Anniversaries, 1 November
Arthur Morrison
Arthur Morrison was one of Britain's best-known authors around the turn of the last century on account of his realistic portrayals of London's East End and his stories about the private detective Martin Hewitt.
Morrison was born in Poplar, a working-class district in London's East End. His father was an engine fitter. Morrison was ashamed of his background, and he later invented details about his childhood and parents. As a result, little is known about his early life except that he did...
Theme article
History of crime fiction
By: Johan Wopenka
Literary figure
Martin Hewitt
Gender: Male
Private detective and former legal clerk in London around the end of the 19th century. In contrast to the contemporary Sherlock Holmes, Martin Hewitt is ordinary, jovial and social. He has a round, friendly face and behaves like a gentleman towards ladies – although he doesn’t have any closer lady friends. He is a skilled problem-solver and the main character in four books by Arthur Morrison, who...