Brief Profile

Elizabeth MacKintosh was born in Inverness on 25th July 1896. Beth was the oldest of the three daughters of Josephine Horne and Colin MacKintosh. She lived several ‘lives’: best known as Golden Age Crime Fiction writer ‘Josephine Tey’, she was also successful novelist and playwright ‘Gordon Daviot’.

Her novels include The Franchise Affair, Brat Farrar, and the unique Richard III mystery The Daughter of Time – once voted the best crime novel of all time.

At one point in the 1930s she had plays on simultaneously in the West End in London and on Broadway; she even wrote for Hollywood – all from her home in the north of Scotland.

Invitation

Appreciations are invited from family members and others, especially those who, like our customer, feel that Elizabeth MacKintosh who wrote under the names of Gordon Daviot, Josephine Tey and F Craigie Howe’ deserves to be remembered and celebrated.

They should be sent to: registrations@milestonesscotland.co.uk.

We have made provision for the possibility of a family member wishing to take on ownership of the profile in a Protocol to our Terms and Conditions.

Timeline

25 July 1896 Elizabeth Mackintosh (AKA Beth or ‘Josephine Tey’) is born in Inverness

1914 July 25 Beth’s 18th birthday

1914 July 28 First World War begins

1915-1917 attends Anstey Physical Training College

1917-1918 Beth works in Nottingham, Newark & Hucknall

1918 Nov First World War ends

1920 Jan-Mar Beth works at Oban High School, where the accident that inspires Miss Pym Disposes occurs

1918-1924 Beth works as a physiotherapist and teacher in schools across England

24 June 1923 Illness and death of Beth’s mother Josephine Mackintosh (nee Horne); Beth returns to Inverness

1924 adopts the pen names Gordon Daviot and Josephine Tey

29 Aug 1925 Beth’s first known publication – a poem, under the name ‘Gordon Daviot’

Feb 1929 The first Gordon Daviot novel Kif is published

May 1929 The first Josephine Tey novel The Man in the Queue is published (originally under the name ‘Gordon Daviot’)

June 1932 The play Richard of Bordeaux by Gordon Daviot first produced at the Arts Club

2 Feb 1933 Opening of major production of Richard of Bordeaux at the New Theatre, starring John Gielgud and Gwen Ffrangon-Davies

1935 Gordon Daviot signs contract with Hollywood

1937Nov First showing of Young and Innocent – Hitchcock adaptation of A Shilling for Candles

1939-1945 Second World War

Apr 1946 Cornelia performed under new pseudonym ‘F Craigie Howe’ by the Citizen’s Theatre, Glasgow

1946 Miss Pym Disposes published, starting the run of novels under the name ‘Josephine Tey’

1950 Sep 25 Beth’s father Colin Mackintosh dies, aged 87

1951 The Franchise Affair adapted as a film

1951 The Daughter of Time first published in June, reprinted July and October

1952 Feb 13 Elizabeth Mackintosh dies

1952 The Singing Sands posthumously published

Obituary

Born in Inverness on 25th July 1896, Elizabeth (Beth) was the oldest of the three daughters of Josephine Horne and Colin MacKintosh. Her mother was a teacher, who, after her marriage, joined her husband’s family fruiterer business. Colin MacKintosh’s fruit shop was located on Castle Street in Inverness. Beth attended Inverness Royal Academy, before training in physical therapy at Anstey College, Birmingham, from 1915-17. She then worked, mainly in England, as a physiotherapist and physical education teacher, before returning to Inverness in 1923 due to the severe illness of her mother. On her mother’s death, Beth remained in Inverness, keeping house for her father, while seriously pursuing her goal of writing. Her first books were published in 1929, and from that moment she was a literary success. Notable works include the play Richard of Bordeaux and The Franchise Affair. The unique Richard III mystery The Daughter of Time was voted the best crime novel of all time. Beth remained unmarried, enjoying her success as a writer and caring for her father until his death in 1950. She herself died, of cancer, in 1952.

Postscript

Customers are usually anonymous but not here. Josephine Tey captured the interest of our customer, supporter and sustainer Jennifer Morag Henderson. Jennifer, herself a historian and writer based in Inverness was sufficiently intrigued by Beth MacKintosh to undertake writing her biography. Find out more about “Josephine Tey: A Life” at www.jennifermoraghenderson.com