Sir Hugh Seymour Walpole, CBE was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on March 13th, 1884.
His parents had moved to New Zealand in 1877, but his mother, Mildred, unable to settle there, eventually persuaded her husband, Somerset, an Anglican clergyman, to accept another post, this time in New York in 1889.
Walpole's early years involved being educated by a Governess until, in 1893, his parents decided he needed an English education and the young Walpole was sent to England.
He first attended a preparatory school in Truro.
He naturally missed his family but was reasonably happy.
A move to Sir William Borlase's Grammar School in Marlow in 1895, found him bullied, frightened and miserable.
The following year, 1897, the Walpole's returned to England and Walpole was moved to be a day boy at Durham School.
His sense of isolation increased.
His refuge was the local library and reading.
From 1903 to 1906 Walpole studied history at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and there, in 1905, had his first work published, the critical essay Two Meredithian Heroes.
Walpole was also attempting to cope with and come to terms with his homosexual feelings and to find that perfect friend.
After a short spell tutoring in Germany and then teaching French at Epsom in 1908 he found the desire to fully immerse himself in the literary world.
He moved to London to become a book reviewer for The Standard and to write fiction in his spare time.
In 1909, he published his first novel, The Wooden Horse.
The book received good reviews but sold little.
Better was to come in 1911 when he published Mr Perrin and Mr Traill.
In early 1914 Henry James wrote an article for The Times Literary Supplement surveying the younger generation of British novelists.
Walpole was greatly encouraged that one of the greatest living authors had publicly ranked him among the finest young British novelists.
As war approached, Walpole realised that his poor eyesight would disqualify him from service and accepted an appointment, base.
