Murray Gilchrist

Robert Murray Gilchrist (6 January 1867 – 1917) was an English novelist and author of regional interest books about the Peak District of north central England. He is best known today for his decadent and Gothic short fiction.

During his lifetime he published some 100 short stories, 22 novels, six story collections, and four non-fiction books.

Life

Gilchrist was born in Sheffield, England, the second son of Robert Murray Gilchrist and Isabella. He was educated at Sheffield Royal Grammar School and later privately. He never married. He worked briefly for noted editor William Ernest Henley (1849–1903) at National Observer (formerly The Scots Observer). He lived for much of his life in the North Derbyshire village of Holmesfield, living with his mother and a male companion at Cartledge Hall. From 1893 to 1897, he lived in a remote part of the Peak District and some sources say he lived a few months in Paris, France. He began his writing career during 1890 with the publication of his first novel, Passion The Plaything. He contributed short stories to many periodicals, including The Temple Bar, Home Chimes and The Yellow Book. A productive writer, he published 22 novels, six short story collections, four regional interest books and one play (posthumously). During World War I, he was noted for his charitable assistance to Belgian refugees, many of whom attended his funeral during 1917.

Literary work

As an English novelist and regional writer, Robert Murray Gilchrist never achieved the recognition his colleagues and many critics thought he deserved. His friend, Eden Phillpotts wrote that "no record or estimate of the conte in English letters can be complete without study of his contributions thereto." He dedicated his story collection, The Striking Hours, to Gilchrist, terming him "the master of the short story." Gilchrist's first story collection failed to draw much attention, and while he occasionally published short stories all of his life, including one, "The Crimson Weaver" in the celebrated magazine, The Yellow Book, the bulk of his output was his twenty-two novels, in addition to his six short story collections, a play and four regional guide books. He was friends with many noted writers including Phillpotts, William Sharp (Fiona MacLeod) and Hugh Walpole. He worked for noted editor and writer William Ernest Henley, and he corresponded with Larner Sugden, Kineton Parkes and occasionally H. G. Wells.