Ian Handford: Series of Significant people (not always famous) who lived in Torbay in the 20th Century

SERIES OF SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE who lived in Torbay during the 20th century -  not always famous - as researched  by Ian L Handford (President - Torbay Civic Society) 

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No. 45  EDEN PHILLPOTTS (Part One of 2 articles)

Eden Phillpotts was born on November 4,, 1862 in Rajputana on Mount Abu India at a place named The Hill of Wisdom.

He would write later: "It may be that an Indian foster-mother's milk by nurture influenced my nature."

Being born in a most odd place for a baby this was because was the son of a British serving Civil Servant - Captain Henry Eden Phillpotts serving in the 15th Native Infantry of the Indian Army. Sadly, Eden lost his father when young and his widowed mother immediately returned to England to live at Dawlish not far distant from an uncle the famous Henry Phillpotts - Bishop of Exeter. This distinguished family also had members in Cornwall while Commander Phillpotts later became Member of Parliament for Torquay. 

Educated at Mannamead School Plymouth, we know Eden was happy here although by the age of 17 he went to work as a clerk in the Sun Fire Insurance office in London where he remained for 10 years. Daily he would dress in a conventional long black coat and top hat even though he was earning only £50 a year, seemingly sufficient for him to prepare for a career in writing. 

He always wished to write and as an author and then playwright he was soon spotted by Jerome K Jerome which led to him being appointed assistant editor at the prestigious publication - Black and White Journal.  Another major decision came when he moved to live in Torquay in 1890 and now for six years he would write and walk daily while seeing his first novel, a thriller The End of Life get published in 1891.

The following months and years he achieved a loyal readership who were especially attracted to Lying Prophets a story set of the fisherfolk of Cornwall and by 1898 Children of the Mist set around Chagford and both were published as a virtual plethora of books on the scenes and images of Dartmoor were being written.

Eden's most famous novel was Secret Women- a tale involving adultery and murder which subsequently was dramatised in 1912 especially for the theatre. Seen by many as his best tale, his own favourite became  -The Thief of Virtue. By now he was producing an average of three books a year, supplemented by plays. At this time three of his earliest plays ran simultaneously in London theatres, being an achievement.  

Eden was a prolific note-taker and by walking most of Dartmoor he would observe its people, streams, rivers and its landmasses.

His first home at Torquay, a terraced house called Cosdonne was situated in Wellswood and it was 10 years before moved on to reside at Eltham House in Oakhill Road in Torquay, where he stayed a staggering 28 years.

Eltham as in a short road between Barton Road and Old Teignmouth Road, a house that after he left was demolished to make way for a new housing estate in 2007, once the adjacent South Devon College had moved to Long Road in Paignton. In 2007 I became lucky as on the day the boundary wall of Eden's home was being demolished the developer Barrett Homes allowed me and helped me create a large pillar suitable for a Blue Plaque we were already planning.

The sponsor was Eden's lifelong friend (he knew him as EP) Kenneth Day who lived at East Preston in Sussex not far from our second home in Worthing. Kenneth had long wished to see established a plaque in honour of his friend who, having died at age 98, had now been outlived by Kenneth being in his 100th year. 

Next week my article will complete the life story of this writer amazing wordsmith who spent all his time at Eltham writing while the rising star was Agatha Christie, not 500 yards from his bungalow at Ashfield in Barton Road. Her memoirs confirm she visited Mr Phillpotts regularly and in essence he became a mentor.