pulpy[7]Loveliest of Friends! (1931), a cautionary story about married women seduced into lesbian relationships. "If the book is a trifle wordy, the words are all of a dark, poisonous, decadent beauty, a lush pornography, like the tale," commented a North Carolina reviewer.[8] A Boston reviewer considered it "an unhappy and revolting novel."[9] The novel was popular in the United States and Great Britain, going through several editions.[10]
Of Loveliest of Friends! and its lesbian themes, Neil Pearson wrote: "since everything else Donisthorpe wrote seems to have been drawn from life it’s probably safe to assume that Loveliest of Friends describes a phase in her personal development”, but that with the content of the book in mind and how anti-lesbian it was, “[Donisthorpe] wasn’t gay, and it shows.”[11]
Plays by Donisthorpe included Children to Bless You! (1935-1936),[12][13]First Night (1937),[14]Guests at Lancaster Gate, Mermaid's Gout, Other People's Houses (1941), Gaily We Set Out, Society Blues, and Fruit of the Tree.[15] One of her novels was adapted for film as First Night (1937); another play by Donisthorpe, Children to Bless You!, was broadcast live on British television.
Donisthorpe published a memoir in 1943 titled Show Business: A Book of the Theatre.
^Seddon, Peter (4 June 2015). Tennis's Strangest Matches: Extraordinary but true stories from over a century of tennis. Pavilion Books. ISBN978-1-910232-46-0.
^"Frank W. Donisthorpe". Historic Camera. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
^Herbert, Stephen (1998). Industry, Liberty, and a Vision: Wordsworth Donisthorpe's Kinesigraph. The Projection Box. p. 35. ISBN978-0-9523941-3-6.
^"Gladys Leon" in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 (General Register Office; United Kingdom; Volume: 1d; Page: 238)
^"Books of the Day". The Guardian. 17 November 1943. p. 3. Retrieved 29 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^"An Immature Novel". Hartford Courant. 19 August 1928. p. 54. Retrieved 29 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Passions Uncovered: Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Pulps". University of Saskatchewan Library. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
^Linney, Ruth (6 December 1931). "Lesbianism is Theme of Well Written Novel". The Charlotte News. p. 18. Retrieved 29 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Unhappy Novel about a Group of English Women". The Boston Globe. 14 December 1931. p. 15. Retrieved 29 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^Jeffreys, Sheila (1997). The Spinster and Her Enemies: Feminism and Sexuality, 1880-1930. Spinifex Press. p. 126. ISBN978-1-875559-63-3.
^Pearson, Neil. “Author Biographies.” Obelisk: A History of Jack Kahane and the Obelisk Press, Liverpool University Press, 2007, pg. 352.
^"Production of Children, To Bless You! | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
^Wearing, J. P. (15 May 2014). The London Stage 1930-1939: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 507. ISBN978-0-8108-9304-7.
^A.D. (22 February 1937). "London Arts Theatre". The Guardian. p. 8. Retrieved 29 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^Pearson, Neil (2007). Obelisk: A History of Jack Kahane and the Obelisk Press. Liverpool University Press. p. 352. ISBN978-1-84631-101-7.
sheila, donisthorpe, gladys, sheila, donisthorpe, december, 1898, september, 1946, born, gladys, millie, leon, london, born, novelist, playwright, born17, december, 1898londondied1, september, 1946occupation, novelist, playwrightnotable, workloveliest, friends. Gladys Sheila Donisthorpe 17 December 1898 1 September 1946 born Gladys Millie Leon was a London born novelist and playwright G Sheila DonisthorpeBorn17 December 1898LondonDied1 September 1946Occupation s Novelist playwrightNotable workLoveliest of Friends novel 1931 Children to Bless You play 1936 SpouseFrank Wordsworth Donisthorpe Contents 1 Personal life 2 Career 3 Selected publications 4 Death 5 References 6 External linksPersonal life EditDonisthorpe was born as Gladys Millie Leon in London in 1898 In 1916 Donisthorpe married British inventor and tennis player 1 Frank Wordsworth Donisthorpe son of Wordsworth Donisthorpe 2 3 Donisthorpe was eighteen years old and the two married in Southwark England 4 Her name thus changed to Gladys Sheila Donisthorpe Career EditDonisthorpe composed advertising copy for Selfridges department stores 5 Donisthorpe s first novel You 1928 was called a childishly immature pretentious and trivial book with no artistic excuse for its existence in an American newspaper 6 Her next novel was the pulpy 7 Loveliest of Friends 1931 a cautionary story about married women seduced into lesbian relationships If the book is a trifle wordy the words are all of a dark poisonous decadent beauty a lush pornography like the tale commented a North Carolina reviewer 8 A Boston reviewer considered it an unhappy and revolting novel 9 The novel was popular in the United States and Great Britain going through several editions 10 Of Loveliest of Friends and its lesbian themes Neil Pearson wrote since everything else Donisthorpe wrote seems to have been drawn from life it s probably safe to assume that Loveliest of Friends describes a phase in her personal development but that with the content of the book in mind and how anti lesbian it was Donisthorpe wasn t gay and it shows 11 Plays by Donisthorpe included Children to Bless You 1935 1936 12 13 First Night 1937 14 Guests at Lancaster Gate Mermaid s Gout Other People s Houses 1941 Gaily We Set Out Society Blues and Fruit of the Tree 15 One of her novels was adapted for film as First Night 1937 another play by Donisthorpe Children to Bless You was broadcast live on British television Donisthorpe published a memoir in 1943 titled Show Business A Book of the Theatre Selected publications EditYou 1927 novel serialized in The Smart Set in 1928 16 Loveliest of Friends 1931 novel 17 The Blind Journey 1933 novel 18 Sets Your Star 1933 novel 19 Children to bless you 1936 play 20 Show business a book of the theatre 1943 memoir 21 Fruit of the tree play 22 Death EditDonisthorpe died in 1946 aged 47 years 23 References Edit Seddon Peter 4 June 2015 Tennis s Strangest Matches Extraordinary but true stories from over a century of tennis Pavilion Books ISBN 978 1 910232 46 0 Frank W Donisthorpe Historic Camera Retrieved 29 May 2020 Herbert Stephen 1998 Industry Liberty and a Vision Wordsworth Donisthorpe s Kinesigraph The Projection Box p 35 ISBN 978 0 9523941 3 6 Gladys Leon in the England amp Wales Civil Registration Marriage Index 1916 2005 General Register Office United Kingdom Volume 1d Page 238 Books of the Day The Guardian 17 November 1943 p 3 Retrieved 29 May 2020 via Newspapers com An Immature Novel Hartford Courant 19 August 1928 p 54 Retrieved 29 May 2020 via Newspapers com Passions Uncovered Gay Lesbian and Transgender Pulps University of Saskatchewan Library Retrieved 29 May 2020 Linney Ruth 6 December 1931 Lesbianism is Theme of Well Written Novel The Charlotte News p 18 Retrieved 29 May 2020 via Newspapers com Unhappy Novel about a Group of English Women The Boston Globe 14 December 1931 p 15 Retrieved 29 May 2020 via Newspapers com Jeffreys Sheila 1997 The Spinster and Her Enemies Feminism and Sexuality 1880 1930 Spinifex Press p 126 ISBN 978 1 875559 63 3 Pearson Neil Author Biographies Obelisk A History of Jack Kahane and the Obelisk Press Liverpool University Press 2007 pg 352 Production of Children To Bless You Theatricalia theatricalia com Retrieved 29 May 2020 Wearing J P 15 May 2014 The London Stage 1930 1939 A Calendar of Productions Performers and Personnel Rowman amp Littlefield p 507 ISBN 978 0 8108 9304 7 A D 22 February 1937 London Arts Theatre The Guardian p 8 Retrieved 29 May 2020 via Newspapers com Pearson Neil 2007 Obelisk A History of Jack Kahane and the Obelisk Press Liverpool University Press p 352 ISBN 978 1 84631 101 7 Donisthorpe Gladys Sheila 1927 You London OCLC 314955468 Donisthorpe G Sheila Savage Steele 1952 Loveliest of friends New York N Y Arco Pub Co OCLC 2457167 Donisthorpe G Sheila 1933 The blind journey a novel New York G H Watt OCLC 8130648 Donisthorpe Gladys Sheila 1933 Sets your star London Hutchinson OCLC 635090050 Donisthorpe G Sheila 1936 Children to bless you a comedy in three acts London New York Samuel French OCLC 12212918 Donisthorpe G Sheila 1943 Show business a book of the theatre London The Fortune Press OCLC 16737513 Donisthorpe G Sheila 1957 Fruit of the tree a play in three acts London S French OCLC 13984807 Donisthorpe G Sheila 1898 1946 Encyclopedia com www encyclopedia com Retrieved 29 July 2020 External links EditG Sheila Donisthorpe at IMDb G Sheila Donisthorpe at the British Film InstitutePortal Biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title G Sheila Donisthorpe amp oldid 1084400216, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
