User:Vernon39/Samuel Middleton Fox


 * Article created 17/9/2010

Samuel Middleton Fox (1856 – 1941) was an amateur writer and dramatist, who also charmingly documented the life of the wealthy, Quaker Fox family of Falmouth during the latter years of the 19th century.

Birth and parental families
Samuel Middleton Fox was born 16th March, 1856, the son of Rachel, daughter of Sarah and Alfred Fox and Samuel Lindoe Fox (1830 - 1862), son of Maria Fox (born Middleton) and Samuel Fox (1794-1874) of Tottenham and of the Wellington branch of the Fox family

He was the first of many grandsons of his maternal grandparents. His sister, Charlotte Maria was born in December 1857. His father died in November 1862 and his mother, Rachel Fox married again to Phillip Debell Tuckett, and they had three further sons, the first given the same name as his father, the second, was Percival Fox Tuckett and the third, Ivor Lloyd Tuckett.

Two homes
S.M. Fox describes his happy childhood visits to his relations in Falmouth and legends about their family history in Two homes, by a grandson (privately printed, 1925).

The two homes belonged to his Falmouth grandparents, Sarah (born Lloyd) and Alfred Fox, who had a house in Falmouth called Woodhouse Place and a coastal residence and garden called Glendurgan (now a National Trust property).

Education
He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge

Military service
In 1899, a Samuel Middleton Fox was reported as promoted to Second Lieutenant in the First Cumberland Volunteer Battalion of the Border Regiment and in 1908 as Lieutenant in the Fourth Battalion of the Border Regiment.

Marriage and family
He married Adelaide Eliza Bell (13 September 1859 - 16 June 1922), daughter of James Bell and Mary Ann Spencer, of Fawe Park, Keswick, Cumberland , on 21 Jul 1887 at the Friends Meeting House in Westminster.

They had four children:
 * Helen Juliet Rachel Fox, born at Reading, 1 June 1890 and married Roger Ernle Money-Kyrle
 * Frederick Middleton Fox, OBE, 1962 , born at Albury, Surrey 7 May 1892
 * Viola Constance Fox, born at Albury, Surrey 22 Jul 1894, died 29 Oct 1918
 * Cyril Spencer Fox, born at Albury, Surrey 10 Jun 1896 died 31 May 1948

Publications

 * Our Own Pompeii: a romance of to-morrow, Edinburgh : W. Blackwood & Sons, 1887. in 2 volumes


 * George. A story in drab and scarlet, London : D. Stott, 1890. 3 vol.


 * Verses for Granny: Suggested by the children ... Illustrated by Dorothea A. H. Drew. London : T. Burleigh, 1899.


 * A Child of the Shore: a Cornish romance . London & New York : John Lane, 1905. 307 p. ; 8º.


 * The waters of bitterness; a play in three acts and The clodhopper; an incredible comedy, Series: Plays of To-day and To-morrow, London, T.F. Unwin (1912) Review: " I am inclined to think that we shall hear a great deal of Mr. Fox supposing that Mr. Fox writes other plays as clever as The Waters of Bitterness, and supposing that managers think the public clever enough to appreciate them. Anyhow his is a strong and bold debut." Max Beerbohm in The Saturday Review.


 * This generation : a play New York : Duffield and London, T F Unwin (1912)


 * A Barca Boy. A story of Venice, London, Heath Cranton: London, (1925)


 * Two homes, by a grandson, Plymouth, William Brendon and son, Ltd, Printers - printed for private circulation - copies obtainable (in 1925) from the Friends Bookshop, Bishopsgate, London (1925)


 * Goethe: a play in four acts by S. M. and C. S. Fox, London, Rich and Cowan, (1934)

Theatrical performances
Performed at Stockport Garrick The Waters of Bitterness première of three-act version S M Fox (author present) The Clodhopper première S M Fox (author present) .

Death
Middleton Fox died 12th March 1941. His executors were his half-brother Phillip Debell Tuckett and his son, Frederick Middleton Fox