R.I.P. Frank Kibblewhite and the Sundial Press

For many months, some friends and I have worried over the disappearance of Frank Kibblewhite, the proprietor and force behind the Sundial Press of Dorset. Alas, our fears were well founded. Frank died on 16 December 2023 at the age of 72 after what appears to have been a lengthy stay in hospital. He reportedly had a large tumor on his lung.

Sundial Press published many titles by or to do with the Powys family. But Frank had branched out to do other associated authors, like Phyllis Paul, whose novels were favorites of John Cowper Powys. Sundial did A Cage for the Nightingale, with an introduction by Glen Cavaliero, and  Pulled Down, with an introduction by David Tibet. He had plans to do more Phyllis Paul titles.

Sundial also did some elegant editions in a series of  Sundial Supernatural. These include:

Christopher Woodforde. A Pad in the Straw

A.N.L. Munby. The Alabaster Hand   

Richmal Crompton. Mist & Other Ghost Stories  

Rosemary Timperley.  From another World [a second volume   had been announced but was never published]  

W.J. Wintle. Ghost Gleams

He announced an edition of F.M. Mayor’s The Room Opposite and Other Tales of Mystery and Imagination, believing it to be in the public domain, but as a posthumously published book, the life plus 70 years rule did not apply, and he never did come to an agreement with the author's estate.  

Sundial did other works of interest, like H.A.Manhood's Life, Be Still and Other Stories, introduced by Mark Valentine.  Doubtless I am forgetting others at present. 

The Powys Society is selling off some of the remaining Sundial stock.  See here (there is one Phyllis Paul title at the very bottom of the list).