Davies, [William] Robertson

1913 - Born on the 28th of August at Thamesville, Ontario.

1926-1932 - Attended Upper Canada College in Toronto also attended services at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene.

1932-1935 - He studied at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.

1938 - He received a BLitt degree at Balliol College, Oxford.

1939 - Published his thesis, Shakespeare's Boy Actors, and embarked on an acting career outside London.

1940 - Played small roles and did literary work for the director at the Old Vic Repertory Company in London.

        - He took the position of literary editor at the magazine Saturday Night.

1942-1962 - Became editor of the Peterborough Examiner in the small city of Peterborough, Ontario.

1948 - Eros at Breakfast was named best Canadian play of the year at Dominion Drama Festival.

Wrote plays "At My Heart's Core" 1950, novels "Leaven of Malice" 1954, "Murther and Walking Spirits" 1991, "The Cunning Man" 1994, Deptford trilogy (novels "The Fifth Business" 1970, "The Manticore" 1973, "World of Wonders" 1975).

1955 - Won the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour for Leaven of Malice.

1955-1965 - Served as publisher and published a total 18 books.

1960-1981 - Davies joined Trinity College at the University of Toronto.

1961 - He published a collection of essays on literature, A Voice From the Attic.

       - Awarded the Lorne Pierce Medal for his literary achievements.

1962-1981 - Became the Master of Massey College, the University of Toronto's new graduate college.

1972 - Won the Governor-General's Literary Award in the English language fiction category for The Manticore.

1980 - Became the 1st Canadian honorary member of American Academy of Arts and Letters.

1981 - Published his seventh novel, a satire of academic life, The Rebel Angels.

1985 - Published What's Bred in the Bone.

1986 - Short-listed for the Booker Prize for Fiction for What's Bred in the Bone.

1995 - Died on 2nd of December at Orangeville, Ontario.