Talk:E. F. Benson

Page contents not supported in other languages.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Spelling[edit]

Which is correct, Frederic or Frederick? Flapdragon 00:54, 16 August 2005 (UTC) It's spelt without the 'k'.[reply]

Mother[edit]

An anon added, a few edits ago, the following about Benson's mother: "who was discribed by Gladstone as the 'cleverest woman in Europe' and later left her family to settle in Lesbos in the company of Lucy Tait, daughter of the previous Archbishop of Canterbury." I can find no documentation of any of these statements; does anyone know whether they were true? If we can't document them I suggest that they should be dropped until verified. seglea 18:10, 22 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

OK, partial evidence from the net suggests that this is probably reliable. See, for example, reviews of Graham Robb's Strangers: Homosexual Love in the Nineteenth Century - which also might contain information about E. F. Benson's own sexuality (he is referred to in various places as homosexual). If anyone has access to this book or other reliable sources it might be useful to add something on this theme. seglea 18:23, 22 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Although it's certainly true that Benson's mother did set up house with Lucy Tait, I'm afraid there is no conclusive evidence to prove that their relationship was a lesbien one - the above quote is one of hearsay; it might be true, but there is no proof. This is a topic that has been discussed greatly amongst Benson scholars, including the various books about the family (most notably biographies about AC and EF), and the overwhelming view is that it's just as likely that the relationship was completely platonic. The most accurate statement would be that Tait and Benson lived together, but the exact nature of this relationship is unknown.

Similarly, the sexuality of the Benson children has been widely debated with no definite conculsion. I do have several biographies about the Benson family, so I may add to this article, but to be honest it's a bit of a mess e.g. it's hardly surprising that his brother Robert married as he was a monsignor in the Catholic Church! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.241.174.15 (talk) 20:29, August 30, 2007 (UTC)


RADIO ADAPTIONS hasn't there been a further short series on Radio 4, possibly as part of Woman'sHour, post Ned Sherrin (and not as good) ? Daiyounger (talk) 22:37, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Name[edit]

Just wondering why this article was moved from E. F. Benson to its current title? WP:COMMONNAME would suggest it should have remained where it was - he is and always was "E. F." in his public works, as far as I'm aware, and I can't find any discussion or consensus for the move. I'll look into it further before I do anything, but I'm inclined to request a move back again. Karenjc 11:33, 16 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Requested move[edit]

The following discussion is an archived discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: Move. Jafeluv (talk) 07:50, 24 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Requested move[edit]

What happened to the short story collecions?

While I applaud the conflation of the Mapp & Lucia into this article, I do wonder why all references to the two important Benson short story collections by Jack Adrian have vanished?

~ ~~ Bantaar (talk) Bantaar (talk) 04:07, 22 January 2013 (UTC) 04:07, 22 January 2013 (UTC) 04:07, 22 January 2013 (UTC)~ 04:07, 22 January 2013 (UTC)Bantaar (talk)[reply]

Now, was that enough tildes to make me escape Wikipedia's pillory of having my IP address published for all and sundry? (crossing fingers)

Edward Benson (writer) → E. F. Benson — See WP:COMMONNAME. He always published professionally as E. F. Benson and is always referred to thus in literary histories, scholarly discussions etc. Same rationale as our articles on J. K. Rowling, W. G. Grace, and indeed the subject's own brother A. C. Benson. Karenjc 17:54, 16 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Bearing in mind the intro note that he was privately known as Fred, my move to Edward Benson makes much less sense. I support a move to his professional name DBD 18:34, 16 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

Tables moved to the talk page[edit]

Short stories (supernatural)[edit]

E.F. Benson's supernatural works were taken from the following locations, subsequently collected into the following volumes:

Title Earliest known date of appearance Earliest known location of appearance Earliest known date of collection Earliest known collection
At Abdul Ali's Grave

[first published as A Curious Coincidence]

24 June 1899 The Graphic 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The Clandon Crystal 23 November 1901 The Onlooker 2005 Sea Mist
The Man Who Went Too Far 00/06/1904 Pall Mall Magazine 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The Cat 27 November 1905 The Illustrated London News 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
Gavon's Eve 13 January 1906 The Illustrated London News 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The Dust-Cloud 00/01/1906 Pall Mall Magazine 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The Shootings at Achnaleish

[aka: The Shootings of Achnaleish]

27 October 1906 & 3 November 1906 The Illustrated London News 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The Bus-Conductor 00/12/1906 Pall Mall Magazine 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The Other Bed 00/04/1908 The Popular Magazine 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The House with the Brick-Kiln 00/12/1908 London Magazine 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
Outside the Door 00/01/1910 London Magazine 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
How Fear Departed from the Long Gallery 00/12/1911 Windsor Magazine 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The Confession of Charles Linkworth 13 January 1912 The Cavalier & Scrap Book (U.S.) 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The Room in the Tower 00/01/1912 Pall Mall Magazine 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The Friend in the Garden 00/08/1912 The Storyteller 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
Caterpillars 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
Between the Lights 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The Terror by Night 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
The Thing in the Hall 1912 The Room in the Tower and Other Stories
Dummy on a Dahabeah 00/06/1913 The Storyteller 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
The Red House 00/12/1914 Pearson's Magazine 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
The Chippendale Mirror 00/05/1915 Pearson's Magazine 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
The Return of Frank Hampden

[aka: The Case of Frank Hampden]

00/12/1915 Pearson's Magazine 1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square and Other Stories
The China Bowl 00/12/1916 Pearson's Magazine 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
The Passenger 00/03/1917 Pearson's Magazine 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
The Ape 00/05/1917 The Storyteller 1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square and Other Stories
Through 00/07/1917 The Storyteller 1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square and Other Stories
Thursday Evenings 23 November 1920 Pears's Annual 1920 1934 More Spook Stories
The Light in the Garden 23 November 1921 Eve 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
The Psychical Mallards 26 November 1921 Pears's Annual 1921 1934 More Spook Stories
The Outcast 00/04/1922 Hutchinson's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
Number 12 10 May 1922 Eve 1991 Desirable Residences and Other Stories
The Top Landing 7 June 1922 Eve 1991 Desirable Residences and Other Stories
Mrs Amworth 00/06/1922 Hutchinson's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
The Gardener 00/08/1922 Hutchinson's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
The Horror-Horn 00/09/1922 Hutchinson's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
"And the Dead Spake…" 00/10/1922 Hutchinson's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
Negotium Perambulans... 00/11/1922 Hutchinson's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
In the Tube 00/12/1922 Hutchinson's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
Machaon 00/01/1923 Hutchinson's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
Mr Tilly's Seance 00/12/1922 Munsey's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
At the Farmhouse 00/03/1923 Hutchinson's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
Inscrutable Decrees 00/04/1923 Hutchinson's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
Roderick's Story 00/05/1923 Hutchinson's Magazine 1923 Visible and Invisible
Expiation 00/11/1923 Hutchinson's Magazine 1928 Spook Stories
The Corner House 00/05/1926 Woman 1928 Spook Stories
Boxing Night 30 November 1923 The Tatler 1993 The Technique of the Ghost Story
The Dance 1934 More Spook Stories
The Bath-Chair 1934 More Spook Stories
Naboth's Vineyard 00/12/1923 Hutchinson's Magazine 1928 Spook Stories
The Face 00/02/1924 Hutchinson's Magazine 1928 Spook Stories
Spinach 00/05/1924 Hutchinson's Magazine 1928 Spook Stories
Reconciliation 00/07/1924 Hutchinson's Magazine 1928 Spook Stories
Corstophine 00/09/1924 Hutchinson's Magazine 1928 Spook Stories
The Temple 00/11/1924 Hutchinson's Magazine 1928 Spook Stories
A Tale of an Empty House

[aka: The Tale of an Empty House]

00/06/1925 Hutchinson's Magazine 1928 Spook Stories
Bagnell Terrace 00/07/1925 Hutchinson's Magazine 1928 Spook Stories
The Call 17 December 1926 The Radio Times 2003 The Face
"And No Bird Sings" 00/12/1926 Woman 1928 Spook Stories
By the Sluice 25 March 1927 The Tatler 1994 Fine Feathers and Other Stories
Home Sweet Home 00/06/1927 Woman 1928 Spook Stories
Sir Roger de Coverley 00/12/1927 Woman 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
The Box at the Bank 00/03/1928 Hutchinson's Magazine 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
Pirates 00/10/1928 Hutchinson's Magazine 1934 More Spook Stories
The Hanging of Alfred Wadham 21 December 1928 Britannia 1934 More Spook Stories
Atmospherics 28 December 1928 The Radio Times 1994 Fine Feathers and Other Stories
The Witch-Ball 00/12/1928 Woman's Journal 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
The Wishing-Well 00/02/1929 Hutchinson's Magazine 1934 More Spook Stories
Christopher Comes Back 00/05/1929 Hutchinson's Magazine 1934 More Spook Stories
The Bed by the Window 00/07/1929 Hutchinson's Story Magazine 1934 More Spook Stories
The Shuttered Room 00/08/1929 Hutchinson's Story Magazine 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
The Flint Knife 00/12/1929 Hutchinson's Story Magazine 1988 The Flint Knife: Further Spook Stories
James Lamp 00/06/1930 Weird Tales (US) 1934 More Spook Stories
The Step 00/12/1926 The Windsor Magazine 1934 More Spook Stories
Monkeys 00/12/1933 Weird Tales (U.S.) 1934 More Spook Stories
Sea Mist 20 November 1935 The Illustrated London News 1991 Desirable Residences and Other Stories
Dives and Lazarus 12 August 1939 The New Statesman and Nation 2005 Sea Mist
The Everlasting Silence 00/00/1898 Lady's Realm 2005 Sea Mist

Short stories (other)[edit]

As well as 'spook' stories, E. F. Benson wrote short stories on other subjects:

Title Earliest known

date of appearance

Earliest known location of appearance Earliest known

date of collection

Earliest known collection
George's Secret 21 November 1894 The Sketch 1994 Fine Feathers
A Creed of Manners Winter 1894 Phil May's Annual
Mrs Naseby's Denial xx/xx/1894
The Renewal xx/11/1894 The Cosmopolitan
My Friend the Murderer xx/10/1895 Chapman's Magazine 1994 Fine Feathers
The Return of Dodo xx/12/1896 Lady's Realm 1991 Desirable Residences
Dodo's Progress

[originally published as The Progress of Princess Waldeneck]

xx/05/1897 Lady's Realm 1991 Desirable Residences
Miss Maria's Romance 25 November 1899 The Queen 1994 Fine Feathers
A Woman's Ambition xx/12/1900 Windsor Magazine
A Mother of Men xx/xx/1900
The Crotalus 19 October 1901 The Onlooker
Mrs Lauderdale's Office 26 October 1901 The Onlooker
The Peacock Enamels 2 November 1901 The Onlooker
The Countess Hatso 9 November 1901 The Onlooker
The Bridgwater Club 16 November 1901 The Onlooker
The Adventure of Hegel Junior 21 December 1901 Illustrated London News 1994 Fine Feathers
A Double Misfit xx/08/1902?
James Sutherland, Ltd. xx/12/1902 The Monthly Review 1994 Fine Feathers
By the Waters of Sparta xx/08/1903 Temple Bar
The Bread of Deceit xx/10/1903?
The Bridge Fiend xx/11/1903 Lady's Realm 1991 Desirable Residences
A Card of Casuistry xx/xx/1903
An Entire Mistake 16 January 1904 The Onlooker 1994 Fine Feathers
Bootles 26 March 1904 Black and White 1994 Fine Feathers
The Defeat of Lady Hartridge 23 April 1904 Black and White 1994 Fine Feathers
For His Friends xx/09/1904 Pearson's Magazine
The Snow-stone xx/05/1905 The London Magazine
The Simple Life xx/07/1905 The World and His Wife 1994 Fine Feathers
The Superannuation Department, AD 1945 xx/01/1906 Windsor Magazine 1991 Desirable Residences
Gare du Nord xx/09/1906 The Smart Set
The Puce Silk xx/11/1907 Lady's Realm 1991 Desirable Residences
Arturo's Boat xx/xx/1907
The Autumn & the Spring xx/xx/1908
The Old Bligh xx/02/1909? Ainslee's Magazine [USA]
Guy's Candidate xx/xx/1909
The Limoges Manuscript xx/xx/1909
The Countess of Lowndes Square xx/10/1910?
The Case of Bertram Porter xx/03/1911 Windsor Magazine 1991 Desirable Residences
The Harmonious Blacksmith xx/12/1912 Windsor Magazine
A Little Headache xx/xx/1912
A Comedy of Styles xx/02/1914 Windsor Magazine 1994 Fine Feathers
Fine Feathers xx/03/1914 Woman at Home 1994 Fine Feathers
Smorfia xx/xx/1914
Mrs Andrews' Control xx/09/1915 Windsor Magazine 1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square
The Drawing-room Bureau xx/12/1915 Woman at Home 1991 Desirable Residences
M. O. M. xx/12/1915 Windsor Magazine 1994 Fine Feathers
Teresa xx/xx/1915
Jill's Cat xx/xx/1916 The Queen's Gift Book
Noblesse Oblige xx/12/1917 Windsor Magazine 1994 Fine Feathers
Philip's Safety Razor xx/03/1919 Pearson's Magazine 1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square
The Godmother 6 December 1919 Nash's Illustrated Weekly 1991 Desirable Residences
The Satyr's Sandals 20 March 1920 Pan 1991 Desirable Residences
The Blackmailer of Park Lane xx/xx/1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square
The Dance on the Beefsteak xx/xx/1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square
The False Step xx/xx/1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square
In the Dark xx/xx/1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square
The Oriolists xx/xx/1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square
'Puss-cat' xx/xx/1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square
There Arose a King xx/xx/1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square
The Tragedy of Oliver Bowman xx/xx/1920 The Countess of Lowndes Square
The Hapless Bachelors xx/03/1921 Pearson's Magazine 1991 Desirable Residences
The Fall of Augusta 24 May 1922 The Tatler 1994 Fine Feathers
The Lovers 15 November 1922 The Tatler 1994 Fine Feathers
The Jamboree 1 December 1922 The Tatler 1994 Fine Feathers
Christmas with the Old Masters xx/12/1922?
'Complete Rest' 10 January 1923 The Tatler 1994 Fine Feathers
Dodo and the Brick [original title: The Brick] xx/03/1923 Home Magazine 1994 Fine Feathers
Adjustments xx/04/1923? Munsey's Magazine? [USA]
Mr Carew's Game of Croquet 5 March 1924 The Tatler 1994 Fine Feathers
The Eavesdropper 19 March 1924 The Tatler 1994 Fine Feathers
The Exposure of Pamela xx/08/1924 The Storyteller 1992 The Exposure of Pamela
Music xx/12/1924 Windsor Magazine 1991 Desirable Residences
Thompson xx/xx/1924
The Five Foolish Virgins 25 March 1925 The Tatler 1994 Fine Feathers
To Account Rendered xx/06/1925 The Storyteller 1991 Desirable Residences
Entomology xx/08/1925 Windsor Magazine 1991 Desirable Residences
Complementary Souls xx/09/1925 Cassell's Magazine of Fiction 1994 Fine Feathers
Buntingford Jugs xx/12/1925 Windsor Magazine 1994 Fine Feathers
Professor Burnaby's Discovery xx/06/1926 The Storyteller 1994 Fine Feathers
The Peerage Cure xx/07/1926 Windsor Magazine 1991 Desirable Residences
Aunts and Pianos xx/08/1926 Windsor Magazine 1928 Funny Bone [ed. Cynthia Asquith]
The Queen of the Spa xx/09/1926 Windsor Magazine 1991 Desirable Residences
When Greek Meets Greek xx/12/1926 Windsor Magazine 1991 Desirable Residences
Dicky's Pain xx/04/1927 Windsor Magazine 1991 Desirable Residences
The Disappearance of Jacob Conifer xx/10/1927 Windsor Magazine 1991 Desirable Residences
Doggies xx/01/1928 Windsor Magazine 1991 Desirable Residences
The Guardian Angel xx/04/1928 Woman 1991 Desirable Residences
Desirable Residences xx/02/1929 Good Housekeeping 1991 Desirable Residences
Dark and Nameless xx/xx/1929
The Male Impersonator xx/xx/1929 The Male Impersonator 1970 Miss Mapp
Julian's Cottage xx/08/1931 The Storyteller 1994 Fine Feathers
A Breath of Scandal xx/07/1932 The Storyteller 1991 Desirable Residences
The Sanctuary xx/xx/1934

Is there any particular reason these tables have been moved here? EwanHP (talk) 16:27, 25 January 2014 (UTC)EwanHP[reply]

Archaeologist[edit]

The opening sentence describes him as an archaeologist, but there is nothing in the rest of the article to back this up. In general there seems to be nothing about any occupation he may have had other than writing. --rossb (talk) 08:06, 30 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

External links modified[edit]

Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified 2 external links on E. F. Benson. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:

When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.

This message was posted before February 2018. After February 2018, "External links modified" talk page sections are no longer generated or monitored by InternetArchiveBot. No special action is required regarding these talk page notices, other than regular verification using the archive tool instructions below. Editors have permission to delete these "External links modified" talk page sections if they want to de-clutter talk pages, but see the RfC before doing mass systematic removals. This message is updated dynamically through the template {{source check}} (last update: 18 January 2022).

  • If you have discovered URLs which were erroneously considered dead by the bot, you can report them with this tool.
  • If you found an error with any archives or the URLs themselves, you can fix them with this tool.

Cheers.—InternetArchiveBot (Report bug) 04:32, 6 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:E._F._Benson&oldid=1196132945"