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George Norman Douglas
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George Norman Douglas (1868-1952)
Also known by the following names:
• Douglas, George Norman, 1868-1952
• Douglass, George Norman, 1868-1952
• Douglass, Norman, 1868-1952
• Bey, Pilaff, 1868-1952
Norman Douglas, born George
Norman Douglass in Thüringen, Germany, in 1868, is best known for his
1917 novel *South Wind*. A British writer with a complex and often
scandalous life, his early years were marked by his father's death when
he was around six. His father, John Sholto Douglas, was Scottish, and
his mother, Vanda von Poellnitz, was German. Following his family's
relocation to England, he was raised primarily at
Tilquhillie, his paternal home in Deeside, Scotland, and educated at
Uppingham School in England and the Gymnasium in Karlsruhe. His ancestry
included the 14th Laird of Tilquhillie and General James Ochoncar
Forbes, 18th Lord Forbes.
Douglas's career began in the
diplomatic service in 1894, and he served at the British Embassy in St.
Petersburg, Russia, from 1894 to 1896. However, he was soon placed on
leave amidst rumors of a sexual scandal. In 1897, he purchased a villa
in Naples and married his cousin, Elizabeth Louisa Theobaldina
FitzGibbon, with whom he collaborated on his first book, *Unprofessional
Tales* (1901), published under the pseudonym "Normyx." The marriage
ended in divorce in 1903 due to Elizabeth's infidelity.
He then
moved to Capri, dividing his time between the island and London, and
dedicated himself to writing. Capri served as the inspiration for
"Nepenthe," the fictional island in *South Wind*. From 1912 to 1914, he
worked for *The English Review*, where he met D.H. Lawrence. Their
relationship soured after Lawrence based a character on Douglas in his
1922 novel, *Aaron's Rod*. In late 1916, Douglas fled England to avoid
prosecution for indecent assault on a 16-year-old boy, a charge he
downplayed as merely kissing the boy and giving him treats. He spent the
rest of his life in self-imposed exile.
During his time in
Florence, Douglas collaborated with publisher Pino Orioli, whose "Lungarno"
series published Douglas's works and those of other English authors,
including the first edition of D.H. Lawrence's *Lady Chatterley's
Lover*, which would have been considered obscene in London.
Further scandals forced Douglas to leave Italy for the south of France
in 1937. During World War II, he made a circuitous journey to London,
where he lived from 1942 to 1946, publishing a limited edition of his
*Almanac* in Lisbon. He returned to Capri, where he associated with
writers like Graham Greene and cookery expert Elizabeth David. Douglas
died in Capri, reportedly from a deliberate drug overdose after a
prolonged illness. His final words were a request to remove the nuns
attending him.
Douglas, a man of the 19th century and a true
European, was notably devoid of nationalistic sentiment. Of Scottish and
German heritage, he was born in Austria, where his grandfather had
established cotton mills. His lineage included Scottish lairds and a
maternal grandmother who was a godchild of Queen Victoria.
George Norman Douglas (8th December 1868 - 7th February 1952)
Contributions
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Source
Wikipedia includes a long list of sources -
including The Douglas Archives. An additional source is
The Norman Douglas papers, held by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
Any contributions will be
gratefully accepted
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