The Halifax-born writer Dr Phyllis Eleanor Bentley OBE was born on 19th November 1894, the youngest child and only daughter of Eleanor and Joseph Edwin Bentley, woollen manufacturer at Dunkirk Mills, Halifax.
The family lived at Heath Villas, Halifax.
At the age of 6, she wrote a poem – The Volcano – for her father's birthday.
She was educated at Halifax Girls' High School and Cheltenham Ladies College, and gained an external BA at London University in 1914.
During World War I, she taught in a boys' grammar school, and then worked at the Ministry of Munitions in London. She taught English and Latin at Heath Grammar School. She catalogued material for the Halifax Literary & Philosophical Society.
In 1928, Gollancz published her novel The Partnership.
The TV popularity of the Inheritance trilogy – started in 1932 – made her a household name. In 1949, she was awarded an Hon D.Litt from Leeds University.
In 1958, she became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
In 1963, she moved to Warley Grange.
In 1970, she was awarded an OBE.
She wrote 46 books, including 21 novels against a West Riding background.
She famously remarked
Two strong passions have always ruled my life: The first is literature; the second is the West Riding
The Inheritance trilogy is set in and around the Colne Valley;
She also wrote
She was a founder member of Halifax Thespians, and the Halifax Authors' Circle.
She died at Ing Royde Nursing Home, Halifax on 27th June 1977
| Books by Phyllis Bentley |
Published in 1964
Published by Thames & Hudson [1997]
ISBN: 0-50-026016-8
Published in 1969/1974
A novel about a manufacturer in the textile industry.
Full title:
Published in 1929
Yorkshire story
Published in 1923
Published by Huddersfield & District Woollen Export Group [1947]
The book is illustrated with drawings, woodcuts, and a pull-out map
of the Cloth District in colour
Published by William Collins [1962]
Published in 1958
Published in 1941
Her first novel
Published in 1922
Published by Doubleday [1969]
Published by Gollancz [1936]
Published in 1968
Published in 1977
Published in 1953
The novel is the chronicle of two Yorkshire textile families, the
Oldroyd family and the Bamforth family, and is based upon her own
family's experience of the slump in the textile industry during
1930/31.
Published in 1932
The story is set in the Colne (Ire) valley.
She gives a good description of the Luddites and uses the names
of Thorp and Mellor, 2 of the Rawfolds conspirators.
This was followed by The rise of Henry Morcar and A man of his time – making up the Inheritance trilogy.
The trilogy covers the period 1812-1965.
She brought the saga up-to-date in Ring in the new.
The 592-page book was published in March 1932, and was in its 5th
edition by April 1932.
It went to 29 editions in England.
It was translated into 8 languages.
In 1946, Inheritance was serialised on BBC radio.
In February 1967, Granada Television began a 10-part serialisation of
the trilogy, featuring John Thaw and James Bolam.
The series was filmed in Huddersfield and at Sowerby Bridge,
Murgatroyd's Mill, Luddenden, and Spring Mill, Rishworth.
It was shown in September 1967, and repeated in 1969
See
Twisting in
Published in 1966
The life of the 18th century yeoman clothier Samuel Hill as
represented by the character Sam Horsfall.
The story also refer to Tim Bobbin.
Some scenes are set in the Old Bridge Inn, Ripponden
Published in 1941
The novel which portrays life in the textile trade during the
recession
Published in 1934
Published by Victor Gollancz, London [1974]
ISBN: 0-57-501898-4
Published in 1955
Published in 1962
Published by Chivers [1974]
ISBN: 0-85-594925-2
Published by Gollancz [1928]
After several rejections, this was the first novel to be published in
her long association with the Gollancz publishing house.
Published by Firecrest Publishing Limited [1970]
ISBN: 0-85-119005-7
Published by Gollancz [1940]
This was entitled Take Courage in the UK
Published in 1969
Published in 1946
Looks at the beginnings of women's suffrage in the early 20th century.
In 1939, the book was banned by the Nazis in Germany, because
of its liberal politics.
Phyllis commented that
Published in 1938
Published by Peters & Company
Published in 1947
Published in 1928
Published in 1930
Other novels –
The spinner of the years, The Partnership, Trio,
- deal with private lives rather than public themes
Published in 1935
The adventures of Tom Leigh Ref 16-7 The Brontës Ref 16-39 The Brontës & their World Ref 16-28 Carr Ref 16-27
Carr: Being the Biography of Philip Joseph Carr, Manufacturer of the
Village of Carr Foot, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Written By His
Granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth Carr
Cat in the manger Ref 16-19 Colne Valley Cloth Ref 16-15 Committees Ref 16-41 Crescendo Ref 16-8 The English regional novel Ref 16-24 Environment Ref 16-23 Forgery! Ref 16-10 Freedom, farewell! Ref 16-13 Gold Pieces Ref 16-42 Haworth of the Brontës Ref 16-33 The heir of Skipton Ref 16-14 Here is America Ref 16-21 The house of Moreys Ref 16-17 Inheritance Ref 16-22 Kith & kin Ref 16-20 Life story Ref 16-26 Love & money Ref 16-25 A Man of his Time Ref 16-36 Manhold Ref 16-2 A Modern Tragedy Ref 16-32 More tales of the West Riding Ref 16-40 Noble in reason Ref 16-30 O Dreams, O Destinations Ref 16-6 Panorama: Tales of the West Riding Ref 16-34 The Partnership Ref 16-29 The Pennine Weaver Ref 16-38 The power & the glory Ref 16-35 Quorum Ref 16-4 Ring in the New Ref 16-1 The Rise of Henry Morcar Ref 16-31 Sleep in peace Ref 16-5
I feel it is quite an honour
Some Observations on the Art of Narrative Ref 16-12 The spinner of the years Ref 16-9 Take courage Ref 16-11 Trio Ref 16-16 We of the West Riding Ref 16-37 West Riding Series Ref 16-44
The whole of the story Ref 16-18
Page Ref: WW_23
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