14 Facts About Beverley Nichols

John Beverley Nichols was an English writer, playwright and public speaker.

Between his first book, the novel Prelude, and his last, a book of poetry, Twilight, Nichols wrote more than 60 books.

Beverley Nichols contributed to many magazines and newspapers throughout his life, notably weekly columns for the London Sunday Chronicle newspaper and Woman's Own magazine.

Beverley Nichols is notable for his books about his homes and gardens, the first of which, Down the Garden Path, was illustrated by Rex Whistler, as were its two sequels.

Gaskin was a popular character in the book and was included in Beverley Nichols' succeeding gardening books.

Beverley Nichols was disappointed by the reception of Powers That Be, a book about spiritualism.

Father Figure, in which Beverley Nichols described how he tried to murder his alcoholic, abusive father, caused uproar and calls for his prosecution.

In 2009 Timber Press, which have reprinted a number of Nichols' titles, published a book called Rhapsody in Green: The Garden Wit and Wisdom of Beverley Nichols, edited by Roy C Dicks.

Beverley Nichols made one film appearance, in Glamour, directed by Seymour Hicks and Harry Hughes, playing the small part of the Hon.

Beverley Nichols was at school at Marlborough College before proceeding to Balliol College, Oxford in January 1917.

Beverley Nichols's education was interrupted by military service with the Intelligence section at the War Office, as an instructor to an Officer Cadet Battalion in Cambridge, and as aide-de-camp to Arthur Shipley on the British University Mission to the United States.

Beverley Nichols then returned to Oxford, where he was President of the Oxford Union and editor of Isis.

Beverley Nichols was homosexual and probably had a brief affair with the war poet Siegfried Sassoon, according to a Sassoon biographer.

Beverley Nichols died on 15 September 1983 and his ashes were scattered over St Nicholas' Churchyard, Glatton, Cambridgeshire, England.