Wed 14 Mar 2007
The latest news on A. FIELDING plus an Inquiry Re: C. P. SNOW.
Posted by Steve under Authors , Crime Fiction IV , Inquiries[3] Comments
Hi Steve,
Here are my latest notes on Fielding/Feilding in case someone can add anything.
Further to my questioning of A. Fielding being the pen name of Lady Dorothy Feilding, I have a little more information — but also more questions.
Working on the belief that her American publisher was correct in saying the author’s real name was Dorothy Feilding and had lived in Sheffield Terrace, Kensington, I retraced my steps and found that the statement was correct.
Initially I checked the London telephone directories for the 1930s and — a Mrs A. Feilding was listed at 2 Sheffield Terrace from 1932 to 1936. A phone call to the Local Studies Library at Kensington, a check of the electoral roll for the period and there she was — Dorothy Feilding. No sign of Mr A. though. (Sadly, my previous enquiry had only seen the 1937/1938 rolls checked when she was no longer there).
The phone books showed that she had moved to Islington for 1937, but by 1939 she had ‘disappeared’ from the listing.
Unfortunately that is the sum of my search so far. A Dorothy Feilding (Mrs A.) was living in London circa 1932-1938 but so far no trace of her either side of that time. Also, there is no trace of Mr A. yet. Was she a widow, separated, was her husband away from home at the time? No idea. (Lady Dorothy’s husband was Charles Joseph, and anyway, his surname was Moore).
There was an Albert Feilding born in Yorkshire in 1869, but cannot find another male A. Feilding from then to end of century. Possible the husband was not born in England or Wales, I wonder?
There is also no trace of her in the probate registry up to the 1960s, but then she may died without making a will. I have yet to make a quarter by quarter search for her and her husband in the deaths registers.
Not a great deal to say, but I think this at least removes Lady Dorothy from the scene.
I have one other goodie which might be worth throwing out for comment.
As you may now, the major English novelist C. P. Snow’s first book was a murder mystery, Death under Sail.
Recently I was checking Author and Writers Who’s Who 1934 and came across the entry for a Kathryn Barber — who is in Crime Fiction IV for a couple of novels as Kay Lynn. But, to my surprise, her list of publications also include Death under Sail (in collaboration)!!
Did a quick Google, but could find no mention of anyone but C. P. Snow in connection with the book..
Wonder if anyone can throw any light on this?
John
From Crime Fiction IV:
SNOW, C(harles) P(ercy) [Baron Snow] (1905-1980)
* -Strangers and Brothers (n.) Faber 1940 [Lewis Eliot; England; 1929-30]
* The Sleep of Reason (n.) Macmillan 1968 [Lewis Eliot; England; 1963-4]
* A Coat of Varnish (n.) Macmillan 1979 [London]
LYNN, KAY
* Dark Shadows (n.) Hutchinson 1935
March 24th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
[…] “I have been doing some research on the elusive Dorothy Feilding/A. Fielding and have discovered that papers relating to her are held in the collection of papers of UK literary […]
September 27th, 2010 at 6:23 am
Delighted to find this mention of Kathryn Barber/Kay Lynn and her connection with Snow. The dedication of the first edtion of Death under Sail is of course ‘To Kathryna, who was so generous’ – and if the novel was a collaboration, this would explain why when Penguin reissued the 1959 edited version of The Search (1934) in 1971 they called it Snow’s first novel, presumably with his approval (because the 1959 edition begins with an author’s preface in which he states that he has edited it down and added nothing.)
I can add quite a lot on Kathryn Barber – I’ll be back with more soon.
September 27th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Lesley
I’ll send your comment on to John. I don’t know if he’s learned more since this inquiry of his was posted, but I’m sure he’ll be pleased to hear from you.
— Steve