J. H. B. Peel

John Hugh Brignal Peel (1913–1983) was a British journalist, author and poet, writing, as J. H. B. Peel, about farming and the countryside.

His father was the comedian Gillie Potter. From the 1960s, he wrote a fortnightly essay, "Country Talk", for the Daily Telegraph. He wrote and narrated radio and television programmes. He was also awarded "Book of the Year" on two occasions by The Sunday Times.

Education

He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood, and at Oriel College, Oxford.

Bibliography

Poetry

• In the Country (1944)
• Mere England: A Poem, Chaterson Ltd. (1946)
• Frost at Midnight (1947)
• Light and Shade, Robert Hale (1976) ISBN 0-7091-5826-2
• Time To Go, Watts & Co, 1942

Essays

• Country Talk (illustrated by Balint Stephen Biro), Robert Hale (1970) ISBN 0-7091-1770-1
• More Country Talk (illustrated by Balint Stephen Biro), Robert Hale (1973) ISBN 0-7091-4176-9
• New Country Talk (illustrated by Balint Stephen Biro), Cassell (1975) ISBN 0-7091-5334-1
• Fresh Country Talk, Cassell
• Country Talk Again (llustrated by Val Biro), Robert Hale (1977) ISBN 0-7091-6371-1
• Country Talk Continued, Robert Hale (1979) 0-7091-7861-1
• Latest Country Talk, Robert Hale (1981) ISBN 0-7091-9418-8
• Another Country Talk, Robert Hale (1983) ISBN 0-7090-1282-9
• Off The Beaten Track,Robert Hale (1984) ISBN 0 7090 1547 X
• People And Places , Robert Hale (1980) ISBN 0 7091 8583 9
• Small Calendars , Arthur Barker (1948)

Travel

• Buckinghamshire Footpaths (1949)
• The Chilterns (drawings by James Arnold), Elek (1950)
• Portrait of the Severn, Robert Hale
• Portrait of Exmoor, Robert Hale
• Portrait of Thames published by Robert Hale
• Discovering the Chilterns (1967)
• North Wales and Anglesey (maps by Jack Parker and Alan Walton), Charles Letts & Co, (1969)
• England in Colour, Batsford (1969) ISBN 0-7134-0017-X
• Along the Pennine Way, Cassell (1972)& by David & Charles (1979)
• Along the Green Roads of Britain, Cassell
• Along the Roman Roads of Britain, Cassell (1971) ISBN 0-304-93738-X
• All over Britain, Robert Hale (1978) ISBN 0-7091-7206-0
• Peel's England published by David and Charles

Other

• A Man's Life, Barker (1950)
• The Gallant Story, Barker (1955)
• An Englishman's Home (illustrated by Ronald Maddox), David & Charles (1972) ISBN 0-7153-7637-3

Quotes

It was said of J H B Peel by John Masefield. 'Mr Peel knows more than any other living man about the life of the English Countryside'.