Ruthven Todd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruthven Todd
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| Born | 14 June 1914 Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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| Died | 11 October 1978 (aged 64) Galilea, Spain
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| Nationality | Scottish-American |
| Other names | R. T. Campbell |
| Alma mater | Fettes College, Edinburgh College of Art |
| Occupation | writer, artist |
Ruthven Campbell Todd (say it "riven") was a Scottish writer and artist. He was born on June 14, 1914, and passed away on October 11, 1978. He was famous for his work on William Blake's art and how Blake printed his pictures. Ruthven also wrote mystery stories for grown-ups and fun books for kids. He sometimes used the pen name R. T. Campbell for his detective novels.
Contents
Biography
Early Life in Scotland
Ruthven Todd was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the oldest of ten children. His dad, Walker Todd, was an architect. Ruthven went to Dalhousie Preparatory School and Fettes College.
He also studied at the Edinburgh College of Art. But he soon realized he wasn't going to be a great artist. So, he decided to focus on becoming a poet and writer.
Ruthven was a bit rebellious as a teenager. He left college early. His parents sent him to work on a farm for two years. This farm was on the Isle of Mull, a beautiful island.
After that, he came back to Edinburgh. He started working in writing and journalism. He also kept writing his own poems and books. In 1935, he moved to London to continue his writing career.
Life in London and Essex
Ruthven lived in different places in London. In 1944, a bomb hit his flat in Bloomsbury. After that, he moved to a house in Essex, a county outside London.
In the 1930s, he became friends with many other writers and artists. These included Dylan Thomas, Louis MacNeice, and David Gascoyne. He became a lifelong friend of Julian Symons. Julian even put a character based on Ruthven in his first detective story!
Ruthven also met famous artists like Wyndham Lewis and Salvador Dalí. He helped at a big art show called the International Surrealist Exhibition in 1936. He even had to rescue Salvador Dalí, who got stuck inside a heavy diving suit!
Ruthven often found it hard to make enough money from his writing. So, he also wrote reviews, tutored students, and did other writing jobs.
During World War II, Ruthven was a conscientious objector. This means he believed it was wrong to fight in the war. He started a big project with an expert named Sir Geoffrey Keynes. They wanted to list all the artworks by William Blake. They worked on this project for many years.
Moving to the United States
In 1947, Ruthven moved to the United States. He lived there for twelve years and became a US citizen in 1959. He first lived in New York City.
He worked at a printing workshop called Atelier 17. There, he worked with famous artists like Joan Miró. They experimented with how William Blake made his prints. Ruthven also started his own small publishing company called the Weekend Press.
He received some help from the famous poet W. H. Auden. In 1954, Ruthven moved to Martha's Vineyard, an island. This is where he started writing books for children. His popular Space Cat series began there!
In 1959, he was asked to write the official story of Dylan Thomas's life. But he had to stop working on it a few years later.
Life in Mallorca
In 1960, Ruthven moved to Mallorca, an island in Spain. He lived for a short time in a village called Deià. There, he became friends with the writer Robert Graves.
Later, he settled in the city of Palma de Mallorca. In 1965, he moved to the mountain village of Galilea. He lived there for the rest of his life.
In the 1970s, he visited America several times. He gave talks about writing and about William Blake at universities. Ruthven Todd passed away in Galilea in 1978.
Personal Life
In 1937, Ruthven married Cicely Crew. They had one son named Christopher, who was born in 1939. They separated in 1943. Ruthven later married two more times, but these marriages were short.
Ruthven loved nature very much. He was especially interested in plants and fungi (like mushrooms). He knew a lot about different types of fungi. He was also a very good artist who drew wild flowers and fungi. He sometimes sold his drawings, but he often gave them to his friends as gifts.
