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Norah Hoult

October 21, 2023

Eleanor Lucy Hoult, known by her pen name Norah Hoult, (10 September 1898 – 6 April 1984) was an Irish writer of novels and short stories. A prolific writer, Hoult wrote twenty-three novels and four short story collections. Her work deals primarily with themes of alcohol abuse, prostitution, class dynamics and ill-fated marriages.[1] Between the 1940s and 50s, Hoult's work was frequently banned by the Irish Censorship Board.[2]

Hoult was born in Dublin.[3] Her mother, Margaret O'Shaughnessy, was a Catholic who eloped at the age of 21 with a Protestant English architect named Powis Hoult.[3] Hoult's mother died when she was nine years old and her father died only months later. After her parents' deaths, Hoult and her brother were sent to live with their father's relations in England and were educated in various boarding schools in the North of England.[3][4][5]

Hoult began her career in journalism, working for British newspapers. She worked first for the Sheffield Daily Telegraph, followed by the Telegraph and Pearson's Magazine.[6]

Her first book, Poor Women!, appeared in 1928.[5] This collection of five short stories received critical praise, and has been reprinted several times, both individually and in selected editions.[7] It was followed by a novel, Time Gentlemen! Time! (1930), which deals with a woman's unhappy marriage to an alcoholic.[8] This novel exemplifies Hoult's interest in depicting the strain of social constrains and maintaining respectability in Ireland during the 1930s and 1950s.[8]

Hoult married the writer Oliver Stonor, and lived with him at The Cottage in Windsor Great Park for a year; the marriage was dissolved in 1934.[3] She returned to Ireland to collect material for her writing in 1931, and remained there until 1937, when she moved to New York for two years.[3] Her next two books, Holy Ireland (1935) and its sequel Coming from the Fair (1937), show Irish family life before World War I.[9]

Fellow Irish writer, Seán Ó Faoláin, wrote to Hoult in 1936 to congratulate her on Holy Ireland.[7] O'Faolain wrote that he 'admire[d] the strength of it [...] and the sympathy of it'.[7] Contemporary critics are similarly complimentary about her work, comparing her not only to short story writers such as O'Faolain and Frank O'Connor but also to novelists including Kate O'Brien and Edna O'Brien for the way in which her work examines the influence of the Catholic Church on the quotidian lives of Irish women.[7]

In 1939 she settled in Bayswater, London, not far from Violet Hunt upon whom Claire Temple the protagonist in There Were No Windows (1944) is modelled.[5] The novel There Were No Windows is set in London during the Second World War in which the trauma of the Blitz impacts upon Claire Temple, a novelist suffering with dementia.[8]

In 1957 she returned to live in Ireland.[3]

In 1977 she published her last book.[5] She died at Jonquil Cottage, Greystones, County Wicklow, on April 6, 1984.[5]

Hoult was a friend of many notable Irish figures including Republican James Stephens and poet and medic Oliver St. John Gogarty. Hoult was also friends with the Scottish writer Fred Urquhart and some of their correspondence is preserved in his archive.[10]

Despite a 44 year publishing career, critics have described Hoult's work as "overlooked" and "neglected".[4] Nicola Beauman is quoted as saying Hoult "is a very good example of a woman writer who falls completely out of fashion and is forgotten. She was an absolutely brilliant writer and well-known at the time in a way she isn't now".[4] Beauman, editor at London's Persephone Books, has revisited Hoult's work since her death. In 2005 Persephone Books republished her novel There Were No Windows. The aim of Persephone books is to shed light on women writers who have been overlooked in the Irish literary canon.[4]

Works Edit

  • Poor Women! (short stories, 1928)
  • Time Gentlemen! Time! (1930) [published in the U.S. as Closing Time]
  • Violet Ryder (from Poor Women!, 1930)
  • Apartments to Let (1931)
  • Youth Can't Be Served (1933)
  • Holy Ireland (1935)
  • Coming from the Fair (1937)
  • Nine Years is a Long Time (short stories, 1938)
  • Smilin' on the Vine (1939)
  • Four Women Grow Up (1940)
  • Augusta Steps Out (1942)
  • Scene for Death (1943)
  • There Were No Windows (1944) (Republished in 2005 by Persephone Books)
  • House Under Mars (1946)
  • Farewell Happy Fields (1948) (republished 2019 by New Island Books)
  • Cocktail Bar (short stories, 1950) (republished 2018 by New Island Books)
  • Frozen Ground (autobiography, 1952)
  • Sister Mavis (1953)
  • A Death Occurred (1954)
  • Journey Into Print (1954)
  • Father Hone and the Television Set (1956)
  • Father and Daughter (1957)
  • Husband and Wife (1959)
  • The Last Days of Miss Jenkinson (1962)
  • A Poet's Pilgrimage (1966)
  • Only Fools and Horses Work (1969)
  • Not For Our Sins Alone (1972)
  • Two Girls in the Big Smoke (1977)

References Edit

  1. ^ Meaney, Geraldine (2018). 1. Ingman, 2. Ó Gallchoir, 1. Heather, 2. Clíona (ed.). A History of Modern Irish Women's Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 193. ISBN 9781316442999.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  2. ^ Éilís, Ní Dhuibne (17 March 2018). "Uncensoring Norah Hoult, a forgotten Irish great". Irish Times. ProQuest 2014596464. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Gleeson, Sinéad (24 March 2018). "Why has Norah Hoult been overlooked?". Irish Times. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d Gleeson, Sinéad (10 September 2015). "A long gaze back at Norah Hoult on her 117th birthday". Irish Times. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Norah Hoult". Persephone Books. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  6. ^ Clarke, Desmond (1985). Ireland in Fiction: A Guide to Irish Novels, Tales, Romances, and Folklore. London: Royal Carbery Books. p. 111. ISBN 0946645027.
  7. ^ a b c d Costello-Sullivan, Kathleen P (2016). "Norah Hoult's 'Poor Women!'". Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Welch, Robert (2000). The Concise Oxford Companion to Irish Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 64. doi:10.1093/acref/9780192800800.001.0001. ISBN 9780192800800.
  9. ^ Reynolds, Horace (16 February 1936). "A Good Novel of Dublin Life; Norah Hoult's "Holy Ireland" Is a Notable Advance Over the Books That Followed Her First Novel, "Poor Women"". New York Times. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  10. ^ "Fred Urquhart: An Inventory of His Papers at the Harry Ransom Center". University of Texas. Retrieved 27 September 2017.

External links Edit

  • There Were No Windows at Persephone Books
  • Norah Hoult's 'Poor Women!'
  • Review of 'There Were No Windows at Reading 1900-1950
  • Review of 'There Were No Windows at Reader Jane Davis

October 21, 2023
norah, hoult, eleanor, lucy, hoult, known, name, september, 1898, april, 1984, irish, writer, novels, short, stories, prolific, writer, hoult, wrote, twenty, three, novels, four, short, story, collections, work, deals, primarily, with, themes, alcohol, abuse, . Eleanor Lucy Hoult known by her pen name Norah Hoult 10 September 1898 6 April 1984 was an Irish writer of novels and short stories A prolific writer Hoult wrote twenty three novels and four short story collections Her work deals primarily with themes of alcohol abuse prostitution class dynamics and ill fated marriages 1 Between the 1940s and 50s Hoult s work was frequently banned by the Irish Censorship Board 2 Hoult was born in Dublin 3 Her mother Margaret O Shaughnessy was a Catholic who eloped at the age of 21 with a Protestant English architect named Powis Hoult 3 Hoult s mother died when she was nine years old and her father died only months later After her parents deaths Hoult and her brother were sent to live with their father s relations in England and were educated in various boarding schools in the North of England 3 4 5 Hoult began her career in journalism working for British newspapers She worked first for the Sheffield Daily Telegraph followed by the Telegraph and Pearson s Magazine 6 Her first book Poor Women appeared in 1928 5 This collection of five short stories received critical praise and has been reprinted several times both individually and in selected editions 7 It was followed by a novel Time Gentlemen Time 1930 which deals with a woman s unhappy marriage to an alcoholic 8 This novel exemplifies Hoult s interest in depicting the strain of social constrains and maintaining respectability in Ireland during the 1930s and 1950s 8 Hoult married the writer Oliver Stonor and lived with him at The Cottage in Windsor Great Park for a year the marriage was dissolved in 1934 3 She returned to Ireland to collect material for her writing in 1931 and remained there until 1937 when she moved to New York for two years 3 Her next two books Holy Ireland 1935 and its sequel Coming from the Fair 1937 show Irish family life before World War I 9 Fellow Irish writer Sean o Faolain wrote to Hoult in 1936 to congratulate her on Holy Ireland 7 O Faolain wrote that he admire d the strength of it and the sympathy of it 7 Contemporary critics are similarly complimentary about her work comparing her not only to short story writers such as O Faolain and Frank O Connor but also to novelists including Kate O Brien and Edna O Brien for the way in which her work examines the influence of the Catholic Church on the quotidian lives of Irish women 7 In 1939 she settled in Bayswater London not far from Violet Hunt upon whom Claire Temple the protagonist in There Were No Windows 1944 is modelled 5 The novel There Were No Windows is set in London during the Second World War in which the trauma of the Blitz impacts upon Claire Temple a novelist suffering with dementia 8 In 1957 she returned to live in Ireland 3 In 1977 she published her last book 5 She died at Jonquil Cottage Greystones County Wicklow on April 6 1984 5 Hoult was a friend of many notable Irish figures including Republican James Stephens and poet and medic Oliver St John Gogarty Hoult was also friends with the Scottish writer Fred Urquhart and some of their correspondence is preserved in his archive 10 Despite a 44 year publishing career critics have described Hoult s work as overlooked and neglected 4 Nicola Beauman is quoted as saying Hoult is a very good example of a woman writer who falls completely out of fashion and is forgotten She was an absolutely brilliant writer and well known at the time in a way she isn t now 4 Beauman editor at London s Persephone Books has revisited Hoult s work since her death In 2005 Persephone Books republished her novel There Were No Windows The aim of Persephone books is to shed light on women writers who have been overlooked in the Irish literary canon 4 Works EditPoor Women short stories 1928 Time Gentlemen Time 1930 published in the U S as Closing Time Violet Ryder from Poor Women 1930 Apartments to Let 1931 Youth Can t Be Served 1933 Holy Ireland 1935 Coming from the Fair 1937 Nine Years is a Long Time short stories 1938 Smilin on the Vine 1939 Four Women Grow Up 1940 Augusta Steps Out 1942 Scene for Death 1943 There Were No Windows 1944 Republished in 2005 by Persephone Books House Under Mars 1946 Farewell Happy Fields 1948 republished 2019 by New Island Books Cocktail Bar short stories 1950 republished 2018 by New Island Books Frozen Ground autobiography 1952 Sister Mavis 1953 A Death Occurred 1954 Journey Into Print 1954 Father Hone and the Television Set 1956 Father and Daughter 1957 Husband and Wife 1959 The Last Days of Miss Jenkinson 1962 A Poet s Pilgrimage 1966 Only Fools and Horses Work 1969 Not For Our Sins Alone 1972 Two Girls in the Big Smoke 1977 References Edit Meaney Geraldine 2018 1 Ingman 2 o Gallchoir 1 Heather 2 Cliona ed A History of Modern Irish Women s Literature Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 193 ISBN 9781316442999 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names editors list link Eilis Ni Dhuibne 17 March 2018 Uncensoring Norah Hoult a forgotten Irish great Irish Times ProQuest 2014596464 Retrieved 17 February 2021 a b c d e f Gleeson Sinead 24 March 2018 Why has Norah Hoult been overlooked Irish Times Retrieved 8 August 2020 a b c d Gleeson Sinead 10 September 2015 A long gaze back at Norah Hoult on her 117th birthday Irish Times Retrieved 8 August 2020 a b c d e Norah Hoult Persephone Books Retrieved 27 September 2017 Clarke Desmond 1985 Ireland in Fiction A Guide to Irish Novels Tales Romances and Folklore London Royal Carbery Books p 111 ISBN 0946645027 a b c d Costello Sullivan Kathleen P 2016 Norah Hoult s Poor Women Cambridge University Press Retrieved 8 August 2020 a b c Welch Robert 2000 The Concise Oxford Companion to Irish Literature Oxford Oxford University Press p 64 doi 10 1093 acref 9780192800800 001 0001 ISBN 9780192800800 Reynolds Horace 16 February 1936 A Good Novel of Dublin Life Norah Hoult s Holy Ireland Is a Notable Advance Over the Books That Followed Her First Novel Poor Women New York Times Retrieved 8 August 2020 Fred Urquhart An Inventory of His Papers at the Harry Ransom Center University of Texas Retrieved 27 September 2017 External links EditThere Were No Windows at Persephone Books Norah Hoult s Poor Women Review of There Were No Windows at Reading 1900 1950 Review of There Were No Windows at Reader Jane Davis Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Norah Hoult amp oldid 1177526375, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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