The Yellow Book by Hubert Crackanthorpe

Crackanthorpe began life in the literary world as an editor on The Albemarle periodical before authoring short stories some of which were published in the illustrated quarterly The Yellow Book in the years before his early death as well as several other periodicals.

In 1893 Crackanthorpe married Leila Macdonald, another writer, and also published in The Yellow Book. Leila was financially astute and was the recipient of a large inheritance. Crackanthorpe appears not to have had his partner's financial acumen.

The marriage began to fail rapidly after 1895. She miscarried in 1896 because of a venereal infection she contracted from Hubert and soon after she left Hubert and travelled to Italy. Crackanthorpe promptly began an affair with Sissie Welch, the sister of Richard Le Gallienne.

Crackanthorpe attempted a reconciliation with Leila, who was now living in Paris with a lover of her own. They set up house once more with their lovers in tow. This complicated arrangement soon fell apart and Leila left him for good on 4th November 1896.

Hubert Crackanthorpe's body was found in the Seine on Christmas Eve. It is unknown whether he was a victim of foul play, or if he succumbed to a suicidal impulse. He was 26 years of age.

Crackanthorpe is usually associated with the literary movement of naturalism. His technique was based on a style rich in substance and texture with many of his characters speaking in rural British dialects. As well as his early career as an editor he also wrote essays, a small amount of literary criticism and three volumes of short stories.

During the Victorian era the publishing of magazines and periodicals accelerated at a phenomenal rate. This really was mass market publishing to a hungry audience eager for literary sustenance. Many of our greatest authors contributed and expanded their reach whilst many fledging authors also found a ready source for their nascent works and careers.

Amongst the very many was 'The Yellow Book'. Although titled as 'An Illustrated Quarterly' it was sold as a cloth-bound hardback and within were short stories, essays, poetry, illustrations and portraits. It was edited by the American author Henry Harland, who also contributed, and its art editor was no less that the formidable Aubrey Beardsley, the enfant terrible of illustration.

Its yellow cover and name gave it an association with the risqu and erotic yellow covered works published in France. It was a visual shorthand for ideas that would push many boundaries of Society to more open interpretations. Being complete in each volume and slightly aloof it stayed away from serialised fiction and advertisements.

Within each lavishly illustrated edition were literary offerings that included works by such luminaries as Henry James, H G Wells, W B Yeats, Edith Nesbit, George Gissing and many others from the ascetic and decadent movements of the time.

The other notable inclusion was women both as contributors and amongst its editing staff, which was at odds with the then patriarchal gender norms.

Although it only survived for 13 issues its reach and influence were second to none.