Robert Aickman
Robert Fordyce Aickman (1914-1981) was an influential British writer, known for his unique contributions to the genre of ghost stories. He was the grandson of Victorian novelist Richard Marsh and initially trained as an architect, following in his father's footsteps. However, Aickman's true passions lay in the arts, leading him to engage deeply with literature, theater, and music, where he served as a theater critic and held leadership roles in various artistic organizations. He began writing fiction in the late 1940s, with most of his renowned "strange" stories emerging in the 1960s and 1970s, totaling forty-eight ghost stories that are celebrated as classics.
In addition to his short stories, Aickman authored two novels and edited a significant series of ghost story anthologies. He was also an active participant in psychic research, especially regarding reputedly haunted locations. Notably, Aickman co-founded the Inland Waterways Association, advocating for the preservation of England's canal systems, and held various roles in environmental and cultural organizations. His literary excellence was recognized with awards, including the World Fantasy Award for short fiction and the British Fantasy Society prize, reflecting his lasting impact on the genre. Aickman's diverse interests and pursuits left a rich legacy in both literature and cultural heritage.
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Robert Aickman
Writer
- Born: June 27, 1914
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: February 26, 1981
Biography
Robert Fordyce Aickman was born in 1914. He was the grandson of the prolific Victorian novelist Richard Marsh, who was best known for his occult novel The Beetle (1897). Aickman originally received his training in architecture, the profession of his father, William Arthur Aickman. However, he was drawn to the milieu of literature, the theater, ballet, and music. He was theater critic for The Nineteenth Century and After, as well as the director and chairman of the London Opera Society. He was also active in the London Opera Club, the Ballet Minerva (of which he was chairman) and the Mikron Theatre Company in London. He was married to Edith Ray Gregorson from 1941 to 1957.
He began to write fiction about 1949, but most of his ’strange’ stories were written in 1960’s and 1970’s. He published a total of forty-eight ghost stories himself, many of which are acknowledged as classics. He wrote only two novels: The Late Breakfasters (1964) and The Model: A Novel of the Fantastic (1987). Aickman’s autobiographical writings can be found in the volumes The Attempted Rescue (1966) and The River Runs Uphill: A Story of Success and Failure (1986).
In addition to his own stories, Aickman edited the first eight volumes of the Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories between 1964 and 1972, selecting six of his own stories for inclusion over the course of the series (the fourth and six volumes lack one of his tales). He also added insightful introductions to seven of the collections (volume six lacks any introduction). He was active in psychic research, particularly in connection with Boreley Rectory, which is said to be one of the most haunted houses in Britain. He was always passionate about his interests and this greatly influenced his writing.
Aickman, however, is probably best remembered for his co- founding of the Inland Waterways Association, a group devoted to restoring and preserving England’s inland canal system, and played a leading role in the revival of interest in our canals. Aickman served as vice president (with Sir John Betjeman) of the Railway Development Association and was an advisory panel member of the World Wildlife Fund.
In 1975, Aickman received the World Fantasy Award for short fiction for his story “Pages from a Young Girl’s Journal.” This story originally appeared in February, 1973, in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Aickman also wrote a number of plays, Allowance For Error, Duty, and The Golden Round, none of which has yet been published. Two other books, a vast philosophical work titled Panacea, running to more than one thousand pages in manuscript form, and another novel, Go Back At Once, have never seen publication. Copies of these items are preserved, along with all of Aickman’s other remaining papers, in the Robert Aickman Collection at Bowling Green State Univery, Ohio.
In 1981, the year he died, Aickman was awarded the British Fantasy Society prize for his story “The Stains,” which appeared, posthumously, in Aickman’s collection of stories Night Voices: Strange Stories. Aickman died of cancer on February 26, 1981.