J.B. Priestley Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

John Boynton Priestley, known as J.B. Priestley, was born on September 13, 1894, in Bradford, England. He was a prolific novelist, playwright, and broadcaster whose work left an indelible mark on 20th-century British literature.

Priestley served in the British Army during World War I and later studied at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. His early writing career began in journalism, but he soon established himself as a successful novelist with works such as "The Good Companions" (1929), which catapulted him into national fame and won him the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. However, Priestley's most enduring contributions were to the field of drama. His play "An Inspector Calls" (1945) is considered a classic of mid-20th century English theatre. The play uses the form of a detective thriller to critique the inequalities of an Edwardian England class system. Other notable plays by Priestley include "Time and the Conways" (1937) and "Dangerous Corner" (1932).

Priestley was awarded the Freedom of the City of Bradford in 1964 and was made a member of the Order of Merit in 1977. He declined a knighthood in 1965 but accepted a life peerage in 1977, becoming Baron Priestley.