Greville Texidor facts for kids

Greville Texidor (born Margaret Greville Foster in 1902) was an English writer. She is famous for the stories and novellas she wrote while living in New Zealand from 1940 to 1948.

Before becoming a writer, she traveled the world as a performer. She also fought alongside her husband for the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. During World War II, she and her family moved to New Zealand. They left England because her husband was German and they had strong political views.

In New Zealand, Greville Texidor started writing. She became part of the writing community in Auckland. Her short stories and novellas were later collected in a book called In Fifteen Minutes You Can Say a Lot: Selected Fiction. Her work is an important part of New Zealand's existentialist literature. This type of writing often explores deep questions about life and human existence.

Early Life and Adventures

Greville Texidor was born Margaret Greville Foster in 1902 in Wolverhampton, England.

After a difficult time for her family in 1919, Margaret left school. She moved to London to join the art scene in Hampstead. Her mother and sister, who were both painters, joined her there.

Life in London and Traveling the World

In London, Margaret started working as a model and actress. In 1924, she appeared in a silent film called Moonbeam Magic. She was credited as Margot Greville. After this, she traveled around Europe and the Americas as a chorus girl. She met many interesting people during her travels.

She was married three times: to a British man, a Spanish man, and a German man.

Helping in the Spanish Civil War

In 1929, Margaret married her second husband, Manuel Maria Texidor i Catasus, in Buenos Aires. They had a daughter named Cristina. The family moved back to Spain, living in Barcelona and Tossa de Mar. Later, Greville married Werner, but she kept the Texidor last name for her writing.

Greville and Werner supported the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War. This was a big conflict in Spain from 1936 to 1939. Her sister, Kate Mangan, also went to Spain and helped the Republican press office.

Both in Spain and back in England, Greville Texidor and her husband worked to help people who had to leave their homes because of the wars in Spain and Germany.

New Zealand Years (1940–1948)

In 1940, Greville Texidor moved to New Zealand with Werner, her sister, and her mother. Her mother had grown up in New Zealand. After they returned to England from Spain, Werner's German background and their political views made it hard for them to live in Britain during World War II. They were seen as "wartime enemy aliens." So, the family traveled to New Zealand to start a new life.

While in New Zealand, Texidor lived in Auckland, the Northland Peninsula, and on the North Shore. In 1947, she had a second daughter, Rosamund, with Werner.

Her Writing Journey

It was in New Zealand that Greville Texidor began writing stories for the first time.

She became very involved in the writing community in Auckland. The famous writer Frank Sargeson helped her with her writing. He even included her work in his 1945 book Speaking for Ourselves.

She started publishing her short stories in magazines and journals in New Zealand, Australia, and England. Her story "Home Front," published in 1942, was her first work to appear in New Zealand. It is still widely read today.

Her first book, a novella called These Dark Glasses, was written in New Zealand. It was published in 1949, after she had left the country. The book is about a writer who helped the Republicans in Spain. It explores feelings of disappointment and struggle. Critics say her writing shows a deep understanding of sadness and features characters who are struggling.

Greville Texidor also translated Spanish books into English. She translated poems by the famous writer Federico García Lorca.

Later Life and Lasting Impact

Greville Texidor left New Zealand for Australia in 1948. In 1954, she returned to Spain. She passed away on August 20, 1964.

Her stories and novellas were collected and published after her death in 1987. The book was called In Fifteen Minutes You Can Say a Lot: Selected Fiction. This collection was re-released in 2019 as a Victoria University Press Classic.

Even though Greville Texidor was born in Britain, her writing is most connected with New Zealand. Her original writings and papers are kept at the University of Auckland Library. Her work is considered an important part of New Zealand's literary history.

See also

In Spanish: Greville Texidor para niños