C. H. B. Kitchin

A June 1924 photo of C. H. B. Kitchin by Lady Ottoline Morrell

Clifford Henry Benn Kitchin (17 October 1895 – 4 April 1967) was a British novelist of the early twentieth century. He was best known for his four mystery novels featuring the sleuth Malcolm Warren (Death of My Aunt, Crime at Christmas, Death of His Uncle, and The Cornish Fox), but his other novels were also highly regarded, especially by other writers. His best-known novels are The Auction Sale, Streamers Waving, and Mr. Balcony. He was one of Francis King's two mentors, the other being J. R. Ackerley. His other works include The Book of Life, Ten Pollitt Place and Jumping Joan.^[1]

Kitchin attended Exeter College Oxford and became a barrister. He was a gifted chess player, bridge player and pianist.^[2] Kitchin led a varied and colourful life. He was born into wealth and increased his wealth through investment in the stock market. He used his wealth to take part in many different fields, including the breeding and racing of greyhounds, in which he was briefly an important figure. He was homosexual, and was living with his lover Clive Preen until Preen's death in 1944.^[3]

References

1. "Kitchin, C. H. B." A Dictionary of Writers and their Works. Ed. Michael Cox. Oxford University Press, 2001.
2. "Kitchin, Clifford Henry Benn" The Oxford Companion to English Literature. Edited by Dinah Birch. Oxford University Press Inc
3. Wright, Adrian: Foreign country: the life of L.P. Hartley. London 1996, p. 131-133

External links

• "Clifford Kitchin biography". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2006-12-22. via knitting circle
• Valancourt Books biography