Chiswick Timeline of Writers: Novels, plays, poems

The Chiswick Timeline of Writers & Books lists around 425 writers who have written a book and lived in Chiswick W4, or written books about the area.  See A Quick Guide.

Below we list the writers of Novels, plays and poems, by subject area:
1. Novels, including crime (see also next section); 2. Novels, scenes set in Chiswick; 3. Poems, libretti, lyrics; 4. Plays, TV & film (some are also novelists); 5. Humour; 6. Children’s books, plays, films (inc non-fiction).

Most links on the authors’ names below connect to their book(s), their own website or the Writers Trail. Where other links are indicated, click ‘Life’ or ‘Career’ to read more about them – and ‘W4’ for a published connection with Chiswick (we shall add more details in coming weeks). CWRG stands for Chiswick Writers Research Group.

– The 21 distinguished writers on the Writers Trail are listed in CAPITALS.
– See also: Chiswick Timeline of Writers: Non-fiction.
– Chiswick Writers: Year by year (those no longer living)
– Read more stories and anecdotes via the Writers Tales page.

In April 2020 we added 75 names, who are still listed on the Latest names page, with others soon to be added.
See Notes and sources: We have tried to ensure that all those named have lived in, or written about, Chiswick – but are open to corrections.

Chiswick Timeline of Writers & Books: Novels, plays and poems

1. Novels, including crime (see also next section)3. Poems, libretti, lyrics 
Roberta AaronsEdward Baynard (1641 -1719)  Life (CWRG)
Edwin Lester Arnold (1857-1935)  Life (Wiki)James Berry (1924-2017)
Nick BrooksSIR JOHN BETJEMAN (1906-1984)
ALAIN-FOURNIER (1886-1914)Rev Henry Francis Cary (1772-1844)  Life (Wiki)  Life (CWRG)
JG BALLARD (1930-2009)Dorothea Celesia (1738-90)
George Reginald Bacchus (1873-1945)  Life (Wiki) Cahal Dallat
Mary Popham Blyth (1841-1915)  Life (VR)Sir John Denham (1615-1669)  Life (CWRG)
Louise Burfitt-DonsMora Dickson (1918-2001)
ANTHONY BURGESS (1917-1993)Ian Dury (1942-2000)  Life (CWRG)
Clare CassyNeil Elder
Diane ChandlerUGO FOSCOLO (1778-1827)
GK CHESTERTON (1874-1936)Anne-Marie Fyfe
Helena CogganMichael Flanders (1922-1975)  Life (CWRG)
Roland CurramClaudia Flanders (1933-1998)  Life (CWRG)
GEORGIANA, DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE (1757-1806)WE Henley (1849-1903)
Dexter DiasTony Inwood
Michael Dibdin (1947-2007)  Life (CWRG)Susan Lee Kerr
Julia DrumThomas Morell (1703-1784)
Annette DuckworthALEXANDER POPE (1688-1774)
Tom Ellen & Lucy IvisonWB YEATS (1865-1939)
Janet Ellis 
George Manville Fenn (1831-1909)  Life (Wiki) 
Emma Forrest 
EM FORSTER (1879-1970)4. Plays, TV & film (some are also novelists)
Rebecca FraynDame Eileen Atkins   Life (Wiki)
Brent FurnasElizabeth Baker (1876-1962)  Life (Wiki)
Martin GodlemanJack Bentley (1913-1994)  Life (Wiki)
Cyril Gull (c1875-1923)ROBERT BOLT (1924-1995)  Life (Wiki)
PATRICK HAMILTON (1904-1962)John Caine
Isabella HammadJimmie Chinn (1940-2011)  Life (Wiki)    W4
Sheila Hancock   Life (Gdn)Donald Churchill (1930-1991)  Life (Wiki)  Life (CWRG)
Peter HaningtonRebecca Frayn  Life (Wiki)
Eve HarrisSylvia Freedman
Mary Cecil Hay (1839-1886)  Life (Wiki)St John Hankin (1869-1909)  Life (Wiki)
Geoffrey Household (1900-1988)  Life (CWRG)Nick Hennegan
Edgar Jepson (1863-1938)Vicky Ireland
Selwyn Jepson (1899-1989)David Mallet (Malloch) (c.1705–1765) Life (Wiki)
Sadie JonesRoy Mitchell
Margaret Kennedy (1896-1967)  Life (CWRG)Chris Naylor   W4
Thomas KennedyJOHN OSBORNE (1929-1994)
Susan Lee KerrALUN OWEN (1925-1994)
Amanda LeesSIR ARTHUR WING PINERO (1855-1934)
Rosamund Lupton  Life (CWRG)HAROLD PINTER (1947-2008)
Alec MarshAlvin Rakoff
Colette McBethLynn Redgrave (1943-2010)  Life (CWRG)
David Miller (1966-2016)  Obit (The Times)  Life (CWRG)Patrick Riddell
NANCY MITFORD (1904-1973)Rob Sprackling
DAME IRIS MURDOCH  (1919-1992)Imogen Stubbs
Susan PenhaligonSophie Swithinbank
Alice PetersonDon Taylor (1936-2003)  Life (CWRG)
Ann Radcliffe (1764-1823)Dr John Todhunter (1839-1916)  Life (CWRG)
Alvin Rakoff + Ellen Dryden, Lisa Evans  Life (CWRG)
Samuel Richardson (1689-1761)  Life (CWRG) 
Rose Sandy5. Humour 
Helen SedgwickBill Bailey (Beyond W4 – in W6)
Stav SherezHumphry Berkeley (1926-1994)  Life (CWRG)
Joan SmithJohn Fortune (1939-2013)
WM THACKERAY (1811-1863)Joseph Miller (1684-1738)   Life (Wiki)  Life (CWRG)
Jerrard Tickell (1905-1966)Al Murray Life (Wiki)
Carol Townend Dara O’Briain  Life (Wiki)
Sarah VaughanStephen Potter (1900-1969)  Life (CWRG)
Avalon WestonMel Smith (1952-2013)  Life (Wiki) Life (CWRG)
Andrew WoodwardFritz Spiegel (1926-2003)  Life (Wiki)  Life (CWRG)
  
2. Novels, scenes set in Chiswick6. Children’s books, plays, films (inc non-fiction)
Bryan Appleyard (Bedford Park)Neil Ardley (1937-2004)
Celia Brayfield (the Westwick series)Jerramy Fine
Jeff Capper (A Chiswick Tale)Ada May Harrison
GK CHESTERTON (1874-1936)Tony Inwood
Mavis Cheek (Pause Between Acts) Life (CWRG)Vicky Ireland
John Fowles (The Maggot)Neil Morris
Kate Fulford (Inlaws and Outlaws)Rev Martine Oborne
Vesna Goldsworthy (Monsieur Ka)Donald Pleasence (1919-1995)
PATRICK HAMILTON (1904-1962)Diana Pullein-Thompson (1925-2015)  Life (CWRG)
Margaret Kennedy (The Constant Nymph) (1896-1967)Rob Sprackling
Ross King (Domino)Avalon Weston
Asia Mackay (Killing It, The Nursery)Henry White
Ford Madox Ford (Parade’s End) (1873-1939)  Life (CWRG)Lewis Pinhorn Wood (1848-1918)
John Malcolm (Gothic Pursuits) 
Adele Parks (Men I’ve Loved Before) 
Richard Rankin (The Witches of Chiswick) 
WM THACKERAY (1811-1863) 
Leslie Thomson (The Detective’s Secret) 

See also:
Chiswick Timeline of Writers & Books: How it began
Chiswick Timeline of Writers & Books: Latest names
Chiswick Timeline of Writers & Books: Beyond W4

Chiswick Timeline of Writers & Books: Notes and sources: Thank you to everyone who has submitted more names for inclusion. To be included, authors must have lived in Chiswick and written and published a book. We check all references but are happy to make corrections if you know more than we do! If you would like to give further suggestions, comments or information, please email: admin@chiswickbookfestival.net.

More names at:
Waterstones Local Authors Party 2018
Waterstones Local Authors Party 2017

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