The P. G. Wodehouse Chronology

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1277-83	Sir Bertram de Wodehouse fought for Edward I in his wars against the Scots.
1402	John Wodehouse granted lands at Kimberley in Norfolk.
25 Oct 1415	John Wodehouse, alter ego for the Sieur de Wooster, fought for Henry V at Agincourt.
Jul 1547	Thomas Wodehouse, MP, killed at the battle of Musselburgh (or Pinkie) in Scotland.
1587	Philip Wodehouse knighted on the field of battle for his valour at the capture of Cadiz.
26 Jun 1611	Sir Philip Wodehouse created a baronet by King James I and VI.
13 Sep 1619	Dulwich College, founded by Edward Alleyn in 1605, formally opened.
6 Aug 1788	Philip Wodehouse, PGW's grandfather, born.
26 Oct 1797	Sir John Wodehouse, MP and sixth baronet created first Baron Wodehouse of Kimberley.
27 Aug 1797	John Bathurst Deane, PGW's maternal grandfather, born at the Cape of Good Hope.
18 Jun 1815	Captain Philip Wodehouse, PGW's grandfather, fights under Wellington at Waterloo.
14 Jul 1845	(Henry) Ernest Wodehouse, PGW's father, born.
15 Dec 1846	Col. Philip Wodehouse dies.
1861	Eleanor Deane, PGW's mother, born, the fifth of fourteen children.
1 Jun 1866	Lord Wodehouse, the third baron, created first Earl of Kimberley.
1867	Ernest Wodehouse started work in Hong Kong Civil Service.
3 Feb 1877	Ernest Wodehouse married Eleanor Deane in Hong Kong.
26 Sep 1877	Philip Peveril John Wodehouse, PGW's eldest brother, born to Ernest and Eleanor.
11 May 1879	(Ernest) Armine Wodehouse, PGW's brother born.
15 Oct 1881	Pelham Grenville Wodehouse born at Guildford while his mother was at home in England from Hong Kong.
1881-82	Eleanor took PGW back to Hong Kong.
1883	Eleanor took Philip, Armine and PGW home to England, left them in charge of a governess and returned to Hong Kong.
23 May 1885	Ethel Newton born in Kings Lynn, Norfolk.
1886	Ernest in London to receive the CMG from Queen Victoria. He and Eleanor placed their three boys at dame school in Croydon.
12 Jul 1887	Revd John Bathurst Deane died.
1888	Aged six, PGW read the whole of Homer's Iliad.
1889	The three Wodehouse brothers sent to a small school on Guernsey.
1891	PGW sent to Malvern House, a preparatory school in Kent.
30 May 1892	Richard Lancelot Deane Wodehouse, PGW's younger brother, born.
2 May 1894	PGW started at Dulwich College, boarding with an assistant master, H.V. Doulton.
Sep 1894	Became a boarder at Dulwich at Ivyholme.
1896	Ernest Wodehouse retired and took a house in Dulwich. PGW became a day-boy at the college.
1896	PGW's parents moved to Stableford in Shropshire and he became a Dulwich boarder again, this time at Elm Lawn, Housemaster E.C. Treadgold.
Sep 1897	PGW won school colours as a member of the first XV Rugby team, a position he held for two years.
1898	The Public School Magazine founded.
Feb 1899	Won Dulwich first XI colours.
Apr 1899	The Captain founded.
31 Jul 1899	PGW sang Hybrias The Cretan at the college concert.
Sep 1899	Looked forward to going to Oxford University.
Oct 1899?	Learnt Ernest could not afford to let him go to Oxford
11 Nov 1899	Won Dulwich first XV colours.
1900	Finally got his school colours as a member of the first XI cricket team.
1900	Appointed one of the editors of The Alleynian.
Feb 1900	Won writing competition run by The Public School Magazine with 'Some Aspects Of Games Captaincy'.
Jul 1900	Left Dulwich College.
Sep 1900	Started work at the Hongkong & Shanghai Bank in Lombard Street. Took a room in Markham Square, Chelsea.
Dec 1900	Began writing Under-The-Flail column for The Public School Magazine.
3 Nov 1900	As a member of the Bank's rugby team played against the London & Westminster Bank.
Nov 1900	First humorous article 'Men Who Missed Their Own Weddings' appeared in Tit-Bits.
Jun 1901	Caught mumps and convalesced at Stableford.
16 Aug 1901	First played truant from the bank to work on The Globe newspaper for the day.
Oct 1901	First piece appeared in The Captain. A St Austin's school story.
1902	Parents moved to 3, Wolseley Terrace, Cheltenham.
Mar 1902	The Public School Magazine closed.
2 Apr 1902	Spent a week working on The Globe.
9 Sep 1902	Resigned his position at the Hongkong & Shanghai Bank.
17 Sep 1902	First article appeared in Punch called 'An Unfinished Collection'.
18 Sep 1902	A. and C. Black published his first book: The Pothunters.
Sep 1902	Spent five weeks working on The Globe.
c. 1902/03	Played for the Authors and Punch cricket teams. Moved to better lodgings at 23 Walpole Street, also in Chelsea. Visited there by Herbert W. Westbrook. Soon thereafter visited Westbrook at Emsworth House preparatory school in Hampshire.
ñ. 1903	Played for J.M. Barrie's cricket team, the Allahakbarries.
Early 1903	Took lodgings above the stables at Emsworth House. Soon afterwards rented Threepwood Cottage at Emsworth.
2 Jul 1903	Interview with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle appeared in the V.C. magazine.
Aug 1903	Became the deputy on the By-The-Way column of The Globe.
15 Sep 1903	Ethel Newton married Leonard Rowley in Nottingham.
16 Apr 1904	PGW sailed on the SS St Louis for his first visit to the US arriving on the 25th.
Aug 1904	Became editor of the By-The-Way column.
10 Dec 1904	First commercial lyric 'Put Me In My Little Cell' sung in Sergeant Brue at London's Strand Theatre.
1905	Leonard Rowley took his wife and daughter to India.
Jul 1905	PGW's first article in The Strand called 'The Wirepullers'.
Sep 1905	First US magazine publication with 'Kid Brady - Lightweight' in Pearson's Magazine of New York.
6 Mar 1906	Started work for Seymour Hicks as resident lyricist at London's Aldwych Theatre.
19 Mar 1906	Met Jerome Kern at the Aldwych, both working on The Beauty Of Bath.
6 Jun 1906	PGW's first adult novel, Love Among The Chickens, published in the UK starring Ukridge.
17 Nov 1906	Bought Seymour Hicks' car, a Darracq. Crashed it.
6 Dec 1907	Joined Gaiety Theatre as lyricist.
1908	First appeared in UK Who's Who. The Armstrong family sold The Globe to Hildebrand Harmsworth.
May 1909	On second visit to the US sold two stories in two days and wired resignation to The Globe.
11 May 1909	Love Among The Chickens became PGW's first book to be published in the US.
15 Sep 1909	Mike heralded the arrival of Psmith.
Feb 1910	Returned to UK from New York.
Mar 1910	A 1,500 word pen-portrait by H.L. Bradshaw appeared in The Captain.
11 May 1910	A Gentleman Of Leisure became PGW's first book to be published in the US before the UK.
8 Jun 1910	Leonard Rowley died in Mysore, India.
12 Dec 1910	Ethel Rowley granted probate in London for Leonard Rowley's estate.
1911	Ella King-Hall married Herbert Westbrook.
28 Jan 1911	Ethel Rowley married John Wayman in London.
24 Aug 1911	A Gentleman Of Leisure, PGW's first play, opened in New York.
Jan 1912	Ella King-Hall became PGW's UK literary agent.
Jul 1912	John Wayman declared bankrupt in London.
Sep 1913	PGW's last article appeard in The Captain.
5 Jan 1914	The Times reviewed Nuts And Wine. A flop.
May 1914	First piece in Vanity Fair (US) called 'The Physical Culture Peril'.
27 Jul 1914	Sailed for New York with John Barrymore on board a German ship.
2 Aug 1914	Arrived in New York.
3 Aug 1914	Met Ethel Rowley Wayman at a party in New York.
4 Aug 1914	First World War began.
30 Sep 1914	PGW married Ethel Rowley Wayman.
1 Oct 1914	Rented a bungalow at Bellport, Long Island.
24 Dec 1914	Probable first meeting of PGW and Guy Bolton at the New York first night of Tonight's The Night.
25 Mar 1915	A Gentleman Of Leisure, PGW's first film released.
Mar 1915	PGW became drama critic of Vanity Fair.
15 Sep 1915	Jeeves and Bertie made their first appearance in The Saturday Evening Post (US).
28 Feb 1916	Pom Pom, a play and the first Bolton and Wodehouse collaboration, was a success.
25 Sep 1916	Miss Springtime, first Bolton, Wodehouse and Kern show a great success.
11 Jan 1917	Have A Heart, the first Bolton, Wodehouse and Kern Princess show opened - at the Liberty Theatre
20 Feb 1917	Oh Boy, the second Princess show but the first at the Princess Theatre opened to rave reviews.
1918	Piccadilly Jim was the first of seventy-one of PGW's books to be published in the UK by Herbert Jenkins over half a century.
Mar 1921	Arriving in New York during Prohibition, payed the bellhop at the Biltmore Hotel $17 for a bottle of Scotch.
Dec 1921	A two-page profile of PGW appeared in The Strand.
1922	A portrait of PGW appeared in Gerald Cumberland's book, People Worth Talking About.
1923	PGW and Kern's last collaboration on The Beauty Prize.
17 May 1923	The first Jeeves and Bertie book, The Inimitable Jeeves, was published.
Mar 1925	The Captain closed.
1926	Elected a Fellow of The Royal Society Of Literature.
1927	Beverley Nichols portrayed PGW in Are They The Same At Home?
1 Apr 1927	Wodehouses leased 17 Norfolk Street (now Dunraven Street) in Mayfair, their London home for many years.
Nov 1927	Sailed to New York with George Grossmith.
10 Mar 1928	Michael Arlen dined at Norfolk Street.
25 Mar 1928	John Galsworthy and actor Leslie Howard lunched with the Wodehouses at Rogate Lodge in Sussex. Ian Hay was a house guest and Mr and Mrs E.P. Oppenheim were visitors.
Aug 1928	PGW, Ian Hay and A.A. Milne financed the PGW/Hay play A Damsel In Distress with £500 each.
Oct 1928	Lunched with Sir Owen Seaman, editor of Punch at the Beefsteak.
Jan 1929	Leonora Wodehouse wrote 'P.G. Wodehouse At Home' in The Strand.
27 May 1929	PGW's father Ernest died aged 83.
Aug 1929	PGW made a flying visit, his first, to Hollywood.
Nov 1929	Ethel went to Hollywood and agreed a $2,000 a week contract for PGW with MGM.
8 May 1930	PGW and Leonora arrived in Hollywood.
1 Jun 1930	PGW's contract with MGM commenced.
Jul 1930	Ethel joined PGW and Leonora in Hollywood.
31 May 1931	PGW's contract with MGM ended.
7 Jun 1931	Los Angeles Times interview with PGW appeared.
30 Jul 1931	New York Times carried Roland Pertwee's denial of PGW's LA Times story of him being fired from Warner Brothers.
13 Sep 1931	Dined with Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford at 'Pickfair'.
Sep 1931	On the way back from Hollywood visited Canada again and spent the day with Stephen Leacock.
Mar 1932	Wodehouses rented a house in the south of France at Arribeau near Cannes.
Aug 1932	H.G. Wells dined chez Wodehouse at Arribeau.
12 Dec 1932	Leonora married Peter Cazalet at Shipbourne.
1933	David Low drew his famous cartoon of PGW.
31 Mar 1934	Sheran Cazalet born; a granddaughter for Ethel and Plum.
Jun 1934	Settled in Le Touquet.
24 Aug 1934	Rented Low Wood near Le Touquet.
1932	Ella King-Hall (Mrs Herbert Westbrook), his UK agent, retired and died shortly thereafter.
3 Jun 1935	Bought Low Wood near Le Touquet.
Dec 1935	PGW sadly gave his old Monarch typewriter the last rites.
26 Apr 1936	Edward Cazalet born; a grandson for Ethel and Plum.
26 Jun 1936	Awarded medallion by the International Mark Twain Society.
9 Oct 1936	His brother Armine died.
10 Oct 1936	Back in Hollywood, again under contract to MGM.
May 1937	With Guy Bolton adapted his A Damsel In Distress for the screen for RKO.
28 Oct 1937	Sailed for France.
4 Nov 1937	Returned to France and Le Touquet.
21 Jun 1939	Accepted honorary D.Litt. from Oxford University.
8 Jul 1939	Reported Dulwich cricket match against St Paul's for The Alleynian. His last ever visit to the college.
3 Sep 1939	Second World War began.
21 May 1940	Wodehouses attempted to flee German advance. Car broke down.
22 May 1940	German army occupied Le Touquet.
21 July 1940	As a civilian internee PGW sent to Loos Prison, Lille. Then transferred to Liege in Belgium.
3 Aug 1940	Transferred to the Citadel at Huy, Belgium.
8 Sep 1940	Transferred to Tost in Upper Silesia.
Dec 1940	PGW's last contribution in The Strand.
26 Dec 1940	Met Angus Thuermer of Associated Press in Tost.
21 Apr 1941	Eleanor Wodehouse, PGW's mother, died aged eighty.
May 1941	Petition presented to German ambassador to US asking for PGW's release.
21 Jun 1941	While playing cricket at Tost told of his immediate release from internment. Taken to Berlin.
22 Jun 1941	Met Raven von Barnikow and Werner Plack at the Adlon Hotel in Berlin.
25 Jun 1941	Commenced recording five broadcasts to America, completing the task on 26 July.
26 Jun 1941	Gave an interview to Harry Flannery, CBS's Berlin correspondent, which was broadcast to the US.
27 Jun 1941	Went to stay with Baroness Anga von Bodenhausen at her house at Degenershausen near Magdeburg in the Harz mountains.
28 Jun 1941	First broadcast transmitted to UK.
Jul 1941	Saturday Evening Post published 'My War With Germany'.
9 Jul 1941	Second broadcast transmitted to UK. Foreign Secretary, Sir Anthony Eden, denounced PGW in the House of Commons.
5 Jul 1941	Vituperative attack on PGW by William Connor speaking on BBC radio.
17 Jul 1941	The London Daily Mail reprinted part of PGW's 'My War With Germany' from the Saturday Evening Post.
23 Jul 1941	Third broadcast transmitted to UK. 27 Jul 1941 Ethel arrived in Berlin.
30 Jul 1941	Fourth broadcast transmitted to UK.
6 Aug 1941	Fifth broadcast transmitted to UK.
9 Aug 1941	German Ministry of Propaganda rebroadcast PGW's talks to neutral America on 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14 August.
Nov 1941	Wodehouses returned to Berlin.
Apr 1942	They returned to Degenershausen.
Nov 1942	They returned to Berlin.
Apr 1943	They became paying guests of Count and Countess Wolkenstein at Lobnis in Upper Silesia.
9 Sep 1943	Wodehouses allowed to move to Paris arriving at the Hotel Bristol on the 11th.
16 May 1944	Leonora Cazalet died unexpectedly, aged only forty.
25 Aug 1944	Allied armies liberated Paris.
26 Aug 1944	PGW reported himself to US military authorities.
28 Sep 1944	Major E.J.P. Cussen completed his report clearing PGW of all but fatheadedness.
20 Nov 1944	Arrested by French police 'Just in case'.
23 Nov 1944	Director of Public Prosecutions decided there was no evidence on which to prosecute PGW.
15 Dec 1944	Adjournment Debate on PGW in the House of Commons. Attorney General stated there was no evidence on which to prosecute PGW.
6 Dec 1944	Sir Anthony Eden repeated there was no evidence on which to prosecute PGW.
20 Jan 1945	Released from hospital detention by the French.
Jul 1945	PGW explained his war period to Dulwich in The Alleynian.
ñ. 1946	Scott Meredith became PGW's US literary agent.
8 May 1946	PGW's letter on his wartime period appeared in Variety.
7 Dec 1946	PGW's interview with Hubert Cole about his war period appeared in Illustrated in the UK.
18 Apr 1947	Ethel and PGW sailed from Cherbourg for New York on the SS America arriving on the 26th. They stayed at the Hotel Waylin on East 54th Street.
26 Jun 1948	Still keen boxing fans, Plum and Ethel saw Joe Louis fight Jersey Joe Walcott at Yankee Stadium.
2 Sep 1948	Don't Listen Ladies, a new play was a hit and written by Guy Bolton and Stephen Powys, a.k.a. PGW.
1 Feb 1949	Lunched with Evelyn Waugh in New York.
Mar 1950	Last issue of The Strand appeared. PGW lunched (separately) with Michael Arlen, Evelyn Waugh and Ferenc Molnar.
28 Oct 1950	Interviewed on radio by Eleanor Roosevelt.
Mar 1952	While staying with the Boltons at Remsenburg, Ethel bought a house at Basket Neck Lane.
Jul 1952	Ethel and Plum moved to Remsenburg, keeping their New York apartment for the winter.
15 Jul 1953	First post-war article in Punch, Malcolm Muggeridge having become editor earlier in the year.
15 Oct 1954	Wrote to J.R.D. Jones about his time at the Hongkong & Shanghai Bank.
1 May 1955	Gave up New York apartment and lived the year round at Remsenburg.
8 Sep 1955	Filed application for US citizenship.
16 Dec 1955	Became an American citizen.
27 Jan 1960	Honoured by election to the Punch table.
1961	Wodehouse At Work by Richard Usborne published.
15 Jul 1961	Evelyn Waugh on the BBC broadcast 'An Act of Homage And Reparation to P.G. Wodehouse'.
24 May 1964	Jeeves appeared as a long-playing record with Terry Thomas as Bertie and Roger Livsey as Jeeves.
Sep 1964	Nella (Armine's widow) came to live at Remsenburg.
6 Apr 1965	Herbert Jenkins taken over by another UK publisher, Barrie and Rockcliff.
27 May 1965	BBC began television series The World Of Wooster with Ian Carmichael as Bertie and Denis Price as Jeeves.
16 Feb 1967	BBC began another television series Blandings Castle, starring Sir Ralph Richardson as Lord Emsworth and his wife Merial Forbes as Lady Constance.
Nov 1967	P.G. Wodehouse Animal Shelter opened at Remsenburg.
19 Sep 1969	A Pelican At Blandings was the last PGW book to be published under the Herbert Jenkins imprint.
29 Oct 1970	The Girl In Blue was PGW's first book published in the UK by Barrie and Jenkins instead of Herbert Jenkins.
1974	P. G. Wodehouse: A Portrait Of A Master by David A. Jasen published.
1974	Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum of London sent John Blakely to Remsenburg to capture PGW in wax.
14 Apr 1974	Last complete novel, Aunts Aren 't Gentlemen, published in the UK.
Late 1974	BBC commenced a new television series, Wodehouse Playhouse.
1975	Wodehouse Playhouse became the third BBC television series based on Wodehouse stories.
1 Jan 1975	Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, along with Charlie Chaplin.
14 Feb 1975	Died in Southampton hospital having spent his life giving pleasure to millions of readers.
18 Feb 1975	Funeral service at Remsenburg Presbyterian Church, the Revd Gordon G. Dickson officiated.
Source: Barry Phelps. P G Wodehouse: Man and Myth