J. B. Priestley

J. B. Priestley – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Discover the life, works, and lasting legacy of J. B. Priestley — the British novelist, playwright, social commentator, and thinker whose time-plays and social vision continue to resonate.

Introduction

John Boynton Priestley (13 September 1894 – 14 August 1984) was a prolific and influential English writer: novelist, dramatist, essayist, broadcaster, and social commentator. An Inspector Calls, remains widely performed, studied, and adapted globally. In this article, we trace Priestley’s life, his contributions across genres, his ideas on time and society, and some of his most memorable quotes.

Early Life and Background

Priestley was born in Manningham, Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England on 13 September 1894.

Priestley attended Belle Vue Grammar School but left at age 16 to work as a junior clerk at Helm & Co., a Bradford firm handling wool and textiles.

In 1914, as the First World War erupted, Priestley volunteered for military service. He served with the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, being posted to the Western Front in France.

After the war, Priestley went to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, studying English and then History, and graduated in 1921 with an upper-second class degree.

Literary Career & Major Works

Early Novels and Rise to Prominence

Priestley first made his mark as a novelist. His 1929 novel The Good Companions brought him wide acclaim and earned him the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. Angel Pavement (1930), Benighted (1927), and other works that explored social and economic tensions in interwar Britain.

In English Journey (1934), a genre-crossing travelogue, Priestley toured England and critiqued social inequality, advocating reform. The work had lasting influence and is sometimes cited as helping to shape postwar politics.

Drama, Time Plays, and Social Vision

Priestley’s enduring legacy lies largely in drama. He was strongly interested in theories of time and how past, present, and future might interpenetrate. Many of his plays incorporate “time slip” or non-linear structure. Time and the Conways (1937), I Have Been Here Before (1937), and Dangerous Corner (1932).

His most famous play, An Inspector Calls (1945), is both a gripping drama and a moral allegory: a mysterious inspector visits a bourgeois family and probes their collective responsibility for a young woman’s fate. The play remains a staple of school curricula and theatrical repertoires worldwide.

Other noteworthy plays include When We Are Married (1938), Johnson Over Jordan (1939), The Linden Tree (1947), and Laburnum Grove.

In 1955, Priestley collaborated with his third wife, Jacquetta Hawkes, on Dragon’s Mouth.

Essays, Broadcasting, and Social Commentary

During the Second World War, Priestley became widely known as a broadcaster. His Sunday evening “Postscripts” programs for the BBC reached millions and helped bolster civilian morale.

In 1941, he chaired the 1941 Committee, a group of writers, intellectuals, and activists pressing for postwar social change. He was also a founder of the Common Wealth Party, a socialist party promoting public ownership and social justice.

Priestley’s fascination with time and consciousness culminated in his 1964 philosophical/essay work Man and Time, in which he explored theoretical and experiential aspects of time, memory, and destiny.

Themes, Style & Influence

Time, Memory, and Moral Responsibility

Priestley’s plays often probe the tension between what has been, what is, and what might be. The idea of “time slips” allows characters (and audiences) to reconsider actions and consequences. This reflects his belief that human choices echo beyond the immediate moment.

His work also emphasizes social interconnectedness and moral accountability: individuals do not live in isolation. An Inspector Calls’ central message — “We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other” — expresses this ethos.

Social Critique & Reform

Priestley was not merely an observer of society but a critic and advocate. His works frequently highlight class divisions, injustice, hypocrisy, and the need for compassion and reform. His public voice pressed for postwar welfare, equitable policies, and human dignity.

Accessible Style & Popular Appeal

Despite his intellectual depth, Priestley wrote for broad audiences. His novels and plays achieved mass popularity without abandoning nuance. His dialogues are often sharp, his characters believable, and his structures inventive.

His Yorkshire origins also flavored his work: the settings, dialects, and social milieus of northern England recur in several novels and plays.

Personal Life

Priestley married three times. His first wife, Emily “Pat” Tempest, died of cancer in 1925; they had two daughters. Jacquetta Hawkes, a noted archaeologist and writer, who remained his partner until his death.

Though offered various honors, Priestley was cautious about official decorations. He declined a knighthood and a Companion of Honour, but accepted appointment to the Order of Merit in 1977.

He died on 14 August 1984 (aged 89) of pneumonia in Alveston, Warwickshire.

Famous Quotes of J. B. Priestley

Here are some of Priestley’s memorable sayings that reflect his wit, insight, and moral voice:

“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.”

“We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”

“The more we elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.”

“Marriage is like paying an endless visit in your worst clothes.”

“Many a man is praised for his reserve and so-called shyness when he is simply too proud to risk making a fool of himself.”

“Comedy, we may say, is society protecting itself — with a smile.”

“The first fall of snow is not only an event; it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different … if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?”

“We cannot get grace from gadgets. The dishes in the Bakelite houses of the future may not break, but the heart can.”

Lessons from J. B. Priestley

1. Time is more than linear
   Priestley invites us to consider that past, present, and future intertwine—that our actions echo beyond immediate consequences.

2. Moral responsibility is collective
   We are not isolated; our choices affect others. An Inspector Calls dramatizes this with urgency.

3. Art can be both popular and profound
   Priestley proves that serious ideas can be woven into engaging storytelling accessible to many.

4. Public voices matter
   His broadcasting and activism show that authors can influence social consciousness, not merely their readers.

5. Hope amid critique
   While Priestley was critical of injustice and inequality, many of his works emphasize renewal, redemption, and moral awakening.

Conclusion

J. B. Priestley was a writer of remarkable range and depth—equally adept as novelist, dramatist, commentator, and theorist. His imaginative use of time, his social conscience, and his enduring works like An Inspector Calls and Time and the Conways continue to stimulate thought and emotion. His voice reminds us that literature can entertain and challenge, that art can engage society, and that each new day holds possibility.