Beverley Nichols born 9 September 1898 (d. 1983)John Beverley Nichols born in Bower Ashton, Bristol, was an English writer, playwright, actor, novelist and composer.
He went to school at Marlborough College, and went to Balliol College, Oxford University, and was President of the Oxford Union and editor of Isis.
Between his first novel Prelude published in 1920 and Twilight in 1982 he wrote more than 60 books and plays on topics such as travel, politics, religion, cats, novels, mysteries and children's stories, authoring six novels, five detective mysteries, four children's stories, six autobiographies, and six plays. He is perhaps best remembered, first, as a writer for Woman's Own; and second, for his gardening books, the first of which Down the Garden Path, was illustrated — as were many of his books — by Rex Whistler. This bestseller — which has had 32 editions and has been in print almost continuously since 1932 — was the first of his trilogy about Allways, his Tudor thatched cottage in Cambridgeshire.
Another trilogy written between 1951 and 1956 documents his travails renovating Merry Hall, Meadowstream, a Georgian manor house in Surrey, where he lived from 1946 to 1956, and its gardens. The Sudbrook trilogy (1963–1969) concern Nichols' late 18th-century attached cottage at Ham, (near Richmond), Surrey. He authored two books on cats and a political novel Cry Havoc! (1933).
Nichols ghostwrote Dame Nellie Melba’s 'autobiography' Memories and Melodies (1925).
He met Godfrey Winn through his theatrical contacts and their paths crossed over a number of years. They became rivals as newspaper columnists, but still continued an awkward friendship and visited each other's houses. They broke up when Beverley Nichols wrote A Case of Human Bondage, (1966) which appeared to be critical of Somerset Maugham, who had been Godfrey Winn's lover for a time.
He appeared in the 1931 film Glamour directed by Seymour Hicks and Harry Hughes playing the part of the Hon. Richard Wells.
When young, his good looks made him one of the most photographed men of his time. His writing made it possible for him to have an expensive lifestyle.Nichols' long-term partner was Cyril Butcher. He was relatively open about his sexuality in public lectures, though not in his radio broadcasts. However, his demeanour gave a lot away.
He died from complications after a fall.