Black William.

by Robert Neill

"Novel starts in 1714 on Jermyn Street at Lady Chandler's house. Her houseguest is her niece. Also in attendance is Captain Marriott and Mr. Willoughby. It is rich Mr. Willoughby who Lady Chandler has picked has her niece's future husband but he is an objectionable man. An incident happens causing the Captain to be banned from future gaming and the niece is sent from London to Gateshead after the coronation of George I, where she becomes involved in Jacobite intrigue."

Genres: Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

Robert Geoffrey Neill (1905 – 1979) was an English writer of historical fiction.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_...


Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

History, at least as understood by this Yankee: 1714, well after the Glorious Revolution deposed and exiled James II. Queen Anne has recently died, and the Act of Settlement 1701 forbids a Catholic from taking the British throne. Ascension therefore passes over many in favor of George I (including over James Francis Edward Stuart, the son of James II, here referred to as "The Pretender" or "King James"). Jacobites prepare rebellion against George, as encouraged and partially financed by their king over the sea.

Again Neill grounds a commonplace romance novel in a solid and exciting time, and uses the conflicts of the period as part of the basic machinery of the story, and uses it to align the characters according to their loyalties. It's not enough that Mally choose between the stolid and friendly Dick Chandler and the dashing and romantic Tony Marriott, but a potential revolution could send the entire area into chaos.

Of course, being what it is, there is never really the feeling that any character will meet the hangman, or indeed that violence is ever an option. The major political conflict is resolved either by decisive action offscreen or by rather pointed conversation (pretty much like real life). In this is plays out like Nancy Drew, with Mally and Jane investigating and interrogating and deducing.

The title Black William gives away the major leanings of the story, as well as its weakness. This is yet another Neill story where the heroine finds a protector in the form of an older male relative, who starts out as a distant threatening figure, reveals himself as a man of great means and abilities, and finally acts as deus ex machina to crush problems at the climax, just as things were getting interesting.

Come for the atmosphere and the history, stay for the interesting characters and the light romance, ignore if you wish the ending.

[ClareT · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I bought this book more than 30 years ago, after reading Mist Over Pendle. I finally got round to reading it.

It is set in London and Gateshead in 1714, the time when King George I was being crowned, but many people still thought the true king was over the water. It is a tale of spies and plots, old money and new. A time when (just like today) people blamed others for their hard times, and looked back to a time when they thought things were better.

It is also a romance, will she choose the dashing Captain, or the local steady as a rock choice?

All in all an enjoyable read that for now will stay on my shelves.

[Jean Gechter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I read sometime in the early 1960s - it was in my mother's library. I always remembered it as one of my favorite books and in July 1978 my mother officially gave it to me. But it was not until this past week (November 2020) that I picked it up to read again. And it was just as wonderful as before. Definitely a love story - also the period of the Jacobites - which reminded me of the Outlander stories. Simply a good book with a good story. Not sure if it is even in print anymore, but if it is I highly recommend it.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is set in 1714 in October and November with November 5 being the coronation of George I, the first Hannover King. Mally lives with her aunt, Lady Chandler, who is a Jacobite, and her husband, Sir John Chandler, Whig, merchant and King’s man. A Captain Marriott, who is to snare people to the Jacobite cause through cards, becomes interested in Mally, who appears to reciprocate his feelings to the point where he results to fisticuffs to rescue her from unwanted advances from a Mr. Willoughby. Captain Marriott is disgraced and Mally is shipped to the north to stay with a Lady Chandler’s brother, John Lawley. The times are a bit uneasy and Mally, along with her cousin, Jane, uncover a Jacobite plot that involves their Uncle John Lawley. William Chandler, Sir John Chandler’s brother, is a government man, who prospers from his business and keeps an eye on Mally. With plots, and romance (William has a son, Richard known as Dick, who also takes an interest in Mally), coal pits, etc., this makes for a very good read. There are wonderful descriptions of food (such as a sauce made of brains and lemon and spices), the area around Newcastke, the Hostmen, the straiths, coal pits, the landscape, an old Roman wall, and more that bring a vivid sense of time, place and history.

[Edb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book, written in 1955 about England in 1741. It is a novel that blends in some of the intrigue at the Court. I first read it when I was about 12 and remembered it enough to get it when I was at Mom's for Christmas. It's still a goo dbook.

[Margareth8537 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neil writes enjoyable historical thrillers