Charles Birkin

Sir Charles Lloyd Birkin, 5th Baronet (24 September 1907 – 1985) was an English writer of horror short stories and the editor of the Creeps Library of anthologies. Typically working under the pseudonym Charles Lloyd, Birkin's tales tended towards the conte cruels rather than supernatural fiction, although he did write some ghost stories.

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Biography Birkin was the son of Colonel Charles Wilfred Birkin and Claire Howe, the daughter of Alexander Howe. Freda Dudley Ward was a sister. He was educated at Eton College and was later employed by the publisher Philip Allan to anonymously edit the Creeps horror story anthologies, the first which appeared in 1932. Authors anthologized in the Creeps series included H. Russell Wakefield, Tod Robbins, H. D. Everett and Elliott O'Donnell. He succeeded his uncle as 5th Baronet Birkin in 1942. The first telegraphed report of the D-Day landings in Normandy, sent by Roger Greene of the Associated press, was received in New York June 8, 1944. Greene wrote: "My escorting officer, Sir Charles Birkin, was slightly wounded three times in the first 15 minutes ashore and three men were killed within five feet of me...."

After a long hiatus, Birkin resumed writing in 1960, following a return to London, and two new stories appeared in Dennis Wheatley's anthologies Quiver of Horror (1964) and Shafts of Fear (1964). This was followed by eight collections of original Birkin stories, beginning with The Kiss of Death (1964) and ending with Spawn of Satan (1970). This last volume was published in the US only. He and his wife spent their later years in Sulby, Isle of Man. Birkin died in 1985.

Birkin's short stories have been estimated as numbering over one hundred.

"Insult to Injury" (1936) "Enterprise" (1936) "Reprise" (1937) "Déjeuner" (1938) "Psychical Research" (1939) "Paul Saltpeter's Party" (1939) "Faites Vos Jeux" (1939) "Happy Christmas" (1939) "Morning Shopping" (1939) "The Stricken Heart" (1940) "Point of View" (1940) "She Was That Sort of Lady" (1940) "Wrong Number" (1940)

It is Mains' aim to have these published in a standalone collection.