Born in Clapham, London, March 6th
According to census living at 189 Park Hill, Clapham
According to census living at 10 Friend’s Road, Croydon
Starts at Whitgift Grammar School, Croydon, April 29th
Robert’s father appointed curate, St Matthews, Croydon
Made a prefect at Whitgift, September
Robert’s father ordained priest at Canterbury Cathedral, 24th December
Leaves Whitgift Grammar School, Croydon, July
Awarded Latimer-Neville History Exhibition to Magdalene College, Cambridge
Starts three year-course at Cambridge University, September
Member of Children’s Special Service Mission team to Port Erin, Isle of Man, August
Starts at Cambridge Clergy Training School (now Westcott House), September
Begins curacy in Bradford, Yorkshire, August
Ordained deacon at Ripon Cathedral, September 25th
According to census has lodgings in Bradford with landlady Harriet Hargreaves
Helps launch a mission to Bury, September 16th
Ordained priest at Ripon Cathedral, September 24th
Sails for Zanzibar, as member of the Universities Mission to Central Africa, November
Joins staff of St. Andrew’s College - Kinugani, Zanzibar as vice-principle, January
Darkness and Light, published, June
Founds first Scout groups in Zanzibar
Loneliness of Christ published, May
Kikuyu incident begins following conference in June
Returns from Zanzibar to England, January
Takes MA from Cambridge
Great Britain declares war on Germany, August 4th
Applies unsuccessfully to become an army chaplain
Songs of Narrow Way (collection of poems) published, October
Sailed for South Africa on Kildonan Castle, January
Begins work as parish priest at St. Saviour’s Hlotse, as rector of Leribe, Basutoland
A City of the Dawn, published, April
Marries Sybil Armitage at St Cyprian’s, Durban, June 7th
The Adventures of Paul Kangai, published, October
Shot in the right thigh in Mokhotlong by Khomoapinya, April
Recovering at Grey’s Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, until July
SS Mendi sinks in the English Channel with death of over 600 SANLC men, February 21st
The Perpetual Sacrifice; Meditations on the Passion, published, March
Commissioned as Captain and Chaplain to the SANLC, May
Completed training at Rosebank Camp, Cape Town, and sails for France, June
In France from August 29th, originally stationed in Rouen, before moving to La Havre.
The Worth of an African (article) published in The East and West Quarterly, October
The Child (short story) published in Treasury Magazine, December
Meets Jolie Buck, a driver for the Canadian Forestry Corps
African Priests in France (article) published in The East and West Quarterly, January
The Drift of Pinions (collection of stories) published, July
This Same Jesus, published September
Robert’s brother Henry dies in Malta, September 11th
Discharged from SANLC, in Cape town, October 4th
First recorded baptism back in Leribe, October 18th
First World War armistice November 11th
Writes first draft of Simon Called Peter in three weeks
Standing By published, September
Keable’s wife Sybil leaves South Africa on Llanstephen Castle, November
Last recorded baptisms in Leribe, April 28th
Resigns as a priest and leaves Leribe, May
Travels slowly back to England walking much of Spain, May – July
Joins Sybil at Bates Cottage, West Wratting, Cambridge, September
Pilgrim’s Papers published, November
Slave, Serf, Citizen – and the way back (article) published December
Simon Called Peter published in UK, April
Teacher at Dulwich College for half a term, summer
According to census living at 14 Park Street, Dulwich
Rents cottage with Sybil in Steyning, West Sussex for summer
Begins teaching at Dunstable Grammar, September 20th
Moves to 1 Peter’s Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, September
The Mother of All Living published in UK, December 1st
Simon Called Peter published by in USA, January 9th
Visits Germany in the Easter holidays
Leaves Dunstable Grammar after year of teaching, July
The Mother of all Living published by in USA, August 9th
Draws up separation agreement with Sybil, August
Leaves Southampton on SS Bendigo, September 7th
The Censorship of Thought published in Nonesensorship, September
Eleanor Mills and Rev. Edward Hall bodies found Somerset County, NJ, September 16th
Peradventure published in UK, September 19th
Jolie Buck travels to Australia on SS Omar leaving on September 22nd
Arrives in Australia, October 16th
Boston judge fines woman $100 for circulating Simon Called Peter, October 19th
Meets up with Jolie (who has changed her name to Jolie Keable) in Melbourne, October
Lecture at Protestant Hall, Sydney on Modern Marriage, November 8th
Arrives in Tahiti and rents Paul Gauguin’s house, Punaauia, December
Starts to live with Jolie as his common-in-law wife, December
Spends first nine months in Tahiti writing and exploring island
Purchases a valley near Papeari and designs a house
RJ Fletcher agrees to co-ordinate building of the house
Leaves Tahiti on El Kautara sailing to Marseilles, 3rd September
Arrives back in England, November
Based at Hotel Belgrade, Grosvenor Gardens, November - December
Departs on grand tour, December
Travels south through France to Algiers, January
Recompense published in UK, February
Premiere of play of Simon Called Peter in Washington, February 7th
Travels from Algeria to Malta, February
Recompense published in USA, March 28th
Travels from Malta to Egypt, March
Travels from Egypt to Greece, April
Returns to England, May
Plans to return to Tahiti deferred, due to Jolie’s pregnancy
Rents Harman’s Orchard, Crockham Hill, Kent for the summer
Warner Brothers buy rights to Recompense, May 22nd
Writes two articles for Radio Times, June
Tahiti, Isle of Dreams serialised in Asia Magazine from October
Simon Called Peter opens on Broadway at Klaw Theatre, November 10th
Jolie dies in childbirth aged 25, November 14th
First son, Robert Anthony Keable, (later Tony Keable-Elliott) born, November 14th
Leaves Southampton on RMSP Orca, January 2nd
Simon Called Peter transfers to Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway, January 12th
Arrives New York at invitation of Warner Brothers, January 14th
Attends performance of Simon Called Peter, January 16th
Numerous Treasure published in UK, January 29th
Numerous Treasure published in USA, March 14th
The Watch and Ward Society ban Numerous Treasure in Boston, March
Returns to Tahiti to live in new house, Teahuahu, Papeari, March
Recompense directed by Harry Beaumont, released by Warner Brothers, April 26th
Ill with kidney disease, sails on RMS Maunganui from Papeete, August 25th
Month in St. Luke’s hospital San Francisco, September
James Norman Hall and new wife Sarah honeymoon at Keable’s house, September
Leaves San Francisco enroute back to Tahiti, December 2nd
Completes new novel Lighten Our Darkness, March 29th
Princess Ina Salmon and her two children come to stay, April
Visits Rarotonga to stay with King Tiniaru, June
Leaves Tahiti for San Francisco on RMS Maunganui, July 27th
Arrives in Liverpool on SS Doric, August 31st
Travels to Switzerland and Italy to meet parents, September
Preaches in a church for first time in six years, Glasgow, November 7th
Lectures on Tahiti in Prague, Czechoslovakia, November 30th
Staying with Jack and Rita Elliott and his son Tony, Stokenchurch, Bucks, Christmas
Left Liverpool on SS Aurania heading to New York, January 1st
Speech in San Francisco, at League of American Pen Women dinner, January 29th
Lighten Our Darkness published in UK, February 17th
Returns to Tahiti and invites Alec Waugh to stay, March
Starts to live with Ina as his common-in-law wife, March
Ann Decides (US title for Lighten Our Darkness) published, April
Completes final novel Madness of Monty, June 28th
Meets Zane Grey and goes out on his fishing boat, July 23rd
Robert Lee Eskridge stays and paints Ina, July
James Norman Hall starts work as his secretary, September
Dictates The Great Galilean to James Norman Hall, October
Ina gives birth to his second son Henry Reheaenoa, November 10th
Dies peacefully at his home in Tahiti, December 22nd
Buried in Uranie Cemetery, Papeete, December 23rd