12 Facts About Gorley Putt

Gorley Putt actively discouraged people from using his first name, Samuel, and was known as simply Gorley Putt.

Gorley Putt was the son of Poole Putt and Ellen Blake Gorley of Brixham, Devon.

Gorley Putt's father was killed in 1918 during the First World War when his ship was torpedoed.

Gorley Putt was educated at Torquay Grammar School and in 1930 won a scholarship to Christ's College, Cambridge, where he received a First Class Honours in both parts of the English tripos in 1933.

In 1936 Gorley Putt became an assistant in the BBC Talks Department, resigning after around a year.

Gorley Putt worked as a freelance literary reviewer, spent a year lecturing in English at the University College of the South West of England in Exeter, and then briefly served as warden of a hostel and secretary of the appointments committee at Queen's University Belfast.

Gorley Putt became warden of Harkness House in London in 1949, remaining there until 1968.

Gorley Putt described his experiences at sea in the Second World War in Men Dressed as Seamen.

Gorley Putt wrote about his experiences at Yale in View from Atlantis.

Gorley Putt's autobiography was entitled Wings of a Man's Life.

Gorley Putt wrote two books on the author Henry James.

Gorley Putt was Liberal candidate for his home constituency, the Torquay Division of Devon at the 1945 General Election.