Richard Doddridge Blackmore

In the 1881 National Census of England and Wales he is recorded as residing in Teddington, Middlesex, occupation Barrister.

Richard Doddridge Blackmore studied at Exeter College and Blundell's School. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is literary activity, Romantic literature and novella. Works named in the authority record are Lorna Doone. Work by Richard Doddridge Blackmore is recorded in the collections of Harry Ransom Center.

• Name — R. D. Blackmore • Birth Name — Richard Doddridge Blackmore • Born — 7 June 1825 • Birthplace — Longworth, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire), England • Died — 20 January 1900 • Place of death — Teddington, Middlesex, England • Occupation — novelist, horticulturist • Movement — Romantic • Notable Works — Lorna Doone

• Illustration — Dariel, a romance of Surrey, by R. D. Blackmore poster art Richard Doddridge Blackmore was born on 7 June 1825 at Longworth in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire), one year after his elder brother Henry (1824–1875), where his father, John Blackmore, was curate-in-charge of the parish. His mother died a few months after his birth—the victim of an outbreak of typhus which had occurred in the village. After this loss John Blackmore moved to Bushey, Herts, then to his native Devon, first to Kings Nympton, then Culmstock, Tor Mohun and later to Ashford, in the same county. Richard, however, was taken by his aunt, Mary Frances Knight, and after her marriage to the Rev. Richard Gordon, moved with her to Elsfield rectory, near Oxford. His father married again in 1831, whereupon Richard returned to live with him. Having spent much of his childhood in the lush and pastoral "Doone Country" of Exmoor, and along the Badgworthy Water (where there is now a memorial stone in Blackmore's honour), Blackmore came to love the very countryside he immortalised in Lorna Doone.

In 1837, Blackmore entered Blundell's School in Tiverton. He excelled in classical studies, and later won a scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1847. During a university vacation he made his first attempt at writing a novel. This was the beginning of The Maid of Sker—not, in fact, completed until many years later, and eventually published in 1872—which he himself would come to consider his finest novel. After leaving Oxford and spending some time as a private tutor, Blackmore decided on a career in law. He entered the Middle Temple in 1849 and was called to the Bar in 1852. Ill-health, however, prevented him from continuing legal work as a full-time occupation and in 1854, he took the post of classics master at Wellesley House Grammar School, Hampton Road, Twickenham. In later years this became the Metropolitan and City of London Police Orphanage and then Fortescue House School. Soon after accepting this position, he moved from London to No. 25 Lower Teddington Road, Hampton Wick—where he lived until he moved to his new home in Teddington.

Blackmore was married on 8 November 1853 at Trinity Church, Holborn, to Lucy Maguire. She was 26, a Roman Catholic and said to be somewhat delicate; they never had any children. They were both fond of her sister Agnes' four children and often had them to stay. As well as helping with their education, the Blackmores seem to have adopted Eva when she was 7. Theirs was described by Blackmore's sister as a "happy marriage."

In September 1857, Blackmore's uncle, the Rev. H.H. Knight, Rector of Neath, Glamorgan, died and left his nephew a sum of money which enabled him to realise a long-held ambition of possessing a house in the country encompassed by a large garden. Blackmore's father encouraged him in the scheme and helped him to carry it into effect.

The land selected was a 16 acre plot at Teddington which Blackmore had seen and admired for some time. Here he built his new house—completed in 1860—in which he lived for the rest of his life. He called it Gomer House after one of his favourite dogs, a Gordon Spaniel. In the extensive grounds he created an 11 acre market garden specialising in the cultivation of fruit. The grounds were surrounded by high walls which served to keep out thieves and to aid the ripening of tender fruit. His knowledge of horticulture was extensive, but through competition and other factors, the business was not a very lucrative enterprise except in his supply of pears to Covent Garden. However, he is believed to have held the view that he preferred to be remembered as the winner of first prize for swedes than as the author of Lorna Doone.

At the time Blackmore came to Teddington, the railway had not yet disturbed its quiet rural atmosphere. Before long, however, plans were in hand for the purchase of land and the construction of lines. In 1868, Blackmore won a fight against the claims made on his property by the London and South Western Railway Company, but he was unable to prevent the building of the railway station almost directly opposite his house.

Blackmore's two nieces continued to live in Gomer House; Amelia died in 1911 and was also buried in the Blackmore grave. Then in October 1938 there was an auction of all its contents, which included Blackmore's own library containing first editions of his works. The house itself was later demolished and Doone Close, Blackmore's Grove and Gomer Gardens were built, referencing the novelist's associations with Teddington. The end of Doone Close marks the approximate site of Gomer House. Blackmore's market garden covered the area between the present Station Road and Field Lane.

Richard Doddridge Blackmore worked in literary activity, Romantic literature, novella and fruticulture. He belonged to Middle Temple.

Richard Doddridge Blackmore is recorded as writer, novelist, poet, gardener and fruit grower.