Warner, Sylvia Townsend (1893–1978)

British writer. Born Sylvia Townsend Warner at Harrow, Middlesex, England, Dec 6, 1893; died in Maiden Newton, Dorset, May 1, 1978; dau. of George Townsend Warner (assistant master at Harrow School for Boys) and Eleanor Mary(Nora) Hudleston; lived with Valentine Ackland.

Author who, over a period of 50 years, won critical acclaim and a large readership in England and US for her novels, poetry, short stories, and biography of writer T. H. White; during WWI, interrupted budding career as a composer to work as a shell machinist in munitions factory; served as 1 of 4 editors of 10vol. Tudor Church Music (1917–29); published 1st vol. of poetry, The Espalier (1925); found fame and a comfortable income with 1st novel, Lolly Willowes (1926); published 2 other novels, Mr. Fortune's Maggot and The True Heart, which added to her reputation (1927–29); formed a relationship with poet Valentine Ackland that lasted until the latter's death in 1969 (1930); frustrated by continuing economic depression and appeasement of Hitler, joined Communist Party (1935); published 2 novels, Summer Will Show (1936) and After the Death of Don Juan (1939), which reflect her political commitment to Marxism and admiration for Spanish people's fight against Fascism; involved in war work in Dorset until Germany's surrender in May 1945; her novel about 14tcentury nuns, The Corner That Held Them, revived interest in her work(1947), as did last novel, The Flint Anchor (1954); for remainder of life, wrote some poetry and many short stories published in both England and US; edited 2 vols. of Ackland's poems (early 1970s); published last collection of short stories, Kingdoms of Elfin, to wide acclaim (1977); as a writer, was known for her wit, humor, irony, compassion, clarity and marvelous imagery.

See also Claire Harman, Sylvia Townsend Warner: A Biography (Chatto & Windus, 1989); Claire Harman, ed. The Diaries of Sylvia Townsend Warner (Chatto & Windus, 1994); William Maxwell, ed. Sylvia Townsend Warner: Letters (Viking, 1982); Wendy Mulford, This Narrow Place: Sylvia Townsend Warner and Valentine Ackland: Life, Letters and Politics, 1930–1951 (Pandora, 1988); Michael Steinman, ed. The Element of Lavishness: Letters of Sylvia Townsend Warner and William Maxwell, 1938–1978 (Counterpoint, 2001); and Women in World History.