Florida Scott-Maxwell

Florida Pier Scott-Maxwell (14 September 1883 - 6 March 1979) was a playwright, author and psychologist.

Florida Scott-Maxwell
Florida Scott-Maxwell ca. 1910 by Amanda Brewster Sewell
Born	Florida Pier (1883-09-14)14 September 1883 Orange Park, Florida
Died	6 March 1979(1979-03-06) (aged 95) Exeter, England
Occupation	Writer
Spouse	John Maxwell Scott-Maxwell ​ ​ (m. 1910⁠–⁠1929)​ ending in divorce

Biography

Florida Pier was born in Orange Park, Florida, and educated at home until the age of ten.^[1] She grew up in Pittsburgh, then moved to New York City at age 15 to become an actress. In 1910 she married John Maxwell Scott-Maxwell and moved to her husband's native Scotland, and lived in Baillieston House 6 miles east of Glasgow where she worked for women's suffrage and as a playwright.^[1]

They had four children: sons Stephen, Peter and Denis, and a daughter Hilary. The couple divorced in 1929 and she moved to London. In 1933 she studied Jungian psychology under Carl Jung and practised as an analytical psychologist in both England and Scotland. Her most famous book is The Measure of My Days (1968).^[1]

Scott-Maxwell died in Exeter, England on 6 March 1979.^[2]

Selected works

• The Power of Ancestors (short story, 1906)^[3]
• Musty, Dusty Mr. Cullender (short story, 1910)^[4]
• Mrs Nolly's Real Self (short story, 1911)^[5]
• The Flash-Point. A play in three acts. 1914^[6]
• The Kinsmen Knew How to Die (as "Florida Pier", with Sophie Botcharsky, 1931).^[7]
• Pray for the Princess (short story, 1931)^[8]
• Many Women (play) 1932. Produced at the Arts Theatre, London.
• Towards relationship (non-fiction) 1939^[9]
• I Said to Myself (play) 1946. Produced at the Mercury Theatre, London^[10]
• Women and Sometimes Men (non-fiction) 1957 ^[11]
• The Measure of My Days (autobiography) 1968^[12]

References

1. Harmon, Gary (1992). McCarthy, Kevin (ed.). The Book-lovers' Guide to Florida. Sarasota, FL: Pineapple. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-56164-012-6.
2. Harris, Mirian Kalman. "Scott-Maxwell, Florida". American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial Times to the Present. www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
3. Pier, Florida (1906). "The Power of Ancestors". The Century Magazine. 71: 445.
4. Pier, Florida (1910). "Musty, Dusty Mr. Cullender". Munsey's Magazine. 42: 389.
5. Pier, Florida (1911). "Mrs Nolly's Real Self". Harper's Magazine. Vol. 123. p. 786.
6. British Library Catalogue #002433558
7. British Library Catalogue #007561320
8. Pier, Florida (1931). "Pray for the Princess". Life and Letters. 6: 50.
9. British Library Catalogue #007571811
10. "The Theatres". The Times. London. 26 May 1947. p. 6.
11. British Library Catalogue #002433561
12. "Scott-Maxwell, Florida 1883-1979" at the OCLC