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Author-County Index

West Midlands

Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)In September 1880 Belloc began studying at the Oratory School in Edgbaston, Birmingham, where he was awarded the English Prize. It was whilst here that he wrote his first work entitled Buzenval, not published until 1888.

John Drinkwater (1882-1934) moved to Birmingham

George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) (1819-1880) George Eliot, was born on the estate of Arbury Hall in 1819. For a delightful picture of her birthplace.She used the house as the model for Cheveral Manor in her Scenes of Clerical Life. The ornate plaster ceilings are part of an 18th-century Gothic restyling by Sir Roger Newdigate, the founder of the Oxford poetry prize.

Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927) was born in Walsall, Staffordshire, on 2nd May 1859. 1861, the Jeromes moved first to Stourbridge In 1927, he was made a Freeman of the Borough of Walsall

Samuel Johnson (1709-84) educated in Lichfield, Stourbridge Grammar School, Pembroke College, Oxford. Lived in Birmingham 1734.

Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) Buried in the Key Hill Cemetery in Birmingham, though the grave is lost.

J.R.Tolkien (1892-1973). Lived at 9 Ashfield Road, Birmingham 1895-1896,
5 Gracewell (Now 264A Wake Green Road, Birmingham) 1896-1900,
214 Alcester Road, Birmingham 1900-1901,
86 Westfield Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham 1901-1902,
26 Oliver Road, Birmingham 1902-1904 (demolished),
lived at a cottage near the Oratory Retreat, Rednal 1904,
25 Stirling Road, Birmingham 1904-1908,
37 Duchess Road, Birmingham 1908-1909 (demolished),
4 Highfield Road, Birmingham 1909-1911
(there is a plaque here)King Edward's School, Birmingham 1900-1902,1903-1911 (demolished),
St Philip's Grammar School, Hagley Road, Birmingham 1902-1903,
Attended the Birmingham Oratory, Hagley Road, Birmingham, attended St Anne's Church, Alcester Street, Birmingham, attended St Dunstan's Church, King's Heath, Birmingham (demolished)
Spent the last night before he went to France 4 June 1916 at the Plough and Harrow Hotel, Hagley Road, Birmingham (plaque outside & in room they stayed in) Sarehole Mill, Colebank Road, Birmingham is said to have influenced his stories (Museum of milling plus small exhibition on J.R.Tolkien

Francis Brett Young (1884-1954) born in Halesowen, educ. Epsom School and Univ. of Birmingham, commemorated in Worcester and Halesowen


 Any additions please email : Rosemary Culley, Hon. Sec of the Alliance of Literary Societies Thank you
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