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| Life with JB Priestley, by the woman he trusted most of all | Life with JB Priestley, by the woman he trusted most of all |
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| From the haunting theatricality of An Inspector Calls, to the comic charm of The Good Companions and When We Are Married, the books and plays of JB Priestley have lasted well beyond the popular success they first enjoyed in the 1930-50s. Priestley’s strong moral outlook, marked by the staunch humanity that established him as a broadcasting hero on the radio during the war, is still speaking to record-breaking theatre audiences today. | From the haunting theatricality of An Inspector Calls, to the comic charm of The Good Companions and When We Are Married, the books and plays of JB Priestley have lasted well beyond the popular success they first enjoyed in the 1930-50s. Priestley’s strong moral outlook, marked by the staunch humanity that established him as a broadcasting hero on the radio during the war, is still speaking to record-breaking theatre audiences today. |
| Now a forgotten private memoir, written 30 years ago by his former personal assistant, has revealed the playwright and essayist’s own domestic dramas for the first time. Priestley at Kissing Tree House was written in 1986, two years after his death, by Rosalie Batten and was rediscovered on her death three years ago. A largely affectionate journal of their 16 years working together, it tells of the Bradford-born writer’s personal vanities, famous friendships and his efforts to control the way his work was performed. | Now a forgotten private memoir, written 30 years ago by his former personal assistant, has revealed the playwright and essayist’s own domestic dramas for the first time. Priestley at Kissing Tree House was written in 1986, two years after his death, by Rosalie Batten and was rediscovered on her death three years ago. A largely affectionate journal of their 16 years working together, it tells of the Bradford-born writer’s personal vanities, famous friendships and his efforts to control the way his work was performed. |
| JB Priestley works enjoy remarkable renaissance | |
| In 1969 Priestley advised Richmond theatre about its staging of An Inspector Calls, a play since seen by more than four million people worldwide in the award-winning 1992 Stephen Daldry production, and due to tour Britain and America again this autumn. Batten reports Priestley wanted the key character of Inspector Goole, played by Ralph Richardson in the original Old Vic production to be “underplayed rather than overplayed”. “May I point out that it is essential to the success of this play that the Inspector must be played as naturally as possible, avoiding any staginess of tone and any lapses into sentiment or melodrama,” he added. | In 1969 Priestley advised Richmond theatre about its staging of An Inspector Calls, a play since seen by more than four million people worldwide in the award-winning 1992 Stephen Daldry production, and due to tour Britain and America again this autumn. Batten reports Priestley wanted the key character of Inspector Goole, played by Ralph Richardson in the original Old Vic production to be “underplayed rather than overplayed”. “May I point out that it is essential to the success of this play that the Inspector must be played as naturally as possible, avoiding any staginess of tone and any lapses into sentiment or melodrama,” he added. |
| Batten became secretary to Priestley and his third wife, the archaeologist Jacquetta Hawkes, at their country home, Kissing Tree House, in Alveston, Warwickshire, in 1968. After a nervous start, the married secretary and the Yorkshireman became friends, prompting Priestley to urge her to write his biography one day. “As I have pointed out to her, she knows me better than anyone else who might want to write such a book,” he wrote in 1979. | Batten became secretary to Priestley and his third wife, the archaeologist Jacquetta Hawkes, at their country home, Kissing Tree House, in Alveston, Warwickshire, in 1968. After a nervous start, the married secretary and the Yorkshireman became friends, prompting Priestley to urge her to write his biography one day. “As I have pointed out to her, she knows me better than anyone else who might want to write such a book,” he wrote in 1979. |
| Batten’s reminiscences brim with their sometimes flirtatious exchanges and also expose Priestley’s professional frustrations. Speaking of a BBC production of a specially commissioned new play, Linda at the Pulteney’s, starring Irene Worth, he railed at how the director had ignored his instructions: “When my directions called for a tremendous crash, they altered the dramatic effect by having a lot of flames bursting out around Irene Worth as if she had suddenly turned into a Christmas pudding,” he complained. “It is very annoying indeed. After all, I don’t put in stage directions simply to fill a gap on the page. They’re there because they’re important to the whole.” | Batten’s reminiscences brim with their sometimes flirtatious exchanges and also expose Priestley’s professional frustrations. Speaking of a BBC production of a specially commissioned new play, Linda at the Pulteney’s, starring Irene Worth, he railed at how the director had ignored his instructions: “When my directions called for a tremendous crash, they altered the dramatic effect by having a lot of flames bursting out around Irene Worth as if she had suddenly turned into a Christmas pudding,” he complained. “It is very annoying indeed. After all, I don’t put in stage directions simply to fill a gap on the page. They’re there because they’re important to the whole.” |
| The playwright also made plain his view that tight construction is crucial to a play’s success: “There is too much reliance on shock tactics in the theatre these days. To shock is easy, but to write a solidly constructed play that widens and deepens our sympathies requires hard work,” he told Batten. | The playwright also made plain his view that tight construction is crucial to a play’s success: “There is too much reliance on shock tactics in the theatre these days. To shock is easy, but to write a solidly constructed play that widens and deepens our sympathies requires hard work,” he told Batten. |
| Priestley also joked he suspected the BBC of deliberately erasing recordings of his plays. | Priestley also joked he suspected the BBC of deliberately erasing recordings of his plays. |
| “There seems to be a terrible shortage of recordings of me and my work,” he wrote to the corporation. “May I remind you that this period also includes my farcical comedy When We Are Married, which has always been extremely popular – is there no recording of that?” | “There seems to be a terrible shortage of recordings of me and my work,” he wrote to the corporation. “May I remind you that this period also includes my farcical comedy When We Are Married, which has always been extremely popular – is there no recording of that?” |
| Priestley’s circle of friends included the sculptor Henry Moore and the writer Iris Murdoch. He took tea with prime minister Harold Wilson’s wife Mary, who was a fan, and urged home secretary Roy Jenkins to reduce the tax burden on ageing writers. He was also photographed by Lord Snowdon, and for the Observer by Jane Bown, as well as sitting for royal portraitist Michael Noakes, who died last month. | Priestley’s circle of friends included the sculptor Henry Moore and the writer Iris Murdoch. He took tea with prime minister Harold Wilson’s wife Mary, who was a fan, and urged home secretary Roy Jenkins to reduce the tax burden on ageing writers. He was also photographed by Lord Snowdon, and for the Observer by Jane Bown, as well as sitting for royal portraitist Michael Noakes, who died last month. |
| Batten’s portrait demonstrates the pace of work he maintained, even in old age. “It was always a challenge to keep up with him, and if anybody lagged behind he soon lost patience,” she notes. | Batten’s portrait demonstrates the pace of work he maintained, even in old age. “It was always a challenge to keep up with him, and if anybody lagged behind he soon lost patience,” she notes. |
| It was always a challenge to keep up with him, and if anybody lagged behind he soon lost patience | It was always a challenge to keep up with him, and if anybody lagged behind he soon lost patience |
| Two Observer reviews are highlighted by Batten as fitting tributes to the essence of her late boss. The first was written by Malcolm Muggeridge and quoted an essay by Priestley called Early Childhood and the Treasure. In it he describes his lifelong search for something ineffable. | Two Observer reviews are highlighted by Batten as fitting tributes to the essence of her late boss. The first was written by Malcolm Muggeridge and quoted an essay by Priestley called Early Childhood and the Treasure. In it he describes his lifelong search for something ineffable. |
| “It was waiting for me either in the earth, just below the buttercups and daisies, or in the golden air. I had formed no idea of what this Treasure would consist of, and nobody had ever talked to me about it. But morning after morning would be radiant with its promise. Somewhere, not far out of reach, it was waiting for me, and at any moment I might roll over and put a hand on it. I suspect now that the Treasure was Earth itself and the light and warmth of the sunbeams; yet sometimes I fancy that I have been searching for it ever since.” | “It was waiting for me either in the earth, just below the buttercups and daisies, or in the golden air. I had formed no idea of what this Treasure would consist of, and nobody had ever talked to me about it. But morning after morning would be radiant with its promise. Somewhere, not far out of reach, it was waiting for me, and at any moment I might roll over and put a hand on it. I suspect now that the Treasure was Earth itself and the light and warmth of the sunbeams; yet sometimes I fancy that I have been searching for it ever since.” |
| The second Observer piece was an Anthony Burgess review of Priestley’s autobiography. | The second Observer piece was an Anthony Burgess review of Priestley’s autobiography. |
| An Inspector Calls review – Stephen Daldry helps make the case for justice | |
| “The best overall tribute I can think of is to suggest that he has hardly written a line too many, and that the entire oeuvre coheres into a unity marked by a strong and inimitable personality. The critics have not taken him seriously enough.” | “The best overall tribute I can think of is to suggest that he has hardly written a line too many, and that the entire oeuvre coheres into a unity marked by a strong and inimitable personality. The critics have not taken him seriously enough.” |
| On Batten’s death her daughter, Sophie Fyson, showed her mother’s manuscript to Priestley’s stepson, Nicolas Hawkes, who drew it to the attention of the JB Priestley Society, leading to its publication by Great Northern. | On Batten’s death her daughter, Sophie Fyson, showed her mother’s manuscript to Priestley’s stepson, Nicolas Hawkes, who drew it to the attention of the JB Priestley Society, leading to its publication by Great Northern. |
| In 1958 Priestley helped found the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and he later represented the UK at two Unesco conferences. At 83 he became a member of the Order of Merit – among the most prestigious of all British honours. But the writer was never a fan of titles, and Batten makes it clear he was happy simply to be spelled correctly. The error that displeased him most was omission of the second “e” in Priestley. “I am not an adjective,” he often said. “If people want something they should take the trouble to get my name right.” | In 1958 Priestley helped found the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and he later represented the UK at two Unesco conferences. At 83 he became a member of the Order of Merit – among the most prestigious of all British honours. But the writer was never a fan of titles, and Batten makes it clear he was happy simply to be spelled correctly. The error that displeased him most was omission of the second “e” in Priestley. “I am not an adjective,” he often said. “If people want something they should take the trouble to get my name right.” |
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