R. F. Delderfield
R. F. Delderfield was a British author and playwright, born in London in 1912 and later raised in Exmouth, Devon. His early education at West Buckland Public School influenced his literary work, particularly his novel "To Serve Them All My Days." Delderfield began his career in journalism, working at his father's newspaper before becoming its editor. He also served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, which informed much of his writing, particularly regarding the impact of war on society.
While Delderfield initially gained recognition for his plays, he is best known for his novels, particularly family sagas such as the Avenue series and the Swann saga. His works often explore themes of social and historical significance in England. Notably, his novels "A Horseman Riding By" and "To Serve Them All My Days" gained widespread acclaim posthumously, thanks in part to adaptations by Masterpiece Theatre. Delderfield also published historical works on Napoleon and an autobiography. He passed away in 1972, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate with readers interested in historical narratives and family dynamics.
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R. F. Delderfield
Writer
- Born: February 12, 1912
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: 1972
- Place of death: Sidmouth, England
Biography
R. F. Delderfield was born in 1912 in London, England. When his father was named editor of the Exmouth Chronicle in 1923, the family moved to Exmouth, East Devon. From the ages of fourteen to sixteen, Delderfield attended West Buckland Public School, which later provided the model for Bamfylde School in his novel To Serve Them All My Days, and went on to attend Fulford’s Business College in Exeter.
Delderfield went to work at his father’s newspaper in 1929 and eventually succeeded him as editor. His first play, Spark in Judea, was produced in London in 1936, the same year he married May Evans. The couple adopted two children, Veronica in 1944 and Paul in 1946. He served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, from 1940 to 1945, and then settled in Devon, where he ran an antique business and was active in local civic affairs.
Although Delderfield continued to write plays until 1962, he is best remembered as a novelist, a career he began in the late 1940’s. One of his early novels, The Adventures of Ben Gunn, was a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (1883). He was better known for his family sagas, including the Avenue series and the three-book Swann saga. These novels are long examinations of the social and historical life of England, often dealing with the effects of war on returning soldiers and the community at large.
He also produced several history books about Napoleon, including Napoleon in Love, The March of the Twenty- Six: The Story of Napoleon’s Marshals, and The Golden Millstones: Napoleon’s Brothers and Sisters. He published his autobiography, For My Own Amusement, in 1968. Delderfield died in 1972. His most celebrated novels, A Horseman Riding By and To Serve Them All My Days, did not become well known until after his death, due to the popular Masterpiece Theatre adaptations of these books that aired on the Public Broadcasting System in 1978 and 1982.