Gunby Hadath facts for kids

John Edward Gunby Hadath (born April 30, 1871 – died January 17, 1954) was an English writer, teacher, lawyer, and songwriter. He is most famous for writing over 70 books, mostly for young people, about life in English boarding schools. He also used other names for his books, like John Mowbray.

Early Life and Education

John Edward Gunby Hadath was born in Owersby, Lincolnshire, England, on April 30, 1871. He was the only son of Reverend Edward Evans Hadath. John had three older sisters. His father passed away when John was only two years old.

After attending a small local school, he went to the Clergy Orphan School in Canterbury. He was a very good athlete there, just like the heroes in his own stories. He was even the Captain of his school's sports teams.

St Edmund's School, Canterbury, where Hadath went to school.

In October 1889, John started studying at Cambridge University, at Peterhouse College. He continued to play sports, earning special awards for rugby, soccer, and cricket. He finished his degree in 1892 and began his career as a teacher.

Starting His Career

After leaving Cambridge, Hadath first taught at Montpellier School in Paignton. This was a private school. By 1894, he was the Second Master, meaning he was the second most important teacher after the Head Master. He also tutored students privately, perhaps to earn more money. It is not clear how long he stayed at this school.

New Paths and Interests

In January 1896, Hadath earned his Master of Arts degree. He became the Senior Classics Master at Guildford Grammar School. He continued to enjoy playing cricket.

Guildford Grammar School, where Hadath taught Classics.

In 1898, Hadath married Florence Annie Webber. They never had any children. Florence was very helpful because she could read his difficult handwriting and would type his stories for him.

By 1900, the Hadaths lived in Cricklewood, North London, which remained his home until he passed away. He also had a holiday home in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in the French Alps, near the famous Mont Blanc mountain. He was even made an honorary citizen of the town in 1932.

Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in the French Alps.

Both John and Florence were very sporty. John played rugby, and Florence was a keen golfer.

By 1902, Hadath was earning a good income from writing songs, with over 100 songs published. He also worked for several companies, helping to manage them. He became a lawyer in 1908.

World War I Service

During the First World War, Hadath joined the 6th Battalion of the Middlesex Volunteer Regiment. This was a reserve group that stayed in England. He became a Captain in 1917. He left the army in 1918 due to health reasons.

Later Life and Writing

After the war, Hadath continued to write many books. He also coached students who were studying to become lawyers. He was involved with a fund that helped musicians and writers. He was also made a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.

John Edward Gunby Hadath passed away in a London hospital on January 17, 1954. His wife, Florence, lived for another six years.

Many people praised Hadath's writing:

• He was known for his "authentic and true-to-life school stories."
• His books were seen as both educational and entertaining for young people.
• His stories often included sports, humor, and themes of loyalty.
• Reviewers said he understood the "atmosphere of the public school" and that "boys know it and revel in it."

However, not everyone agreed. Some librarians in New Zealand, for example, thought his books were not as good as others.

Hadath himself knew that books for young people were not always taken as seriously as adult books. He once said that writing for young people was difficult because "youth is an exceedingly critical audience."

By the time he died, the weekly magazines for boys, which often published his stories first, were becoming less popular. This meant that the type of school stories he wrote were also less common.

His Writing Style

Hadath's first published story for young people, a school story, appeared in The Captain in 1909. It featured a character named "Foozle," who appeared in many of his later stories.

He wrote for other popular boys' magazines like Chums, The Modern Boy, and The Boy's Own Paper. His stories that appeared in these magazines were almost always later published as full books.

Major Works

Here is a list of some of the full-length books written by Gunby Hadath. This list does not include his shorter stories or contributions to other collections.