Ruby Mildred Ayres (28 January 1881 – 14 November 1955) was a British romance novelist, "one of the most popular and prolific romantic novelists of the twentieth century".[1]
Ruby M. Ayres
Ayres in September 1933.
Born
Ruby Mildred Ayres (1881-01-28)28 January 1881 Watford, London, UK
Died
14 November 1955(1955-11-14) (aged 74) Weybridge, Surrey, UK
Ayres was born in Watford on 28 January 1881, the third daughter of London-based architect Charles Pryor Ayres and his wife Alice (née Whitford).[1] In 1909 she married insurance broker Reginald William Pocock. She died on 14 November 1955 at home in Weybridge, Surrey, aged 74, of a combination of pneumonia and a cerebral thrombosis. She was cremated four days later at Golders Green in north London.
Career
Ayres stated that she had started to write as a girl, and said that she had been expelled at the age of 15 for the offence of writing what she described as "an advanced love story",[1] although there is no corroboration for her claim. Her first story was published in a magazine shortly after her marriage in 1909, and in 1912 she published her first novel, Castles in Spain. In September 1915, with her first popular success, Richard Chatterton, V.C. (which sold over 50,000 copies in the first three years),[2] she moved publishing houses to Hodder and Stoughton, where she remained until her death in 1955. She wrote over 135 novels over her career, mostly for Hodder, as well as a number of serialised works.
She has been referred to as an "over-productive romance writer",[3] and was possibly an inspiration for the P. G. Wodehouse character Rosie M. Banks.[4] Several of her works became films and she did screenwriting for Society for Sale[5] among others. She also corresponded with Douglas Sladen.[6]
In the late 1930s, she was targeted in a prospective study by W. H. Auden - alongside such figures as John Buchan and Henry Williamson - as representative of the proto-Fascist in English writing,[7] perhaps because of her glorification of the wartime soldier-hero.[8] During the late 1930s, she wrote an advice column in the Oracle, complimented as "extremely sensible" by George Orwell in an essay on the media consumption of the working class.
^ abc"Ayres, Ruby Mildred". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/45542. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"Ruby M. Ayres". Orlando. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
^Redmond, Moira (27 March 2014). "Bad mothers in books: a literary litany". The Guardian.
^Fergusson, James (1 June 2007). "Bibliography – Proofs, firsts and file copies". The Times Literary Supplement (5435): 28.
^"Ruby Mildred Ayres Complete Filmography". Turner Classic Movies filmography.
^"Guide to the Letters of Ruby M. Ayres, 1921-1923". Dartmouth College, Rauner Special Collections Library.
^M. Green, The Children of the Sun (London 1977) p. 318
^J. Onions, English Fiction and Drama of the Great War (1990) p. 32
ruby, ayres, ruby, mildred, ayres, january, 1881, november, 1955, british, romance, novelist, most, popular, prolific, romantic, novelists, twentieth, century, ayres, september, 1933, bornruby, mildred, ayres, 1881, january, 1881watford, london, ukdied14, nove. Ruby Mildred Ayres 28 January 1881 14 November 1955 was a British romance novelist one of the most popular and prolific romantic novelists of the twentieth century 1 Ruby M AyresAyres in September 1933 BornRuby Mildred Ayres 1881 01 28 28 January 1881Watford London UKDied14 November 1955 1955 11 14 aged 74 Weybridge Surrey UKOccupationWriterPeriod1912 55GenreRomanceSpouseReginald William Pocock 1909 40s his death Contents 1 Personal life 2 Career 3 Partial bibliography 4 Filmography 5 References 6 External linksPersonal life EditAyres was born in Watford on 28 January 1881 the third daughter of London based architect Charles Pryor Ayres and his wife Alice nee Whitford 1 In 1909 she married insurance broker Reginald William Pocock She died on 14 November 1955 at home in Weybridge Surrey aged 74 of a combination of pneumonia and a cerebral thrombosis She was cremated four days later at Golders Green in north London Career EditAyres stated that she had started to write as a girl and said that she had been expelled at the age of 15 for the offence of writing what she described as an advanced love story 1 although there is no corroboration for her claim Her first story was published in a magazine shortly after her marriage in 1909 and in 1912 she published her first novel Castles in Spain In September 1915 with her first popular success Richard Chatterton V C which sold over 50 000 copies in the first three years 2 she moved publishing houses to Hodder and Stoughton where she remained until her death in 1955 She wrote over 135 novels over her career mostly for Hodder as well as a number of serialised works She has been referred to as an over productive romance writer 3 and was possibly an inspiration for the P G Wodehouse character Rosie M Banks 4 Several of her works became films and she did screenwriting for Society for Sale 5 among others She also corresponded with Douglas Sladen 6 In the late 1930s she was targeted in a prospective study by W H Auden alongside such figures as John Buchan and Henry Williamson as representative of the proto Fascist in English writing 7 perhaps because of her glorification of the wartime soldier hero 8 During the late 1930s she wrote an advice column in the Oracle complimented as extremely sensible by George Orwell in an essay on the media consumption of the working class Partial bibliography EditCastles in Spain 1912 Richard Chatterton V C 1915 Paper Roses 1916 The Black Sheep 1917 The Second Honeymoon 1918 The Girl Next Door 1919 The Beggar Man 1920 Master Man 1920 A Bachelor Husband 1920 The Second Honeymoon 1921 The Uphill Road 1921 The Street Below 1922 The Man the Women Loved 1923 The Romance of a Rogue 1923 Ribbons and Laces 1924 A Man of His Word 1926 Spoilt Music 1926 The Planter of the Tree 1927 Heartbreak Marriage 1929 Love Changes 1929 Giving Him Up 1930 In the Day s March 1930 The Big Fellah 1931 The Princess Passes 1931 Changing Pilots 1932 Look To the Spring 1932 So Many Miles 1932 By the World Forgot 1933 Much Loved 1934 All Over Again 1934 Feather 1935 Happy Endings 1935 The Man in Her Life 1935 Some Day 1935 Compromise 1936 Afterglow 1936 Our Avenue 1936 Somebody Else 1936 Too Much Together 1936 Owner Gone Abroad 1937 The Sun and the Sea 1937 Follow a Shadow 1937 Unofficial Wife 1937 Owner Gone Abroad 1937 High Noon 1938 One To Live With 1938 Return Journey 1938 There Was Another 1938 Big Ben 1939 The Moon in the Water 1939 Weep for Love 1939 The Tree Drops a Leaf 1939 Little and Good 1940 The Little Sinner 1940 The Constant Heart 1941 Little and Good 1941 Lost Property 1943 April s Day 1945 Where Are You Going 1946 Young Shoulders 1947 Missing the Tide 1948 The Day Comes Round 1949 Steering by a Star 1949 The Man From Ceylon 1950 The Man Who Lived Alone 1950 Autumn Fires 1951 The Story of Fish and Chips 1951 Twice a Boy 1951 One Sees Stars 1952 One Woman Too Many 1952 Love Without Wings 1953 The Youngest Aunt 1954 Filmography EditThe Longer Voyage it 1915 short film Somewhere in France UK 1915 Society for Sale 1918 The Model s Confession 1918 Castles in Spain UK 1920 A Bachelor Husband UK 1920 The Man Without a Heart 1924 The Woman Hater 1925 Romance of a Rogue 1928 Second Honeymoon 1930 References Edit a b c Ayres Ruby Mildred Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 45542 Subscription or UK public library membership required Ruby M Ayres Orlando Cambridge University Press Retrieved 11 February 2018 Redmond Moira 27 March 2014 Bad mothers in books a literary litany The Guardian Fergusson James 1 June 2007 Bibliography Proofs firsts and file copies The Times Literary Supplement 5435 28 Ruby Mildred Ayres Complete Filmography Turner Classic Movies filmography Guide to the Letters of Ruby M Ayres 1921 1923 Dartmouth College Rauner Special Collections Library M Green The Children of the Sun London 1977 p 318 J Onions English Fiction and Drama of the Great War 1990 p 32External links EditRuby M Ayres at IMDb Works by Ruby M Ayres at Project Gutenberg Works by Ruby Mildred Ayres at Faded Page Canada Works by or about Ruby M Ayres at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ruby M Ayres amp oldid 1083729603, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
