OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 19583, 15 June 1927, Page 5

OBITUARY

JEROME K. JEROME

LONDON, Juno 14

(Received June 15, at 9.10 a.m.) Tho death is announced of Mr Jerome K. Jerome. —A. and N.Z. and ‘ Sun ’ Cable

[Mr Jerome Klapka Jerome was horn at Walsall on May 2, 1859. He was educated in a London school. Later he was in turn a schoolmaster, an actor, and a clerk in the City of London. In 1885 ho published ‘ On tho Stage and Off,’ an account of his theatrical adventures; but it was with ‘Three Men in a Boat,’ in 18S9, that he really made his name. In 1892, having earlier scored another success with ‘ Tho Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow,’ he started, with Robert Barr, a monthly magazine called ‘The Idler,’ and in 1893 appeared ‘To-day,’ a, weekly which under his editorship "had a wide circulation. In 1597 ho gave up journalism. As a serious noveli-t. Jerome made a success in 1902 with 'Paul Kelver,’ and as a playwright with ‘The Passing of tho Third Floor Back,’ .1907. His other plays include 1 New Lamps for Old,’ 1895; ‘Wood Barrow Farm,’ 1891; ‘The Prude’s Progress,’ 1895; and ‘Miss Hobbs,’ .1902. His later books include ‘The Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow, 1898; ‘Tommy and Co.,’ 1904; Thev and (,’ 1909; ‘The Master of Mrs Clu 1911: and ‘All Roads Lead to Calvary,’ 1919.] A PLAYER OF MANY PARTS. ‘ In a review of Mr Jerome’s recentautobiography, ‘ The Times Literary Supplement’ stated: Mr Jerome comes of Nonconformist stock; and to that may perhaps he ascribed the tendency which finds expression in tho book, and which is his dominating characteristic in all tho many parts he plays in this autobiography—a tendency to dissent from established views, 'including his own. The sympathy with the under dog which he detects in himself would have something to do with it, but another factor may be antipathy to the top dog. This last is not to ho ascribed to envy; for what distinguishes top dogs is competence. and to read this book is to be aware that Mr Jerome when ho takes the trouble possesses his full share of that.

Mr Jerome has been author, dramatist, journalist, editor, clerk, schoolmaster, and actor; by temperament he is probably the last, and the phase about playing many parts used in the first sentence of this review was suggested by his manner oi writing. Whatever he is doing, he always has “ his conception of the part.” He dramatised his experiences—not that his readers have any cause to quarrel with him for that. It is his pride to claim that for the first twenty years of his career ho was ‘‘the best abused author in England.” The variety of his occupations in his youvh and his later success as a writer breiigin Mr Jerome into contact with many men and women connected with the arts, and these figure in his pages in well-chosen' situations. He established himself with ‘Three Men in a Boat,’ and it is worthy of note that he did not intend to write a funny book, but a history of the Thames. His editor “ slung out ” the history. But the most interesting part of his career is the account of the early years before he had “ arrived.” His parents had lost their . money just about the time of his birth, and for a time he led what he calls ‘‘a jungle existence.” Although Mr Jerome was horn in 1859 he served in the Great War, with the French, ns an ambulance driver. MR COLES PHILLIPS. Press Associatioiii—By Telegraph—Copyright. NEW YORK, June 13. Air Coles Phillips, the prominent artist, is dead.—Sydney ‘ Sun ’• .Cable,