Robertson Davies

Born August 28, 1913, died on December 2, 1995 at the age of 82. Robertson Davies was a true Canadian -- born in a small Ontario town to immigrant parents, proud of his Welsh background but at the same time he defined and helped establish the modern Canadian personality.

Growing up, Davies was surrounded by language, his father being a newspaper man, and both his parents voracious readers. He, in turn, read everything he could.

While Davies spent his first twenty-three working years at various newspapers in small town Ontario, his first passion was for the theatre, which is where he met and married his wife, Brenda. He was a playwright and director for many years, in England and in Canada.

Davies later became the Master of Massey College at the University of Toronto (1961-1981).

Plays, novels, and other published writing:

• Tempest Toss'd
• The Cornish trilogy:
  • The Rebel Angels
  • What's Bred in the Bone
  • The Lyre of Orpheus
• The papers of Samuel Marchbanks
• Murther and Walking Spirits