The Julian Maclaren-Ross Website

7 July 1912

Born in rented lodgings at 18 Whitworth Road, South Norwood, London. Baptised James McLaren Ross, the middle name given in honour of Mrs McLaren, his parents’ landlady-cum-midwife.

Late 1916/early 1917

He and his family move to 80 Paisley Road, Southbourne, a suburb of Bournemouth.

Autumn 1921

He and his parents move to Marseilles and then Nice. He is subsequently educated on the Riviera and in Paris. In his teens, he starts calling himself Julian Maclaren Ross. (The hyphenated surname was a latter addition.)

Late 1933

Leaving his parents behind in France, he returns to England, funded by an allowance from his grandfather’s estate. Initially, he lives in Bognor Regis before moving to London.

1936

Marries Elizabeth Gott and moves back to Bognor Regis, but the marriage last only about six months.

(Accompanying picture: Maclaren-Ross (left) and his friend and landlord, C.K. Jaeger, posing on the veranda of their house in Bognor Regis)

1938

His allowance abruptly stops, forcing him to work as a door-to-door vacuum-cleaner salesman and then as a gardener. Meanwhile, he succeeds in selling a radio play to the BBC.

June 1940

Cyril Connolly includes one of Maclaren-Ross short stories in the recently launched magazine, Horizon. Shortly afterwards, Maclaren-Ross is conscripted into the army as ‘Private Ross, J’.

1940-43

While stationed in a series of English coastal garrisons, he produced a string of satirical short stories about the army. These appear in Horizon, Penguin New Writing, English Story and the other leading literary magazines of the period, earning him a reputation as the new star of English writing.

January 1943

Deserts from the army. On being gaoled, he suffers a breakdown. He is then sent to a military psychiatric hospital where they assess his suitability to undergo a court martial.

August 1943

After a brief period of imprisonment, he settles in London where he soon finds a job as a scriptwriter on government propaganda documentaries.

July 1944

Jonathan Cape publishes his first, highly rated book, The Stuff to Give the Troops: 25 Stories of Army Life.

November 1945

Publishes second short story collection, Better than a Kick in the Pants.

January 1946

Publishes best-selling novella, Bitten by the Tarantula: A Story of the South of France.

October 1946

Publishes third collection of short stories, The Nine Men of Soho.

October 1947

Publishes first full-length novel, Of Love and Hunger. Anthony Powell ranks it alongside the work of Patrick Hamilton and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

December 1947

Starts writing for The Times Literary Supplement.

August 1948

Has his first experience as one of a team of screenwriters, who include the young Roger Vadim.

October 1950

Publishes translation of Raymond Queneau’s Pierrot.

1951-53

Works as a journalist and screenwriter for both film and television.

March 1953

Publishes The Weeping and the Laughter, a childhood memoir which he envisages being part of an autobiographical trilogy.

May 1953

Makes his debut in the pages of the weekly magazine, Punch.

August 1954

Following the traumatic split from his latest girlfriend, he moves from London to Oxford, where his friend, the New Zealand writer Dan Davin, lives.

August 1955

On a visit to London he encounters George Orwell’s widow, Sonia, with whom he becomes obsessed.

November 1955

Publishes translation of Georges Simenon’s Maigret et la grande perche, released in England as Maigret and the Burglar’s Wife.

January 1956

Moves back to London, mainly motivated by the need to be close to Sonia Orwell, whom he has begun to stalk.

March 1956

Finds himself homeless.

April 1956

Meets Leonard Woolf’s niece, Diana Bromley, with whom he begins an affair.

July 1956

Publishes The Funny Bone, a collection of short stories, parodies, and memoirs.

April 1957

Briefly imprisoned.

June 1957

Embarks on the first of numerous popular radio serials for BBC.

7 July 1958

Diana Bromely gives birth to Maclaren-Ross’s only child, Alex.

August 1958

Marries Diana Bromely.

January 1960

Publishes Until the Day She Dies, a thriller based on one of his radio serials.

June 1961

Publishes The Doomsday Book, a thriller based on one of his radio serials.

December 1961

Moves with Diana and Alex to a flat in Hove.

April 1962

Splits up with his wife and moves back to London.

November 1962

Starts writing for the London Magazine, now under the editorship of the poet Alan Ross.

January 1964

Publishes My Names Is Love, another thriller based on one of his radio serials.

August 1964

Completes the first instalment of his Memoirs of the Forties, which is serialised in the London Magazine.

3 November 1964

Suffers a fatal heart attack. Buried in an unmarked grave in Paddington Cemetery in North London.

(Accompanying picture: Maclaren-Ross's final home)

1965

His Memoirs of the Forties is published to considerable acclaim.

(Accompanying picture: C.K. Jaeger holding Maclaren-Ross's cane)

THE JULIAN MACLAREN-ROSS WEBSITE
chronology bibliography in print extracts critics news interviews contact
Chronological Outline of the Life of Julian Maclaren-Ross 7 July 1912 Born in rented lodgings at 18 Whitworth Road, South Norwood, London. Baptised James McLaren Ross, the middle name given in honour of Mrs McLaren, his parents’ landlady-cum-midwife. Late 1916/early 1917 He and his family move to 80 Paisley Road, Southbourne, a suburb of Bournemouth. Autumn 1921 He and his parents move to Marseilles and then Nice. He is subsequently educated on the Riviera and in Paris. In his teens, he starts calling himself Julian Maclaren Ross. (The hyphenated surname was a latter addition.) Late 1933 Leaving his parents behind in France, he returns to England, funded by an allowance from his grandfather’s estate. Initially, he lives in Bognor Regis before moving to London. 1936 Marries Elizabeth Gott and moves back to Bognor Regis, but the marriage last only about six months. (Accompanying picture: Maclaren-Ross (left) and his friend and landlord, C.K. Jaeger, posing on the veranda of their house in Bognor Regis) 1938 His allowance abruptly stops, forcing him to work as a door-to-door vacuum-cleaner salesman and then as a gardener. Meanwhile, he succeeds in selling a radio play to the BBC. June 1940 Cyril Connolly includes one of Maclaren-Ross short stories in the recently launched magazine, Horizon. Shortly afterwards, Maclaren-Ross is conscripted into the army as ‘Private Ross, J’. 1940-43 While stationed in a series of English coastal garrisons, he produced a string of satirical short stories about the army. These appear in Horizon, Penguin New Writing, English Story and the other leading literary magazines of the period, earning him a reputation as the new star of English writing. January 1943 Deserts from the army. On being gaoled, he suffers a breakdown. He is then sent to a military psychiatric hospital where they assess his suitability to undergo a court martial. August 1943 After a brief period of imprisonment, he settles in London where he soon finds a job as a scriptwriter on government propaganda documentaries. July 1944 Jonathan Cape publishes his first, highly rated book, The Stuff to Give the Troops: 25 Stories of Army Life. November 1945 Publishes second short story collection, Better than a Kick in the Pants. January 1946 Publishes best-selling novella, Bitten by the Tarantula: A Story of the South of France. October 1946 Publishes third collection of short stories, The Nine Men of Soho. October 1947 Publishes first full-length novel, Of Love and Hunger. Anthony Powell ranks it alongside the work of Patrick Hamilton and F. Scott Fitzgerald. December 1947 Starts writing for The Times Literary Supplement. August 1948 Has his first experience as one of a team of screenwriters, who include the young Roger Vadim. October 1950 Publishes translation of Raymond Queneau’s Pierrot. 1951-53 Works as a journalist and screenwriter for both film and television. March 1953 Publishes The Weeping and the Laughter, a childhood memoir which he envisages being part of an autobiographical trilogy. May 1953 Makes his debut in the pages of the weekly magazine, Punch. August 1954 Following the traumatic split from his latest girlfriend, he moves from London to Oxford, where his friend, the New Zealand writer Dan Davin, lives. August 1955 On a visit to London he encounters George Orwell’s widow, Sonia, with whom he becomes obsessed. November 1955 Publishes translation of Georges Simenon’s Maigret et la grande perche, released in England as Maigret and the Burglar’s Wife. January 1956 Moves back to London, mainly motivated by the need to be close to Sonia Orwell, whom he has begun to stalk. March 1956 Finds himself homeless. April 1956 Meets Leonard Woolf’s niece, Diana Bromley, with whom he begins an affair. July 1956 Publishes The Funny Bone, a collection of short stories, parodies, and memoirs. April 1957 Briefly imprisoned. June 1957 Embarks on the first of numerous popular radio serials for BBC. 7 July 1958 Diana Bromely gives birth to Maclaren-Ross’s only child, Alex. August 1958 Marries Diana Bromely. January 1960 Publishes Until the Day She Dies, a thriller based on one of his radio serials. June 1961 Publishes The Doomsday Book, a thriller based on one of his radio serials. December 1961 Moves with Diana and Alex to a flat in Hove. April 1962 Splits up with his wife and moves back to London. November 1962 Starts writing for the London Magazine, now under the editorship of the poet Alan Ross. January 1964 Publishes My Names Is Love, another thriller based on one of his radio serials. August 1964 Completes the first instalment of his Memoirs of the Forties, which is serialised in the London Magazine. 3 November 1964 Suffers a fatal heart attack. Buried in an unmarked grave in Paddington Cemetery in North London. (Accompanying picture: Maclaren-Ross's final home) 1965 His Memoirs of the Forties is published to considerable acclaim. (Accompanying picture: C.K. Jaeger holding Maclaren-Ross's cane)