Mark Rutherford (William Hale White)

‘Mark Rutherford‘ was the pseudonym of William Hale White (1831-1913). Rutherford is generally classed as a minor Victorian novelist, and noted for his depiction of provincial dissenting life, and of the ’loss of faith’ of the Victorian period. There is much more to Hale White than this. Despite working for over thirty years as a civil servant, he wrote over a thousand newspaper articles, translated works by Spinoza, and wrote various works of literary criticism.

He has never had a wide following, but writers such as Andre Gide, D.H. Lawrence, and Arnold Bennett have all praised his work. The aim of this site is to make Mark Rutherford‘s work more widely known (particularly his journalism), and to act as a forum for discussions about Mark Rutherford.

Comments, criticisms, and especially contributions, are always welcome to: David French
 

Updates

November 2004

Irvin Stock, author of William Hale White (Mark Rutherford): A Critical Study has kindly donated copies of his Mark Rutherford archive to Bedford Library. More details to follow.

April 2004

Several articles added to Features page.

February 2003

Several newspaper articles from the Norfolk News added.

Notes about Mark Rutherford by Frank Swinnerton in A London Bookman added. (Thanks to Nick Jacobs.)

Pictures of Bedford and Groombridge added.

Links to Gutenberg texts added. (Thanks to David Price.)

Bedford Collection information added.

August 2002

Several newspaper articles from the Norfolk News, the Aberdeen Herald and the Nonconformist added.

Index of articles in the Nonconformist added. (Thanks to Mike Brealey.)

Search engine for the site provided (above).

March 2002

Contemporary reviews of Maclean's biography and Stone's critical study added.

Information available in the Gale Literature Resource listed.

Photographs of Groombridge church and The Cottage added.

January 2002

Mike Brealey is doing some research into Hale White's expulsion from New College. See the Features page for a summary of his research to date.

First article published in the Rochdale Observer in 1867 transcribed.

Additions to Timeline.

Hollyer photograph of 1907/8 and William Hale White's signature added to front page.

November 2001

Article on Mark Rutherford's Bedford, by Nick Wilde, added.

Photographs of Groombridge and 142 The Strand added.

Information on editions and comments of other writers about Rutherford's work added.

Timeline updated.