John Middleton Murry

Born in Peckham, London, on August 6, 1889, John Middleton Murry became an English writer, critic, and editor known for his intense, personal approach to literature. He studied at Christ's Hospital and later at Brasenose College, Oxford, then built a career in journalism and criticism.

Murry was a prolific author, publishing dozens of books along with a huge number of essays and reviews. He edited important literary journals, including Rhythm and later The Adelphi, which gave him a visible place in the literary culture of his time. His work ranged beyond criticism into social, political, and religious writing, and his views shifted noticeably over the years.

He is often remembered in connection with the New Zealand writer Katherine Mansfield, whom he married in 1918 and whose literary executor he later became. Murry died on March 12, 1957. Today he remains of interest both for his own criticism and for the part he played in the wider modernist world.