Person    | Male  Born 19/7/1896  Died 6/1/1981

A. J. Cronin

Categories: Literature, Medicine

Countries: Scotland, Switzerland, USA

Novelist and general practitioner. Born Dumbartonshire as Archibald Joseph Cronin. Studied in Glasgow and served in WW1 as a surgeon in the Navy. Practised in Wales and in 1924 was appointed Medical Inspector of Mines for Great Britain. 1926 moved to Westbourne Grove and practised for a time in Harley Street, but then ran his own practice at home.

In 1930 a medical condition meant a period of complete rest in Scotland during which he took the opportunity to fulfil his ambition of writing a novel. “Hatter’s Castle” was an immediate success, and many more followed. Hollywood began adapting his novels so after WW2 he moved to the USA, first to Hollywood but then living in various states. Spent his last 25 years in Switzerland where he died.

The BBC “Dr Finlay’s Casebook” ran forever (actually only 1962-71) and was revived in the 1990s.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
A. J. Cronin

Commemorated ati

A. J. Cronin

A. J. Cronin, 1896 - 1981, Scottish novelist and General Practitioner, practi...

Read More

Other Subjects

James Hadley Chase

James Hadley Chase

Thriller writer. Born at the site of the plaque as René Lodge Brabazon Raymond. Under various pseudonyms, he wrote ninety novels, fifty of which were made into films. Died in Corseaux-sur-Vevey, Sw...

Person, Literature, Switzerland

1 memorial
Dr. John William Polidori

Dr. John William Polidori

This entry has kindly been written for us by Franklin Bishop, expert on Polidori, and editor of "John William Polidori ‘The Vampyre’ and other writings", 2005. Polidori wrote The Vampyre, a novell...

Person, Literature, Italy, Scotland, Switzerland

1 memorial
Harry Cole

Harry Cole

Born 48A Lower Road, Rotherhithe. Married and joined the Met Police in 1952. Served as a police constable at Carter Street Station for 29 years, until he retired in 1983. He was a well-known and po...

Person, Armed Forces, Literature

1 memorial
Doves Bindery

Doves Bindery

The Doves Press in Hammersmith was founded in 1900 by Thomas Cobden-Sanderson in partnership with Emery Walker and was named after the nearby pub.  Sanderson had already set up The Doves Bindery in...

Place, Commerce, Literature

2 memorials
Richmal Crompton

Richmal Crompton

Writer. Born Richmal Crompton Lamburn in Manchester Road, Bury. She became a teacher, but had to give up when she contracted poliomyelitis, and was left without the use of her right leg. She was th...

Person, Children, Literature

1 memorial