Richard Pryce

Richard Pryce (14 May 186430 May 1942) was an English novelist, author of Christopher, David Penstephen and other works of fiction. He was also a playwright and wrote a number of one act and three-act plays. Disappointed with his cold reception by the public in Britain, despite glowing reviews, he wrote very little after the outbreak of the First World War.

Early life Pryce was born in Boulogne, France on 14 May 1864. He was the second son of Colonel Price and Sarah Beatrice Hamilton (30 June 18347 April 1911). He was educated at Leamington in Warwickshire. He started life as a junior clerk in the Bank of England, before his first novel, An Evil Spirit was published in 1887.

Novels Jisc Library Hub Discover lists 18 novels by Pryce. This list is not necessarily exhaustive.

+Novels by Pryce Ser. Year Title Publisher Pages Notes 1 1887 An Evil Spirit T. Fisher Unwin, London 2 v., 8º 2 1889 The Ugly Story of Miss Wetherby Walter Scott, London 198 p. 3 1890 Just impediment Ward & Downey, London 2 v., 8º 4 1891 Deck-chair Stories Ward & Downey, London 245 p., 8º 5 1891 The Quiet Mrs. Fleming Methuen, London 258 p., 8º 6 1892 Miss Maxwell's affections : a novel Chatto & Windus, London 2 v., 8º 7 1892 Time and the woman Methuen, London 2 v., 8º 8 1894 Winifred Mount : a novel Methuen, London 2 v., 8º 9 1895 The burden of a woman A. D. Innes, London 315 p., 8º 10 1897 Elementary Jane Hutchinson, London [iv], 331 p., 8º 11 1900 Jezebel Hutchinson, London 352 p., 8º 12 1904 The Successor Hutchinson, London 332 p., 8º 13 1907 Towing-Path Bess, and other stories Chapman & Hall, London 249 p., 8º 14 1911 Christopher Hutchinson & Co, London 343 p., 8º 15 1916 David Penstephen Methuen & Co, London 364 p., 8º 16 1918 The Statue in the Wood W. Collins Sons & Co, London 305 p., 8º 17 1924 Romance and Jane Weston W. Collins, London 291 p., 8º 18 1932 Morgan's yard W. Collins, London 288 p., 8º

Plays Jisc Library Hub Discover list ten plays by Pryce, or collections of plays. to which he contributed. Kemp notes that most of his plays were adaptations of the works of other authors. The following list is not exhaustive as at least one play by Pryce was found which was not listed in the catalogues collated by Jisc, and press references have been found to other plays.

+Plays by Pryce, and collections of plays to which he contributed`. Serial Year Title Publisher Pages Notes 1 1904 'Op-o'-me-thumb : a play in one act Samuel French, London 25 p., 8º 2 1904 Saturday to Monday : an irresponsible comedy in three acts 3 1906 A privy council : a comedy in one act Samuel French, London 34, 6 p., musical score, 8º 4 1907 The dumb-cake. A play in one act Samuel French, London 12º 4 1910 Little Mrs. Cummin : a comedy in three acts Samuel French, London 97, 1 p., 8º 6 1910 The visit : a play in one act Samuel French, London 24 p., 8º 7 1914 Helen with the high hand : a play in three acts Samuel French, London 103, 5 p., 8º 8 1920 The Old House 9 1924 One-act plays of to-day Harrap, London 10 1925 One-act plays of to-day : second series Harrap, London 11 1935 Frolic Wind. A play in three acts. Victor Gollancz, London 127 p., 8º 12 1935 Famous plays of 1934-5 Victor Gollancz, London 695 p., 8º

Later life Pryce lived most of his life in the West End of London. He lived in one of the most quaint and miniature houses in London, fashioned out of a garage and two rooms which had been converted into five rooms and a bathroom. This was The Cottage, 4 Groom Place, Belgrave Square, London, where Pryce was still living at his death in 1928. His house was filled with finds from the Caledonian Market, to which Pryce made a visit every Friday morning.

Pryce died in the Royal Avenue Nursing Home in Chelsea, London, on 30 May 1942. His estate was valued at £2,500 14s. 1d.

Assessment Sadlier stated that, despite praise from reviewers, Pryce never had the success in Britain that he deserved. David Penstephen was widely read in the United States, but Pryce's self-assurance was shaken by the neglect he suffered at the hands of the British public.. He was much more popular in the United States and got many letters from readers there. Kemp says that Discouraged by the lack of public interest in his work, though reviews were warm, Pryce had more or less given up writing fiction by the outbreak of the First World War. However, the British Library catalogue contains works after this date. The Pall Mall Gazette said that Mr. Pryce's work is always highly finished, and very interesting on its technical side. He might almost be called "a writers’ writer."