Young, Francis Brett, 1884-1954

Frances Brett Young, novelist, short-story writer and poet, born in Halesowen. His father was a doctor and his mother also came from a medical family so it was natural that Francis trained at Birmingham University to become a physician. He started practice at Brixham, Devon, in 1907 and married the following year. His wife was a singer and he accompanied her as well as setting poems to music for her. During the First World War he saw service in Africa in the Medical Corps but was invalided out in 1918, no longer able to practice medicine. The couple went to live in Capri until 1929 but travelled widely, including trips to South Africa, the United States and summers in the Lake District of England. They returned to live in England from 1932 and settled at Craycombe House, Fladbury, Worcestershire. At the end of Second World War he moved to South Africa, dying in Cape Town in 1954. His ashes were returned to England and are in Worcester Cathedral.

Published works include: The black diamond (1921); Black roses (1929); Christmas box ; The city of gold (1939); Cold harbour (1924); Dark tower (1914); Deep sea (1914); Dr. Bradley remembers (1938); Far forest (1936); The house under the water (1932); The island (1944); Jim Redlake (1930); The man about the house (1942); Marching on Tanga (1918); Mr. and Mrs. Pennington (1931); Mr Lucton's freedom ; My brother Jonathan (1928); Pilgrim's rest Poems 1916-1918 (1919); Portrait of a village (1937); Portrait of Clare (1927); The red knight (1921); Sea horses (1925); They seek a country (1937); This little world The tragic bride (1920); White ladies (1935); Wistanslow Woodsmoke (1924); The young physician (1919) .

Reference: Literary Heritage, West Midlands, Francis Brett Young (http://home.freeuk.com/castlegates/young.htm). Accessed May 2002.

From the guide to the Francis Brett Young Manuscript Collection, 1905 - 1962, (University of Birmingham Information Services, Special Collections Department)