Ralph Hale Mottram facts for kids

Ralph Hale Mottram (born October 30, 1883 – died April 16, 1971) was an English writer. He lived his whole life in Norfolk, England. He was famous for his novels, especially a series called the "Spanish Farm trilogy." He was also known as a poet who wrote about World War I.

Early Life in Norwich

Ralph Mottram was born in Norwich, Norfolk. He was the oldest son of James Mottram and Fanny Ann. His family were Protestants who didn't follow the main Church of England. They went to the Octagon Chapel. Ralph had a happy childhood growing up in Bank House. This was a beautiful old house from the time of King George II. It was the main office for a bank called Gurney's Bank, which later became Barclays Bank. Today, it's a youth center!

Ralph went to the City of Norwich School. One summer, he went to a school in Lausanne, Switzerland, to get better at French. Ralph's father worked at Gurney's Bank. He was friends with the famous novelist John Galsworthy and his wife, Ada. Ada Galsworthy encouraged young Ralph to start writing. He published two small books of poems in 1907 and 1909, using the pen name "J. Marjoram." He stayed good friends with the Galsworthys and later wrote about them.

World War I Experience

In October 1915, Ralph Mottram was sent to the Western Front during World War I. He was part of the 9th Norfolk Regiment and helped defend an area called the Ypres Salient. He sometimes had to go to the hospital. Because he was very good at French, he got a special job as a Divisional Claims Officer. This meant he helped with claims and paperwork. Later, he was moved to the main office in Boulogne and became a lieutenant. This job might have saved his life because it kept him away from the most dangerous fighting. In 1918, he married Margaret Allan, who everyone called Madge. They had two sons and a daughter and were married for more than 50 years.

A Busy Writing Career

Before the war, Ralph Mottram was a bank clerk in Norwich. After the war, he continued to work at the bank while writing in his free time. He eventually became the Lord Mayor of Norwich in 1953, the same year Queen Elizabeth II had her coronation.

His book, The Spanish Farm, won an award called the Hawthornden Prize in 1924. Another famous writer, John Galsworthy, even wrote the introduction for it! In 1927, The Spanish Farm was made into a silent movie called Roses of Picardy. The American author William Faulkner really liked Ralph's "Spanish Farm trilogy." He said it was as good as Stephen Crane's famous war book, The Red Badge of Courage, because it showed the true feelings of war.

Ralph Mottram wrote many books about his home city of Norwich, his county of Norfolk, and the wider area of East Anglia. During World War II, he worked for the British Council with the United States Airforce in Norfolk. He also helped start the University of East Anglia, which opened in 1963. The university later gave him an honorary degree.

Ralph was also a conservationist, meaning he worked to protect nature and historical places. He helped protect Mousehold Heath, a large open space in Norwich, and was the chairman of the Norwich Society. There's a special memorial dedicated to him on St James' Hill in Norwich, which shows the city's skyline.

Later Life and Passing

After his wife, Madge, passed away in 1970, Ralph Mottram moved to King's Lynn to live with his daughter. He died the next year, in 1971. He is buried in the Rosary Cemetery, Norwich, which is a cemetery for people of all faiths. His headstone remembers him, his wife, and their three children. Ralph once said that he knew where he would be buried since he was four years old, because he wasn't a member of the official Church of England.

Books by Ralph Hale Mottram