# James Kenward

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**James Macara Kenward** (1908–1994), was an English writer and [illustrator](/source/Illustrator), best known for his accounts of suburban and [prep school](/source/Preparatory_school_(UK)) life.

## Biography

Kenward was born in [South London](/source/South_London), the son of the [Lloyd's](/source/Lloyd's_of_London) insurance broker who invented rain insurance, The Jupiter Pluvius policy. Kenward received his prep school education at Ripple Vale School near [Deal](/source/Deal,_Kent) in [Kent](/source/Kent) until entering [Brighton College](/source/Brighton_College) in 1919. On leaving Brighton he spent three years at Lloyd's in his father's footsteps before taking up writing full-time, at the age of twenty. His first novel for adults, *John and David*, a story of feuding brothers, was published by Peter Davies in 1931. This was followed by the fantasy *Summervale* in 1935, published by Constable and Co. and recounting the metamorphosis of an unassuming suburban insurance broker into a dog. *The Manewood Line*, a fictional account of the rise, decline and revival of [Selsey](/source/Selsey)'s branch line and Kenward's last novel for adults (described as "A Romance" on the fly-leaves of later books), was published by Stanley Paul in 1937. Kenward's next book, *The Roof-Tree*, can be classed loosely as a work on architecture and was first published in 1938: it was reissued in The Oxford Bookshelf series in 1941. This was the first book that Kenward illustrated himself, apart from a few maps drawn for *The Manewood Line*.

At the age of 40, Kenward trained at the [Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art](/source/Ruskin_School_of_Drawing_and_Fine_Art) in order to illustrate his own books. He was a skilled landscape draughtsman, making particularly fine drawings of trees, and many watercolour paintings.

Kenward held strong pacifist views, however he served as a gunner in the [Second World War](/source/World_War_II) during which time he made many pen and wash drawings of army life. During the push of the Allied forces into Germany in 1944–45, he gave courses in [Fine Art](/source/Fine_Art) to fellow soldiers. Whilst representing the family during the terminal illness of one of his sisters in [Lausanne](/source/Lausanne) in Switzerland, and whilst also attending local art classes, he met his future wife, Rubina Rose (née Grunig) in 1933. Marrying in 1938,[1] they produced four children: in 1941, 1943, and twins in 1954.

Kenward's first publication after the War was *Prince Foamytail* (published by Comyns in 1946), a book for children developing material drawn from *Summervale*, and again self-illustrated. He followed this with the autobiographical *The Suburban Child* (1955), illustrated by [Edward Ardizzone](/source/Edward_Ardizzone) and published by [Cambridge University Press](/source/Cambridge_University_Press). Its sequel, *Prep School*, was published by Michael Joseph in 1958 and illustrated by Christopher Brooker. Kenward's last two books, for children, were *The Market Train Mystery* and *The Story of the Poor Author*, both published by Nisbet in 1959 - and illustrated by Kenward himself. James Kenward died in 1994 (of cancer of the liver), leaving behind a substantial quantity of unpublished written material, plus many drawings and paintings.

## Kenward's Books

- *John and David* (London, Peter Davies, 1931);
- *Summervale* (London, Constable and Co., 1935);
- *The Manewood Line* (London, Stanley Paul, 1937);
- *The Roof-Tree* (Oxford, OUP, 1938 reprinted 1941);
- *Prince Foamytail* (London, Comyns, 1946);
- *The Suburban Child* (Cambridge, CUP, 1955);
- *Prep School* (London, Michael Joseph, 1958 and Penguin, 1961);
- *The Market Train Mystery* (Welwyn, Nisbet, 1959);
- *The Story of the Poor Author* (Welwyn, Nisbet, 1959)
- *Faber Junior Dictionary* (Faber, 1964)

## References

1. Contemporary Authors, first revision, vols 5-8, Gale Research Co., 1969, pg 635

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