Journalism and early writings Stella Gibbons

the vale of health on hampstead heath, gibbons lived brothers after parents deaths

in may 1926 gibbons s mother, maude, died @ age of 48. little reason remain father in kentish town surgery, gibbons took lodgings in willow road, near hampstead heath. 5 months later, on 15 october, father died heart disease aggravated heavy drinking. gibbons family s principal breadwinner; youngest brother lewis still @ school, while elder, gerald, intermittently employed actor. 3 set home in cottage on vale of health, small settlement in middle of hampstead heath, literary connections keats (whom gibbons revered), leigh hunt , d. h. lawrence. later year, result of error involving calculation , reporting of foreign exchange rates, gibbons sacked bup, found new position secretary editor of london evening standard. within short time promoted, , became reporter , features writer @ substantial salary of under £500 year, although not given by-line until 1928.

during evening standard years, gibbons persevered poetry, , in september 1927 poem giraffes appeared in criterion, literary magazine edited t. s. eliot. work read , admired virginia woolf, enquired if gibbons write poems woolf publishing house, hogarth press. in january 1928 j. c. squire, leading voice in georgian poetry movement, began publish gibbons s poems in magazine, london mercury. squire persuaded longmans publish first collection of gibbons s verses, entitled mountain beast, appeared in 1930 critical approval. time by-line appearing increasing frequency in standard. part of series on unusual women interviewed, among others, former royal mistress lillie langtry. paper published several of gibbons s short stories.

despite evident industry, gibbons dismissed standard in august 1930. ostensibly economy measure although gibbons, in later life, suspected other reasons, particularly increasing distraction work arose relationship walter beck. engagement had ended painfully in 1928, because gibbons looking committed relationship whereas wanted more open. biographer , nephew, reggie oliver, believes gibbons never entirely got on beck, after 1929 when met allan webb, future husband. not unemployed long; accepted job offer editorial assistant @ women s magazine, lady. here, according observer writer rachel cooke, applied versatility writer every subject under sun bar cookery, province of mrs peel. @ same time began work on novel become cold comfort farm; colleague , friend elizabeth coxhead recorded gibbons neglected duties disgracefully work on project.