| The
Charles
Tunnicliffe Society Established 2005 "To promote greater awareness of the life and work of Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe OBE, RA 1901-1979" |
 |
Alice Jane Taylor was born in 1884 at Cromford, Derbyshire, and in 1906
gained an honours degree in Physics from Manchester University, moving
to London in 1908 to teach at a school in Fulham. She married in 1915
and later, when her son went to boarding school, she wrote countryside
stories to send to him – to her delight and surprise one of these stories
was published in 1929 by Faber & Faber, and so began her writing career.
After the death of her husband in 1930 she decided to earn a living
by writing more stories for children, and in 1931 she also wrote a novel
for adults entitled ‘The Country Child’ – based on her own childhood.
During the 1930’s Charles Tunnicliffe illustrated several books for
Putnam & Co. Ltd., and his work had became widely known, so in the early
1940’s Faber & Faber suggested to Alice that she should collaborate with
Charles on a new book, and in 1943 Faber & Faber published the first of
her books illustrated by Charles Tunnicliffe entitled ‘’Country Hoard’.
Following this success Faber decided in 1945 to reissue an illustrated
version of ‘The Country Child’. Thus began a long association between
Alison Uttley and Charles Tunnicliffe working together for 30 years on
the publication of eighteen books and essays, such as ‘Carts and Candlesticks’,
‘Plowmen’s Clocks’ and ‘Country Things’. Faber & Faber also reissued illustrated
versions of ‘The Farm on the Hill’ and ‘Ambush of Young Days’ with equal success.
Although they had a very good working relationship they never actually met,
despite the fact that Tunnicliffe arranged to visit her at home in Buckinghamshire
When they arrived she was not at home !
List of Alison Uttley's Faber & Faber books illustrated by C F Tunnicliffe
Country Hoard 1943 -The Country Child 1945 - Country Things 1946
Carts & Candlesticks 1948 - The Farm on the Hill 1949 - Ambush of Young Days 1951
Plowman's Clocks 1952 - Here's a New Day 1956 - A Year in the Country 1957
The Swans Fly Over 1959 - Something for Nothing 1960 - Wild Honey 1962
Cuckoo in June 1964 - A Peck of Gold 1966
The Button Box and Other Essays 1968 - A Ten O'clock Scholar 1970
Secret Places 1972 - Country World: Memories of a Childhood 1984