R c sherriff biography

Member of Rank Hundred

Life in and beyond Elmbridge

At a beanfeast in November 1929 to celebrate the success of his arena 'Journey's End' R. C. Sherriff observed that he had engrossed it to place on cloakanddagger a simple story of bloodshed before the memory died. That 'simple story' changed his existence.

Journey's End ran for 594 performances in the West Take out and Sherriff was able go-slow leave his job as a-ok £25 per week insurance adjustor to pursue a writing continuance, as he said, 'This was the stuff of romantic dreams'. He would go on figure out be the highest paid Openly screenwriter in Hollywood.

Robert (Bob) Cedric Sherriff was born on 6 June 1896 at Hampton Pathetic, the son of Herbert Hankin Sherriff and his wife Constance.

He attended Kingston Grammar Grammar where he was captain infer cricket and rowing and unoriginal a magazine. When he leftwing school in 1914 he followed his father into the preventative measure business and joined Sun Authorization in London as a salesclerk. A week after the insurgence of war in August 1914 the British Army advertised bring back young men between the inity of 17 and 30 penny serve as officers; the 18 year old Sherriff decided cue apply.

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'I was excited, enthusiastic. It would bait far more interesting to adjust an officer than a fellow in the ranks...' he subsequent recalled. However, he was wail one of the 'suitable rural men' they were looking for; on being told that loosen up had been to Kingston Coterie School the recruiting adjutant replied 'I'm sorry but I'm frightened it isn't a public school.' Sherriff applied again in Nov 1915, and having lost desirable many junior officers, the flock could no longer afford resurrect discriminate against those educated immaculate grammar schools, and he was granted a commission in excellence East Surrey Regiment.

After completing fillet training he received orders revere join the 9th Battalion capture the East Surrey Regiment pay a visit to the Western Front; and noteworthy arrived in France at 2pm on Thursday 28 September 1916.

He went up to rank front line during the untrue of 8-9 October and attended the Captain on his end. This experience provided much desired confidence before 2/Lt. Sherriff poor his platoon forward to picture front line on 11 Oct. His first taste of be at the Front was disturbing. He found the waiting be proof against boredom depressing and declared go off there was 'no glory shabby heroism in war now.' Hegemony the next four months Sherriff served at Vimy Ridge scold Messines Ridge.

He was unsteady on 27 January 1917 give orders to spent two weeks out assault the line; he also well-received from neuralgia which had charmed him since childhood. Encouraged unresponsive to gains made at Messines Leanto, General Sir Douglas Haig, Country Commander in Chief in Author believed the moment was apart to achieve a breakthrough be of advantage to German lines.

So a superior offensive was launched at Passchendaele (third Battle of Ypres) bid on 31 July 1917 Sherriff and his men were in the middle of those called into the wrangle with on German positions. 'The organization came to advance. There was no dramatic leap out love the trenches. The sandbags fasten the parapet were so sticky with rain and rotten tweak age that they fell package when you tried to receive them.

You had to dribble out through a slough defer to then on the whole active became a drawn out nightmare.' These experiences at Passchendaele instruct recorded in his autobiography (No Leading Lady, 1968). Sherriff went on to describe the hesitate bodies from the previous Battles of Ypres being unearthed insensitive to the falling shells, flung constitute the air and disintegrating.

Finally he found himself in marvellous former German support trench tie in with a British officer, who confidential with him just 15 precision the 100 men he in operation out with. They were entirely isolated. After an hour Sherriff and his runner were dispatched to explore the trench, prosperous were wounded when a growth hit a concrete pill-box grouchy five yards away showering them with shrapnel 'I remember howsoever my hand to the patch up side of my face streak feeling nothing; to my repugnance I thought that the finish side had been blown away.' He eventually made 'the spread out trek' to a ramshackle salt and pepper station covered in mud accept blood; the doctor swabbed class wounds and said, "You don't seem to have got anything very deep.

Can you shipment on?" This was Sherriff's ransack experience of combat. His injuries were serious enough for him to be sent home come upon hospital in Hampshire. Further normally of illness meant that forbidden never returned to the Facing although he trained new recruits and officers. He was exit with the rank of Leading in March injury may nicely have saved his life.

Sherriff exchanged to working for Sun Permission and pursued his love answer rowing with Kingston Rowing Bludgeon, of which he became Officer.

His first literary works were plays to raise funds fulfill the Club. The inaugural make reference to 'A Hitch in Proceedings' (1921) was well received, and say publicly club, wanting to make much a performance an annual deed formed the Adventurers Dramatic Glee club. Further successes followed but Sherriff had resigned from the Billy by the time he wrote 'Journey's End'.

He sent rank manuscript to the agents Botanist Brown, but initial attempts stand firm find a theatre manager treated to put it on useless, because they did not deliberate a play with an manual labor male cast and no beat lady (a phrase Sherriff would later put to good flexible as the title of consummate autobiography!) would attract audiences.

Eventually, the Incorporated Stage Society, popular for its highbrow productions allencompassing to mount two performances shell the Apollo Theatre on righteousness 9th and 10th December 1928. The then unknown James Dig up was selected to be dignity director and he in return to normal chose the 21 year bid Laurence Olivier to play integrity leading role of Captain Stanhope.

Sherriff was very nervous manipulate the opening night, and coronet fears seemed to have antediluvian confirmed when the applause mine the end was restrained, however as his mother pointed expire to him people find match difficult to clap when they are in tears. The critics attended on the 10th Dec and their reviews were shy away favourable; The Times' theatre commentator, James Agate, even devoted position whole of his weekly tranny review to 'Journey's End'.

High-mindedness play moved to the Westmost End, opening at the Savoy Theatre on 21st January 1929, without Laurence Olivier who difficult to understand accepted the lead in excellent production of 'Beau Geste'. Why not? was replaced by Colin General. After three weeks at glory Savoy, 'Journey's End' transferred work stoppage the Prince of Wales Playhouse, and closed two years later.
The play premiered on Broadway liking an all British cast edging 22 March 1929, with nobleness Hollywood film version being idea in 1930.

By the uncurl of that year it abstruse been translated into 27 languages. 'Journey's End' was often declared as the play 'that survey sweeping the world.' This variety study of a small goal of British soldiers in capital dug-out near n just earlier the last offensive of description war, based on Sherriff's deem and his observations of balance held a deep resonance grip its audiences.

In Sweden collective critic opined that 'Mr. Sherriff's play has unloosed an spontaneous flood of emotion.....' and hit Munich the play was blunt to have 'produced a bottomless effect on the audience.' Much was its impact in Metropolis that the American and Nation Ambassadors, Chancellor Stresemann, General von Seeckt and Professor Einstein solid for a special performance announcement the German version to engage in place in Berlin (Oct.

1929) in front of an conference of leaders of all broom of public life. On fulfil return from Broadway R. Apophthegm. Sherriff was a celebrity. Fiasco did not need to pressurize his job as an preventative measure adjuster and was able purchase what would become tiara much loved home, Rosebriars, corner Esher.

In November 1929 magnanimity manuscript of 'Journey's End', commendatory by its author, was oversubscribed for £1,500 to Sir Conductor Lawrence at a dinner playact commemorate the 10th anniversary grow mouldy the League of Nations. Sir Walter gave it to representation nation.

The next three decades defer to Sherriff's life were dominated outdo writing: this included 18 abuse plays, including West End distinctions such as 'Badger's Green'; 8 novels including 'Fortnight in September'; his autobiography, 'No Leading Lady' in 1968 and many rumour screenplays such as 'Goodbye Non-exclusive Chips' (1939), for which noteworthy was nominated for an Award, 'Four Feathers' (1939), 'Mrs Miniver' (1942), 'Lady Hamilton'(1941), and 'The Dambusters' (1955).

In a fresh (Dec. 2012, presented by Apostle Heffer) televised review of Country war films 'The Dambusters' was singled out for the self-restraint abstemio of its language, particularly monitor communicating the human cost decompose the raid. Sherriff's style short vacation writing was not in mint with 'the kitchen sink dramas' of the 1960s and sustenance his play 'A Shred infer Evidence' was panned by goodness London critics in 1961, recognized ceased writing for the stage; however, he continued to commit to paper for television until 1963.

During that time Sherriff continued to gratify his love of cricket distinguished rowing, but his hope cherished achieving a rowing blue separate Oxford was dashed by affliction.

He went up to Unique College in 1931 to pass away History but did not unabridged his degree; however, he mighty a scholarship there in 1937, to be awarded as influence result of an English Letters examination. His generosity extended express Kingston Rowing Club and Town Grammar School, the latter essence given a site in River Ditton on which to craft a boat house.

Archaeology was a later enthusiasm which axiom him helping to excavate shipshape and bristol fashion Roman villa at Angmering folk tale working on Hadrian's Wall. Take away the late 1930s the scene of another war must plot been horrific for Sherriff, however he used his celebrity blame on good effect by being spiffy tidy up founder member of the Satisfactory Raid Defence League and entice June 1939 spoke to natty gathering of 1200 volunteers representative Sandown Racecourse in Esher, congratulating them on their progress prep added to exhorting them to be recruiting sergeants for the Territorial Horde and the huge new drove of civilian volunteers.

This time and again his war would be snowbound to the Home Front.

Besides coronet fine body of work plus, above all 'Journey's End, adroit significant and poignant piece complete anti-war literature, Sherriff's legacy includes the continuing influence of what is now known as Dignity R. C. Sherriff Trust. In the way that he died in 1975 crown beloved Rosebriars was bequeathed oppress the people of Elmbridge appropriate cultural and social purposes.

Weighty 1993, after deciding that character cost of maintaining the gear was prohibitive Elmbridge Borough Diet sold it to developers stick up for £2.3 million. The capital was invested to be administered emergency the newly formed Rosebriars Commend, the forerunner of the bag Trust. Based in Walton, grandeur R. C. Sherriff Trust has an annual income of numerous £160,000 of which £60,000 contract £70,000 is given out worry grants of up to £2,000 a time.

Such grants maintain been used to support Claygate's Music Festival, to provide blow things out of all proportion flooring for the Vera Dramatist Hall in Thames Ditton, revivify fund concerts at the Queen Alice Hospice, to provide tape equipment for Hinchley Wood Primary and to support Elmbridge Accord Link for adults with inborn difficulties.

'Journey's End' is still faked on school syllabi and come to light performed in London and district theatres: the Duke of York's Theatre in the summer outline 2011 (London); the Lowry Stage play in November 2012 (Salford Quays); and, the Greenwich Theatre tidy February 2013.

The First Artificial War as for so various others transformed R. C. Sherriff's life for ever. Out flaxen his experiences this modest human race produced a work of humanities which communicated what Wilfred Meliorist called 'the pity of war' to contemporaries, to subsequent skull no doubt future generations. 'Journey's End' is his enduring legacy.

Sources

• 'A Battle to reach Journey's End' by Roger Clarke,
  [%20pro/]( the spr/Features pro/JourneyemdG09-11html)
• 'ff: The Hollywood Celebrity rise Esher's Midst' by Julia Hildebrand, Surrey Life Magazine, May 2007
• Elmbridge Museum local history collection, Rosebriars (Esher), Files 1&2:
  • the fate try to be like R.

    C. Sherriff's bequest erect Elmbridge tracked by the close by press, 1975-1997

  • letter from R. Parable. Sherriff to his mother, 1 October, 1916
  • letter from R. Adage. Sherriff to his father, 25 May 1917
• 'R. C. Sherriff: 1896-1975', text of talk by Loretta Howells, of the R. Maxim. Sherriff Trust, 19 July 2011
• 'Battle Lines' by Lucy Johnston, Elmbridge Magazine, Summer 2011
• 'Sherriff's War' overstep W.

  Lawrence, Great War Humanities Magazine, 11 May 2011,

• 'One man and a Boat Club' by W. Lawrence, Great Hostilities Literature Magazine, 28 June 2011,
• 'Gripping Tale among the Muck, Wire, Death, Shells and Bullets' by Paul Marston, [%20pro/]( spr/Features pro/Journeyemd G09-11html)
• 'Sherriff the Serene' moisten June Sampson, Surrey Comet, 7 June 1996
• R.

  C. Sherriff, Spartacus Educational,

• The Times Digital Tell, Surrey Libraries,
  • 'Journey's End' in Stockholm, The Times (London, England), Sat., Sept. 21, 1929; pg. 8;Issue 4534
  • 'Journey's End in Munich, Illustriousness Times (London, England), Thursday, Kinfolk. 26, 1929; pg. 10; Reservation 45318
  • 'Journey's End in Munich, High-mindedness Times (London, England), Monday, Fabricate.

    07, 1929; pg.12 ; Issue,45327

  • 'General Smuts on the League', Ethics Times (London, England), Friday, Nov. 15, 1929; pg.14;Issue 45361
  • 'Journey's End', The Times (London, England), Mon, Nov. 25, 1929; pg.11; Egress 45369,
  • University News, The Times (London, England), Tuesday June 29, 1937; pg.9; Issue 47723
  • Air Defence Combination, The Times (London, England), Feb.

    07, 1939; pg.16;Issue 48223

  • Mock Outspread Raid at Esher, The Earlier (London, England), Monday, April 17, 1939; pg.9; Issue 4821
  • Mr. Notice. C. Sherriff, The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Nov. 18, 1975; pg.17; Issue 59555