R. S. Warren Bell

Robert Stanley Warren Bell (1871–1921), was a British novelist, journalist and the first editor of The Captain which focused on stories for boys and old boys, of which P. G. Wodehouse was an early contributor.[1][2][3]

Life

Robert Stanley Warren Bell was born in 1871 at Long Preston, Yorkshire, the eldest son of the Rev. G. E. Bell who was then a vicar in Henley-in-Arden.[1][4] He was educated at St John's School, Leatherhead.[1]

In 1890 he began a career in journalism on Tit-Bits and afterwards joined the Evening News.[1] He became a contributor of stories and papers to The Pall Mall Gazette and The Westminster Gazette a number of which were subsequently published as The Papa Papers and The Cub in Love.[4]

Bell’s first novel was Bachelorland.[1][5] In 1898 he was appointed first editor of The Captain which published a number of school stories written by P. G. Wodehouse.[1][6] Bell himself contributed stories to The Captain including The Duffer, Cox's Cough Drops and Green at Greyhouse.[1][7][8][9]

Bell retired from The Captain in 1910.[1] He wrote a short story, Company for George, which he turned into a play that was performed at the Kingsway Theatre in 1910 and he later adapted into a novel.[1][10]

In 1905 Bell married Edithe M. Barry.[1] His obituary in The Times stated that he would be ‘much missed by his friends. as well as by his large constituency of schoolboy readers, who recognized in him a kindred spirit. He was a very tall man, standing over 6ft. 4in.’[1]

References

1. Obituary in The Times, A Boys’ Novelist, Death of Mr. Warren Bell, September 27, 1921, p.12
2. "Results for 'au:Bell, Robert Stanley Warren.' [WorldCat.org]". www.worldcat.org.
3. Sutherland, John (October 13, 2014). "The Longman Companion to Victorian Fiction". Routledge – via Google Books.
4. Sutherland, John (July 27, 1990). "The Stanford Companion to Victorian Fiction". Stanford University Press – via Google Books.
5. Bell, R. S. Warren (July 27, 1902). "Bachelorland: the story of a foundling". George Newnes, Limited – via Open WorldCat.
6. Easdale, Roderick (June 18, 2014). "The Novel Life of PG Wodehouse". Andrews UK Limited – via Google Books.
7. BELL, Robert Stanly Warren (July 27, 1906). "The Duffer, etc". T. Nelson & Sons – via Open WorldCat.
8. BELL, Robert Stanly Warren (July 27, 1906). "Cox's Cough Drops, etc". Bristol – via Open WorldCat.
9. Bell, R. S. Warren; Whitwell, T. M. R (July 27, 1925). "Green at Greyhouse: a tale of adventure and mystery at a public school". A & C Black – via Open WorldCat.
10. Bell, R. S. Warren (July 27, 2012). "Company for George". Alexander Street Press – via Open WorldCat.