David Herbert Lawrence

Birth

David Herbert Richards Lawrence drew his first breath on September 11 1885, in a small house in Victoria Street, Eastwood, near Nottingham. The fourth child of a coal miner, Arthur Lawrence and Lydia (nee Beardsall), it is not recorded if that first breath was taken easily, but within two weeks the child had bronchitis. It was to be a warning: 'Bert' Lawrence's lungs would plague him all his life.

School

After a false start at school at only four years of age, he was withdrawn and didn't return to the Beauvale Board School until he was seven years of age. This late start, no doubt, disadvantaged him socially, setting him apart from the other children. Indeed, he had few friends of his own, preferring the company of his younger sister, Ada, and her friends. He was a good scholar, however, and became the first boy from the school to win a scholarship to Nottingham High School.

It caused the family considerable hardship to allow the boy to take up this scholarship but in September 1898, three days after his thirteenth birthday Lawrence went to the High School.

He worked hard and made the best of this opportunity, but it was a strain, certainly on the family finances, and also on a delicate boy. He took the train to Nottingham at seven in the morning and didn't reach home until evening. Once again, he made few friends; Frieda, his wife, wrote that one boy who took Lawrence home to tea was horrified to discover that his father was a miner and refused to have any more to do with him. Lawrence spent much of what today would be thought of as 'leisure time' (and there was precious little of it) helping his overworked, and beloved mother. His early life is open to scrutiny in his third and autobiographical novel, Sons and Lovers.

Work

At fifteen, with High School and the 19th Century over, Lawrence began work at Haywoods, a surgical appliance manufacturer in Nottingham. He seems to have had similar difficulties in making friends here too; finding the factory girls frighteningly uncouth for his rather refined ways. Now away from home for fourteen hours per day, excepting Sunday and one half day per week, working in dark and airless conditions, the frail health of the youth broke; within six months Lawrence had pneumonia. Due to his mother's devoted nursing, and against expectations, he recovered.

Back to School

Lawrence's health, however, had been irreparably weakened and it was not considered wise that he should return to the Nottingham factory. Accordingly, he joined the local British School as a pupil-teacher.

Pupil teachers were expected to help with classes after having arrived at school an hour earlier than the pupils in order to take lessons from the headmaster. Later he also attended the Pupil-teacher Centre at Ilkeston where, for possibly the first time in his life, he made many friends

Beginning to write

He also began to write. This writing was done in secret, under the guise of 'lessons', at home. The only person to see this very early work was Jessie Chambers, a fellow pupil-teacher and close friend who lived at Haggs Farm. This farm and family provided a second home for the adolescent Lawrence, away from the strains of his own family. Here, he helped with the hay-making, discussed books and organised charades - Jessie's younger brother, David, has said ' he was at his greatest in charades. There have never been such charades since.'1

Lawrence's first published work did not get his name into print. It was a story especially written for a competition run by the Nottingham Guardian in 1907. It was called A Prelude and won a £3 prize (this was a sizable prize given that when Lawrence began teaching a year later he earned £1.90 per week). Lawrence had entered all three categories. Once in his own name, the others in friends' names; the winning entry was in Jessie Chambers' name.

University

In December 1904 Lawrence sat the examination for the King's Scholarship, which would guarantee him a day place at Nottingham University College, where he could obtain his Teacher's Certificate. He passed - he was in the top 37 of over 2,000 candidates, but was unable to take up the position until September 1906 due to financial hardship.

Lawrence was to be bitterly disappointed by college. He felt that he gained nothing from the experience; the biggest disappointment being the lecturers themselves. He had imagined men full of enthusiasm and inspiration but instead remarked that he 'might as well be taught by gramophones as by those men.'

Teaching

In 1908 Lawrence became a qualified teacher and took up a post at Davidson Road School, Croydon. It is not difficult to imagine the wrench with which he left Eastwood, his beloved mother and Haggs Farm. The school had some very poor boys and it was not to be an easy introduction for the young schoolmaster. However, he was dedicated and innovative - he encouraged the boys to act out The Tempest rather than sitting at their desks reading it - and the headmaster was pleased with his work.

First Novel

In his free time Lawrence wrote. In January 1911 his first novel, The White Peacock was published, but the elation he may have felt from this success was obliterated by the overshadowing death of his mother, from cancer, in the previous month.

End of a teacher's career

In November of 1911 the poor health that had plagued Lawrence all year culminated in pneumonia. Once again, he fought his way free of the illness but his lungs had been damaged further. The doctor told him outright that to return to teaching would be to court tuberculosis and so, again, his life's direction was dictated by his lungs.

The beginning of a new life

A German uncle suggested a plan whereby Lawrence could possibly become a Lektor in a German university. A professor of modern languages at Nottingham University, Ernest Weekley, was consulted and invited the twenty six year old Lawrence to lunch to discuss the details. Lawrence accepted the invitation and within two months was in Germany - not, however, as a Lektor but as the lover of Frieda Weekley, the thirty two year old mother of Weekley's three children.

At the end of 1911 Lawrence became critically ill with pneumonia. It was exactly ten years since he had suffered a similar episode. The first illness rescued him from the clerical work he hated. the second delivered him from the stifling clutches of teaching. He was told that to continue in the profession was to risk developing tuberculosis.

With no career and no ties - he had broken off his engagement, pleading lack of prospects - he determined to try to live by his pen. He had by February 1912 had one novel published (The White Peacock), had another in progress, (The Trespasser), had published serveral pieces of poetry and some essays and short stories. The enormity, however, of the decision to support himself by writing cannot be over-estimated. Most writers of the day had at least some private income, Lawrence, son of a coal-miner had nothing.

Frieda Weekley

An aunt had in-laws in Germany and a plan was suggested whereby Lawrence could go to stay with them and perhaps spend some time as a Lektor in a German college. Ernest Weekley, a professor of Modern Languages at Nottingham University College, where Lawrence had been a student, was consulted about the plan and invited the young man to lunch. Lawrence accepted the invitation and within two months was indeed in Germany. Not, however, as a Lektor but as lover of Frieda Weekley (nee von Richthofen), the thirty two year old mother of Weekley's three children.

Life was not easy for the couple. Frieda had high hopes of having her children with her, but when her husband discovered her infidelity he flatly refused her access and sent the couple letter after letter containing pleas, threats and abuse. This trauma caused fierce arguments between the couple (their fights were to become legendary amongst their friends). Frieda was distraught at the loss of her children; Lawrence was angry that he was powerless to do anything, that he was the cause of her misery and also bitter that she could not accept the loss of her children - as he had had to accept the loss of his beloved mother eighteen months before.

Italy

With little money they travelled, often on foot, through Germany (where Lawrence was accused of spying) and Switzerland finally renting a room at Riva in Austria, very near to the Italian border. Lawrence loved Italy - he felt that the Italian people really knew how to live - close to nature and unrestrainedly.

During the journey, and at Riva, Lawrence continued to write. He was revising what was to be ultimately regarded as one of his greatest books, Sons and Lovers, and that he managed, under the circumstances, to write at all is surprising.

Twenty-one year old, David Garnett, son of Lawrence's mentor of that time, joined Lawrence and Frieda for part of their journey. He recorded how little Lawrence's writing affected any of them. Lawrence would sit in the corner, pen flashing, while David and Frieda talked joked and worked around him. Frieda had never learned how to cook and so Lawrence would frequently jump up to look after the dinner, then return to his writing.

Lawrence was also a great mimic; he could impersonate many of the literary figures he had met in London and he would entertain Frieda by acting out parodies of services at the chapel he had attended in his youth. Frieda found all of this hilarious and fascinating because as the daughter of a Baron in Germany she had experienced a very different upbringing. David Garnett recalls that Lawrence not only mimicked others, he frequently mocked himself whilst describing meetings with literary 'lion-hunters' and portraying events from his vaaried life.

Charades

Almost everyone who ever spent time with the Lawrences remembered him in charades; he had a passion for the amusement - even as a youth - and would inveigle everyone into the act. Indeed, in 1928, less than two years before his death from tuberculosis, he was still performing energetically, mimicking Navajo Indians complete with war-whoops; he delighted the visiting Americans but terrified his own party who feared that he would provoke another haemorrhage of the lungs.

'I hadn't lived before I lived with Lawrence' - Frieda Lawrence

Another quality which many of his friends and acquaintances remarked upon was the unusual vitality which radiated from Lawrence. Catherine Carswell, a close friend, remarked that Lawrence even radiated life whilst washing dishes; she added that that fact may seem irrelevant to others but that to those who knew him it was a striking quality . Another friend and writer, John Middleton Murry recalled that one of his most precious memories of Lawrence was of the two of them laying linoleum together!

In May 1913, Sons and Lovers was published in Great Britain. It did not sell spectacularly well, and Lawrence faced the possibility that he may have to return to teaching. He managed, however, to keep up a constant stream of short stories, articles, essays and poetry which enabled the pair to live the very simple life with which they were satisfied. The lovers returned to England briefly during this year for Frieda to try to make contact with her children. Access was denied her and the pair returned to Europe.

War

Lawrence and Frieda on their wedding day

In 1914, Frieda's divorce was granted and on 13th July Lawrence and Frieda were married in London. Their intention was to return to Italy in August but the outbreak of war prevented their departure. They were to be unable to leave Lawrence's home country, which was to antagonise and stifle him, for five years. They were bitter years for both Lawrence and Frieda (ironically, it was now she who was accused of spying); his latest book, The Rainbow, was banned and he had great difficulty in earning enough to live on - he was to never fully recover his spirits or gaiety again.

The Nightmare Years

A Cornish cottage, overlooking the sea, with a little land to cultivate and good friends nearby to provide provisions it sounds idyllic, even in the middle of war-time.

When the Lawrences moved to Cornwall in it was to find a little peace and solitude in a place where they could live cheaply. This last was necessary, as with the destruction of The Rainbow Lawrence's reputation had been severely damaged: he had effectively lost his means of earning.

Arriving at Zennor, they found a cottage which they could rent for five pounds per year! They bought some second-hand furniture and moved in during March 1916. As always, once they had gained solitude, they sought to lose it. They immediately persuaded Katherine Mansfield and John Middleton Murry to take the cottage next door.

There wasn't a great deal of peace either Katherine hated it there; Frieda and Lawrence fought with their usual ferocity; Murry turned down Lawrence's offer of blood-brotherhood and after only a few weeks the Rananim of four was over.

There were other visitors, some of whom found the Lawrences easier to bear. And, for Lawrence, there was a farm nearby, with a family who reminded him of his youth and 'The Haggs'. He became friendly with the Hockings of Tregerthen Farm as he had been friendly with the Chambers there.

There has been much speculation about whether there was a homosexual relationship between William Henry Hocking and Lawrence. Frieda is reported to have said that she believed it was so - the Prologue to Women in Love would seem to suggest that Lawrence found him physically attractive - there is no conclusive evidence either way.

During late 1916 war activity intensified - many young men were being killed and Frieda was German. Some of the Cornish people turned against Lawrence and Frieda and things worsened as 1917 progressed.

They were investigated by the police - their cottage searched - accused of showing lights (signalling to submarine crews in the channel). Finally, on October 11th 1917 they received an order to leave the county by the 15th.

Small wonder that Lawrence became bitter about his home country. They destroyed his work as 'utter filth' and expelled him from his home on suspicion of 'spying'!

Lawrence describes much of his Cornwall stay (and expulsion) in the 'Nightmare' chapter of Kangaroo.

Towards the end of his wandering life, he had been staying at Bandol since October 1929 when Dr Andrew Morland, the English lung specialist, examined him and persuaded him that his long-neglected tuberculosis required urgent care. On his advice Lawrence moved on 6 February to the sanatorium called AD ASTRA at Vence, where he was examined and attended by Doctor Madinier. As the news spread that his life was in danger; H.G. WELLS, and the AGA KHAN, called on him, and the American sculptor Jo DAVIDSON made a model of his bust. He did not take kindly to life in the clinic, and left it on March 1st for the Villa ROBERMOND, where he died the next day, in the care of his wife Frieda von RICHTHOFEN, of the English writer Aldous HUXLEY and his Belgian wife Maria NYS.

Burial and exhumation

LAWRENCE was buried in the old Vence cemetery on a March 1930. His remains were exhumed in March 1935 in the presence of Mrs Gordon CROTCH, an English resident, and incinerated at Marseille on March 13. A wooden box holding a sealed zinc container in which were his ashes, was then delivered, together with the appropriate transatlantic transport authorization by the Prefecture, dated 14 March, to the former captain of Bersaglieri Angelo RAVAGLI, at that time the factotum and lover of Lawrence's widow. His mission was to take the ashes to Taos (New Mexico) in 'a beautiful vase' specially ordered by Frieda for this purpose. The ashes brought to Taos by RAVAGLI in grotesque cicumstances were cast by him into the concrete slab of a 'shrine' which he built at the KIOWA ranch at San Cristobal near Taos.

Dumped

When Baron de HAULLEVILLE and his sister-in-law Rose NYS-de HAULLEVILLE (who knew Ravagli through the Huxleys) were Ravagli's guests atTaos, Ravagli after partaking from a bottle of bourbon, confessed late one night to having dumped the box and ashes between Marseille and Villefranche (where he was due to sail on the Conde di Savoia), so as to avoid the expense and trouble of transporting them to the USA. When in New York he collected Frieda's vase, mailed 'to be called for' from Marseille, and put into it some locally procured ashes which he took to Taos.