James Leslie Mitchell Biographical Outline

13 February, 1901:  James Leslie Mitchell born at Hillhead of Seggat, Auchterless, Aberdeenshire, son to James McIntosh Mitchell and his wife, née Lilias Grant Gibbon, and half-brother to George and John.

1917: Becomes reporter with The Aberdeen Daily Journal.

February, 1919:  Becomes Junior Reporter on The Scottish Farmer in Glasgow.

Summer 1919:  Recuperation at Bloomfield after nervous breakdown.

26 August, 1919:  Enlists in Royal Army Service Corps.

22 March, 1923:  Discharged from army, following service in Palestine, Egypt, Mesopotamia and Persia.

31 August, 1923:  Enlists as clerk in Royal Air Force.

18 October, 1924:  First published story, ‘Siva Plays the Game’, appears in T.P.’s and Cassell’s Weekly.

15 August, 1925:  Marries Rebecca Middleton (later Ré, Rhea or Ray) at Fulham Registry Office.

June, 1928:  Publication of first book, Hanno: or the Future of Exploration: an Essay in Prophecy, by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co. Ltd, London.

January, 1929:  Publication of ‘For Ten’s Sake’, first of series of short stories to appear in The Cornhill.

31 August, 1929:  Discharged from RAF.

17 March, 1930:  Birth of daughter, Rhea Sylvia.

September, 1930:  Publication of first novel, Stained Radiance: A Fictionist’s Prelude, by Jarrolds, London.

16 March, 1934:  Birth of son, Daryll Allan Leslie.

November, 1934:  Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Grey Granite published by Jarrolds and later, by Doubleday Doran and Company Inc., New York, 1935.

December, 1934:  JLM suffering acute stomach pains, diagnosed as gastritis.

4 February, 1935:  JLM undergoes operation at Queen Victoria Hospital, Welwyn, for perforated gastric ulcer.

7 February, 1935:   James Leslie Mitchell dies, age 33 years 11 months.