Marguerite Radclyffe-Hall was born in Bournemouth, Hampshire (now Dorset) in 1880. She was an English poet and novelist, best known for "The Well of Loneliness," arguably the most important lesbian novel ever written. She was the unhappy child of an unhappy and very brief marriage. Her mother Marie Diehl, an American widow, married the extravagant and philandering Radclyffe Radclyffe-Hall, grandson of a wealthy and knighted Lancashire physician. Unsuited to the demands of domestic life, he left his new wife months before Marguerite was born. Her mother later remarried but she was ignored by both parents and grew up lonely and restless. Marguerite Radclyffe-Hall was educated at King's College London and studied further in Germany, where in 1907 she met Mabel Batten, with whom she developed a relationship that lasted until Mabel's death in 1916. Mabel gave her the nickname "John," which she would use the rest of her life. In 1917, Radclyffe-Hall began living with sculptor Una Troubridge, whom she had met in 1915. Their relationship would last until Radclyffe-Hall's death of colon cancer in 1943. In 1930 shel received the Gold Medal of the Eichelbergher Humane Award.
Marguerite Radclyffe-Hall was born in Bournemouth, Hampshire (now Dorset) in 1880. She was an English poet and novelist, best known for "The Well of Loneliness," arguably the most important lesbian novel ever written. She was the unhappy child of an unhappy and very brief marriage. Her mother Marie Diehl, an American widow, married the extravagant and philandering Radclyffe Radclyffe-Hall, grandson of a wealthy and knighted Lancashire physician. Unsuited to the demands of domestic life, he left his new wife months before Marguerite was born. Her mother later remarried but she was ignored by both parents and grew up lonely and restless. Marguerite Radclyffe-Hall was educated at King's College London and studied further in Germany, where in 1907 she met Mabel Batten, with whom she developed a relationship that lasted until Mabel's death in 1916. Mabel gave her the nickname "John," which she would use the rest of her life. In 1917, Radclyffe-Hall began living with sculptor Una Troubridge, whom she had met in 1915. Their relationship would last until Radclyffe-Hall's death of colon cancer in 1943. In 1930 shel received the Gold Medal of the Eichelbergher Humane Award.
Bio by: Dan
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