Charles Birkin

Sir Charles Lloyd Birkin, 5th Baronet (24 September 1907 – 1985) was an English author of horror short stories and the editor of the Creeps Library of anthologies. Typically working under the pseudonym Charles Lloyd, Birkin's tales tended towards the conte cruels rather than supernatural fiction.

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Biography

Birkin was the son of Colonel Charles Wilfred Birkin and Claire Howe, the daughter of Alexander Howe. Freda Dudley Ward was a sister. He was educated at Eton College and was later employed by the publisher Philip Allan to edit the Creeps horror story anthologies, the first one of which appeared in 1932. Birkin included stories of his own in most of these volumes, which were later collected as Devil's Spawn (1936). He succeeded his uncle as 5th Baronet Birkin in 1942. During the Second World War he served in the Sherwood Foresters. After a long hiatus, Birkin resumed writing in 1960, following a return to London, and two new stories appeared in Dennis Wheatley's anthologies Quiver of Horror (1964) and Shafts of Fear (1964). This was followed by eight collections of original Birkin stories, beginning with The Kiss of Death (1964) and ending with Spawn of Satan (1970). This last volume was published in the US only. From 1970 to 1974 he lived in Cyprus which he fled after getting caught up in the violence following the Turkish invasion. His short story A Low Profile (1977) reflects his experiences there. He married Australian actress Janet Ramsey Johnson, the daughter of Peter Johnson, and had a two daughters and a son, John Birkin, who directed many notable British television comedies including Mr Bean, French and Saunders, and Harry Enfield. He and his wife spent their later years in Sulby, Isle of Man. Birkin's short stories have been estimated as numbering over one hundred.

Birkin

Coordinates: 53°44′07″N 1°11′49″W / 53.735390°N 1.196970°W / 53.735390; -1.196970

Birkin is a village and civil parish in the south-west of the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. It is north of the River Aire, near Beal, North Yorkshire. The closest town is Knottingley, in West Yorkshire, four miles to the south-west. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 146, falling to 141 at the census 2011. Birkin was the birthplace of British philosopher Thomas Hill Green.

The name "Birkin" indicates that the village was first established in a heavily wooded area of birch trees.

References

Birkin (disambiguation)

Birkin is a village in North Yorkshire, England.

Birkin may also refer to:

Birkin (surname)

Birkin is a surname, and may refer to several people from the same family of Birkin baronets

Fictional characters

See also