Edward Marsh: A Life of Poets, Painters and Players

Sir Edward ’Eddie’ Marsh was an ornament of early twentieth-century society; a respected civil servant, polymath and scholar who led a remarkable life. Always at the heart of the establishment, he was Winston Churchill’s longest serving Private Secretary and close friend.

Marsh harboured a passion for young men - poets, painters and actors - to whom he devoted his money, time and connections. His numerous protégés included luminaries such as Rupert Brooke, Robert Graves, Mark Gertler, Stanley Spencer, and Ivor Novello to name but a few. Preferring to work behind the scenes, Marsh also edited the work of several acclaimed writers; Winston Churchill, Somerset Maugham, Siegfried Sassoon and many others owe a debt to Marsh whose hand burnished their work.

Marsh’s story is set against the backdrop of the extraordinary events of the first half of the twentieth century, and is seen through the prism of his illustrious friendships

Sharon Mather had a successful career in fundraising for the Arts and Higher Education sectors, including the Fitzwilliam Museum, the Royal Academy of Arts and Churchill College, University of Cambridge, before achieving a Distinction in M.A. Biography with the University of Buckingham in 2020. She was also awarded the University Prize for the Best Performance in Biography. Poets, Painters and Players: The Life of Sir Edward Marsh is her first biography and was short-listed for the Tony Lothian Prize 2021.