Sir Hall Caine (1853-1931) novelist, playwright

Born Thomas Henry Hall Caine on May 14, 1853 at Runcorn, Cheshire, England and was educated in Liverpool. He was trained as an architectural draughtsman, but became a journalist and then started writing novels. He lived with Dante Gabriel Rossetti as secretary and companion for the last year of Rosetti's life.

Following the publication of his Recollections of Rossetti in 1882, he began his career as a novelist. His novel, The Christian, sold over a million copies and was made into a stage play as well as a motion picture. After this success, many of his books were bestsellers in several languages and were also made into plays and films. Hall Caine was the most highly paid novelist of his day. In addition to his books, he was the author of more than a dozen plays.

In 1895 he traveled to Canada for the Society of Authors to negotiate for the introduction of copyright protection. Upon his return, he took up permanent residence in the Isle of Man.

King George V made him a Knight of the British Empire in 1918 and a Companion of Honour in 1922. In 1917, he was created an "Officer of the Order of Leopold" by King Albert I of Belgium.

Sir Hall Caine died in his home at Greeba Castle in the Isle of Man on August 31, 1931.

Partial Bibliography:

  • Recollections of Rossetti - (1882)
  • The Shadow of a Crime - (1885)
  • She's All the World to Me - (1885)
  • A Son of Hagar - (1886)
  • The Deemster - (1887)
  • The Bondman - (1890)
  • The Scapegoat - (1890)
  • The Fate of Fenella - (1892)
  • Cap'n Davy's Honeymoon - (1893)
  • The Manxman - (1894)
  • The Christian - (1897)
  • The Eternal City - (1901)
  • The Prodigal Son - (1904)
  • The White Prophet - (1909)
  • The Woman Thou Gavest Me - (1913)
  • The Master of Man - (1921)
  • The Woman of Knockaloe - (1923)