Robert Leighton (author)
Robert Leighton was a Scottish journalist, editor, and author of boys' fiction. He was an editor of juvenile magazines, and through his work at Young Folks he met his future wife Marie Connor, a prolific author in her own right. Leighton became an expert on dogs and their care and produced many works on this topic.
Early life
Leighton was born in the town of Ayr in Scotland on 5 June 1858 to Robert Leighton, a Scottish poet, and Elizabeth Jane Campbell. Some sources, such as the British Library give his year of birth as 1859. Others, including Sutherland, give it at 1858. However, his father only worked in Ayr from 1854 to 1858 for a Liverpool seed merchant, and the only male Leighton born in the District of Ayr from 1854-1864 was an unnamed son to Leighton's parents on 5 June 1858.In the 1861 Census, Leighton was living in Liverpool, where his father was employed by a seed and agricultural supplies merchant. He was educated in the school attached to the Hope Street Unitarian Chapel in Liverpool. He began work as a journalist at age 14, working first for the Liverpool Porcupine, a social and satirical journal.
Moving to London
Leighton moved to London in 1879 and began working for Young Folks magazine as an assistant editor. Young Folks accepted Treasure Island from Robert Louis Stevenson and ran it as a serial from 18811882 while he was first assistant editor. Young Folks also serialised in JuneOctober 1883. Leighton was the editor from 1884 to 1885.While he was at Young Folks, he met the tempestuous Marie Connor, who contributed to the magazine. She published her first novel Beauty's Queen, a three-volume melodrama, in 1884 when she was 18. In 1886 Leighton left Little Folks to move to the Bristol Observer, but returned to London in 1887.
In London, he eventually found work with the Harmsworths, and was a director of their Answers Ltd company from 1893–1896.
Marriage and family
In 1889, Leighton eloped with Marie Connor, the adopted daughter of James Nenon Alexander Connor, formerly a captain in the 87th Foot, and the daughter of Elizabeth Ann Harris, a widow, born Trelawny. The couple were married at Marylebone in the first quarter of 1889. Marie was an established novelist at this stage, publishing her sixth book in the year of her marriage.Leighton began to produce books himself, starting with The Pilots of Pomona in 1892, but throughout the marriage, his wife's income from writing far exceeded his. Leighton was the literary editor of the Daily Mail from 18961899.
The Leightons had four children:
- Their first child was accidentally smothered in infancy by a nurse.
- Roland Aubrey Leighton, a poet who was killed in the First World War. He was Vera Brittain's fiancé and features largely in Testament of Youth, the first instalment of her memoirs. He was his mother's favourite. "He is the only one of my children who is beautiful enough to be worth dressing" her daughter reports her as saying. Marie was devastated when Roland was killed and published an anonymous memoir of him as Boy of My Heart in 1916.
- Clare Leighton, a writer and artist. She wrote several novels as well as the biography of her mother, and was a noted wood engraver. Marie was dismissive of her looks, ambitions and talents.
- Evelyn Ivor Robert Leighton was destined from boyhood for the Navy. He enjoyed a long naval career, being posted to the Royal Australian Navy for a while, and married an English bride while he was there.
Work
Leighton produced four types of output:- Adventure stories for boys.
- Melodramas written together with his wife. the most famous of these was Convict 99.
- Books about dogs starting with Cassell's two-volume New Book of the Dog in 1907.
- Short stories and serials for boys' papers.
Example of illustrations from a historical novel by Leighton
The following illustrations by Alfred Pearse for The Thirsty Sword - a story of the Norse invasion of Scotland give an idea of the pacing of Leighton's writing in a novel which was meant to teach history as well as entertain.List of long works
The following is a list, drawn from the Jisc Library Hub Discover collated catalogue.| Serial | Year | Title | Other authors | Publisher |
| 1 | 1892 | The pilots of Pomona: a story of the Orkney Islands | London: Blackie & Son | |
| 2 | 1893 | The thirsty sword: a story of the Norse invasion of Scotland | London: Blackie & Son | |
| 3 | 1894 | In the Grip of the Algerine. A historical tale, etc. | London: Sunday School Union | |
| 4 | 1894 | Wreck of the Golden Fleece. The story of a North Sea fisher-boy, etc. | London: Blackie & Son | |
| 5 | 1895 | Olaf the Glorious: a historical story of the Viking age, etc. | London: Blackie & Son | |
| 6 | 1896 | Under the Foeman's Flag: a story of the Spanish Armada, etc. | London: Andrew Melrose | |
| 7 | 1910 | The golden galleon: being a narrative of the adventures of Master Gilbert Oglander, and of how, in the year 1591 he fought under the gallant Sir Richard Grenville in the great sea-fight off Flores, on board Her Majesty's ship The Revenge | London: Blackie and Son | |
| 8 | 1898 | Convict 99: a true story of penal servitude | Marie Connor | London: Grant Richards |
| 9 | 1898 | The splendid stranger: a story of the Monmouth rebellion | London: The Sunday School Union | |
| 10 | 1901 | In the grip of the Corsair: being the personal narrative of Sir Lester Willoughby, Knight | London: Andrew Melrose | |
| 11 | 1901 | In the shadow of guilt: a novel | Marie Connor | London: Grant Richards |
| 12 | 1902 | Cap'n Nat's Treasure: a tale of Old Liverpool, etc. | London: S. W. Partridge & Co | |
| 13 | 1902 | The Boys of Waveney, etc. | London: Grant Richards | |
| 14 | 1903 | Fighting fearful odds, or, The temptations of Jack Rodney | London: Andrew Melrose | |
| 15 | 1903 | In the land of the Ju-Ju: a tale of Benin, the city of blood | London: Andrew Melrose | |
| 16 | 1903 | The haunted ship: a tale of the Devon smugglers | London: Andrew Melrose | |
| 17 | 1903 | The Kidnapping of Peter Cray. A story of the South Seas, etc. | London: Grant Richards | |
| 18 | 1904 | Hurrah! for the Spanish Main: a tale of Drake's third voyage to Darien, etc. | London: Andrew Melrose | |
| 19 | 1904 | The Other Fellow; or, the Heir from the Colonies, etc. | London: Andrew Melrose | |
| 20 | 1905 | The boy and his school: what it can and what it cannot give him | London: J. Murray | |
| 21 | 1905 | The green painted ship | London: Andrew Melrose | |
| 22 | 1905 | With Nelson in Command: a story of adventure in the battle of the Baltic, etc. | London: Andrew Melrose | |
| 23 | 1906 | Gipsy Kit; or the man with the tattooed face | London: S. W. Partridge & Co | |
| 24 | 1906 | Monitor at Megson's. A master, a schoolboy and a secret | London: Cassell and Company | |
| 25 | 1907 | A bit of a bounder, or, The surreptitious cigarette | London: Sunday School Union | |
| 26 | 1907 | The new book of the dog | London: Cassel and Company | |
| 27 | 1909 | Gildersley's Tenderfoot. A story of Redskin and prairie | London: C. Arthur Pearson | |
| 28 | 1910 | Dogs and all about them | London: Cassell and Company | |
| 29 | 1910 | Kiddie of the camp: a story of the western prairies | London: C. Arthur Pearson | |
| 30 | 1910 | My Memoirs. | Princess Caroline Murat | London: Eveleigh Nash |
| 31 | 1910 | The cleverest chap in the school | London: Jarrold & Sons | |
| 32 | 1911 | Coo-ee!: a story of peril and adventure in the South Seas | London: C. Arthur Pearson | |
| 33 | 1911 | The kidnapped regiment: a story of 1745 | London: Pilgrim Press | |
| 34 | 1911 | The perils of Peterkin: a story of adventure in north-west Canada | London: Jarrold & Sons | |
| 35 | 1912 | Rattlesnake Ranch. A story of adventure in the great North West | London: C. Arthur Pearson | |
| 36 | 1912 | The bravest boy in the camp: a story of adventure on the western prairies | London: Jarrold & Sons | |
| 37 | 1913 | Sergeant Silk: the prairie scout | London: Jarrold & Sons | |
| 38 | 1915 | The red patrol: a story of the North-West Mounted Police | London: Jarrold & Sons | |
| 39 | 1916 | Dreadnoughts of the Dogger: a story of the war on the North Sea | London: Ward, Lock & Co | |
| 40 | 1917 | Woolly of the wilds: a story of pluck and adventure in North-West Canada | London: Ward, Lock & Co | |
| 41 | 1920 | Kiddie the scout | London: C. Arthur Pearson | |
| 42 | 1922 | The complete book of the dog | London: Cassell and Company | |
| 43 | 1922 | The white man's trail: a story of adventure and mystery in the Canadian wilds | London: C. Arthur Pearson | |
| 44 | 1923 | Sea Scout and Savage, etc. | London: Ward, Lock & Co | |
| 45 | 1923 | The Black Prince of Africa. A sketch for boys, etc. | London: United Council for Missionary Education | |
| 46 | 1924 | Kiddie the prairie rider | London: C. Arthur Pearson | |
| 47 | 1924 | Your dog | London: Cassell and Company | |
| 48 | 1926 | Softfoot of Silver Creek | London: Ward, Lock & Co | |
| 49 | 1928 | A jewel of the seas | London: John F. Shaw | |
| 50 | 1928 | The popular Chow Chow: its history, strains, pedigrees, breeding, character and kennel management | London: Popular Dogs Pub. Co | |
| 51 | 1929 | Who killed lord Luxmore? | Marie Connor | London: C. Arthur Pearson |
| 52 | 1930 | The Red Shadow | London: Collins | |
| 53 | 1932 | The Dalmatian and all about it | James Saunders | Idle, Bradford: Watmoughts Ltd |
Further details on long works. The columns PG, IA, HT, and BL indicate if online texts are available at:
- PG Project Gutenberg
- IA The Internet Archive
- HT The Hathi Trust
- BL The British Library
Example of illustrations from an adventure story by Leighton
Availability of free online copies of works by Leighton
| Serial | Year | Title | Illustrator | Pages | PG | IA | HT | BL |
| 1 | 1892 | The pilots of Pomona | John Leighton | 352 p., 9 plates ; 18.3 cm. | ||||
| 2 | 1893 | The thirsty sword | Alfred Pearse | vi, 352, 32 p., leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 20 cm. | ||||
| 3 | 1894 | In the Grip of the Algerine | Maynard Browne | 288 pages ; | ||||
| 4 | 1894 | Wreck of the Golden Fleece | Frank Brangwyn | 352 pages ; | ||||
| 5 | 1895 | Olaf the Glorious | Ralph Peacock | 350 pages ; ; eight ill. and map | ||||
| 6 | 1896 | Under the Foeman's Flag | 304 pages ; | |||||
| 7 | 1898 | Convict 99 | Stanley Llewellyn Wood | vi, 316 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 19 cm. | ||||
| 8 | 1898 | The splendid stranger | Sydney Cowell | 190, p. : ill. ; 19 cm. | ||||
| 9 | 1901 | In the grip of the Corsair | Maynard Browne | 288 p. : ill. ; 20 cm. | ||||
| 10 | 1901 | In the shadow of guilt | F. C. Luckhurst | vi, 407 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. | ||||
| 11 | 1902 | Cap'n Nat's Treasure | J. B. Greene | 422 pages ; | ||||
| 12 | 1902 | The Boys of Waveney, etc. | Gordon Browne | 323 pages ; | ||||
| 13 | 1903 | Fighting fearful odds | James Ayton Symington | xi, 270, p. : ill. ; 19 cm. | ||||
| 14 | 1903 | In the land of the Ju-Ju | Cecil Scruby | viii, 343 p. : ill. ; 20 cm. | ||||
| 15 | 1903 | The haunted ship | James Ayton Symington | viii, 310, p. : 6 ill. ; 20 cm. | ||||
| 16 | 1903 | The Kidnapping of Peter Cray | P. Ebbutt | ix, 324 pages ; | ||||
| 17 | 1904 | Hurrah! for the Spanish Main | James Ayton Symington | viii, 312 pages ; | ||||
| 18 | 1904 | The Other Fellow | S. Lumley | xi, 308 pages ; | ||||
| 19 | 1905 | The boy and his school | 97 p. ; 20 cm. | |||||
| 20 | 1905 | The green painted ship | 368, p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. | |||||
| 21 | 1905 | With Nelson in Command | H. L. Schindler | viii, 340 pages ; | ||||
| 22 | 1906 | Gipsy Kit | 128 pages ; ; 6 ill. | |||||
| 23 | 1906 | Monitor at Megson's | Gordon Browne | vii, 280 pages ; | ||||
| 24 | 1907 | A bit of a bounder | H. L. Schindler | 119, viii p. : ill. ; 19 cm. | ||||
| 25 | 1907 | Cassell's new book of the dog | 2 vols. viii, 467-624 pages, 21 leaves of plates ; 29 cm | |||||
| 26 | 1909 | Gildersley's Tenderfoot | cm.20 256 pp. il. | |||||
| 27 | 1910 | Dogs and all about them | viii, 344 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. | |||||
| 28 | 1910 | Kiddie of the camp | 256 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. | |||||
| 29 | 1910 | My Memoirs | 343 pages ; | |||||
| 30 | 1910 | The cleverest chap in the school | P. A. Staynes | 274 p., 4 p. of plates : ill. ; 19 cm. | ||||
| 31 | 1910 | The golden galleon | William Rainey | viii, 352, 16 pages, 8 fp illustrations ; 19 cm | ||||
| 32 | 1911 | Coo-ee! | 256 p. : ill. ; 20 cm. | |||||
| 33 | 1911 | The kidnapped regiment | Watson Charlton | vii, 309 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. | ||||
| 34 | 1911 | The perils of Peterkin | Arthur Twidle | 247 p., leaves of plates : 5 ill. ; 20 cm. | ||||
| 35 | 1912 | Rattlesnake Ranch | 8⁰ 288 p. | |||||
| 36 | 1912 | The bravest boy in the camp | Charles Norman | 285 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. | ||||
| 37 | 1913 | Sergeant Silk | Charles Norman | 239 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 19 cm. | ||||
| 38 | 1915 | The red patrol | Frank Alcock | 348 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. | ||||
| 39 | 1916 | Dreadnoughts of the Dogger | 304 pages ; | |||||
| 40 | 1917 | Woolly of the wilds | 303 p. : ill. ; 19 cm. | |||||
| 41 | 1920 | Kiddie the scout | Frank R. Grey | 224 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm | ||||
| 42 | 1922 | The complete book of the dog | xv, 384 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 22 cm. | |||||
| 43 | 1922 | The white man's trail | Thomas Sommerfield | 256 pages, 8 unnumbered leaves of plates : illustrations ; 20 cm | ||||
| 44 | 1923 | Sea Scout and Savage, etc. | 256 pages ; | |||||
| 45 | 1923 | The Black Prince of Africa | 14 pages ; | |||||
| 46 | 1924 | Kiddie the prairie rider | Eric R. Parker | 224 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 19.5 cm | ||||
| 47 | 1924 | Your dog | 107 p., leaves of plates : ill. ; 18 cm. | |||||
| 48 | 1926 | Softfoot of Silver Creek | 251 pages ; | |||||
| 49 | 1928 | A jewel of the seas | 315 p., leaf of plates : front. ; 20 cm | |||||
| 50 | 1928 | The popular Chow Chow | 163 p. : ills. ; 19 cm. | |||||
| 51 | 1929 | Who killed lord Luxmore? | 126 pages ; | |||||
| 52 | 1930 | The Red Shadow | ||||||
| 53 | 1932 | The Dalmatian and all about it | 83 p. : ill. ; 20 cm. |