Chronology
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Joseph
Conrad’s life may be seen as having several distinct stages: in
Poland and in Russian exile before his father’s death (1857–69); in Poland and
the south of France under the care of his maternal uncle (1870–78); in the
British merchant marine, mainly as junior officer sailing in the Far East
(1879–early 1890s); after a transitional period (early 1890s), as writer of
critical esteem (1895–1914); as acclaimed writer, though perhaps with his
greatest work achieved (1914–24). After 1895 the history of his life is
essentially the history of his works.
1857 December 3 Józef
Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski (Nałęcz coat-of-arms) born in Berdyczów in
the Ukraine to Apollo and Ewelina (or Ewa), née Bobrowska, Korzeniowski
1862 May Korzeniowski,
his wife, and son forced into exile in Russia
1865 April Ewa
Korzeniowska dies
1868 Korzeniowski
permitted to leave Russia
1869 February Korzeniowski
and Conrad move to Cracow
May Korzeniowski dies
1870 Conrad,
under care of uncle Tadeusz Bobrowski, begins study with tutor, Adam Pulman
1873 May Visits
Switzerland and northern Italy; first view of the sea
1874 October Takes
position in Marseilles with Delestang et Fils, bankers and shippers
1875 Apprentice
in Mont-Blanc
1876–7 In
Saint-Antoine
1878 February / March Attempts
suicide
April Leaves
Marseilles in British steamer Mavis
June Lands at
Lowestoft, Suffolk; first time in England
July–September Sails as ordinary seaman in Skimmer
of the Sea (North Sea coastal waters of England)
1878–80 In
Duke of Sutherland, Europa
1880 Meets
G. F. W. Hope, Adolf Krieger
June Passes
examination for second mate
1880–81 Third
mate in Loch Etive
1881–4 Second
mate in Palestine, Riversdale, Narcissus
1884 December Passes
examination for first mate
1885–6 Second
mate in Tilkhurst
1886 Submits
perhaps his first story, ‘The Black Mate’, to Tit-Bits competition
August Becomes a
British subject
November Passes examination
for master; receives ‘Certificate of Competency as Master’
1886–7 Second
mate in Falconhurst
1887–8 First
mate in Highland Forest, in Vidar
1888–9 Captain
of barque Otago
1889 Autumn Begins
Almayer’s Folly in London
1890 February–April In
Poland for first time since 1874
May–December To Congo as second-in-command,
then temporarily as captain, of Roi des Belges
1891 Manages
warehouse of Barr, Moering, London
1891–3 First
mate in Torrens
1893 Meets
John Galsworthy, Edward L. Sanderson
Autumn Visits Bobrowski
in Polish Ukraine
November Signs on as second
mate in Adowa, which never makes voyage
1894 January Ends
career as seaman
February Bobrowski dies
Meets Edward Garnett,
Jessie George
1895 April Almayer’s
Folly
1896 March An
Outcast of the Islands. Marries Jessie George; honeymoon in Brittany
Settles in
Stanford-le-Hope, Essex
1897 Begins
friendship with R. B. Cunninghame Graham; meets Henry James, Stephen Crane
December The Nigger of the
‘Narcissus’
1898 Meets
Ford Madox (Hueffer) Ford, H. G. Wells
January Alfred Borys
Conrad born
April Tales of
Unrest
October Moves to Pent
Farm, Stanford, Nr Hythe, Kent, sub-let from Ford
1900 Begins
association with J. B. Pinker
1900 October Lord
Jim
1901 June The
Inheritors (with Ford)
1902 November Youth:
A Narrative and Two Other Stories
1903 April Typhoon
and Other Stories
October Romance
(with Ford)
1904 October Nostromo
1905 June One
Day More staged in London
1906 Meets
Arthur Marwood
August John Alexander
Conrad born
October The Mirror of
the Sea
1907 September The
Secret Agent. Moves to Someries, Luton, Bedfordshire
1908 August A
Set of Six
1909 Moves
to Aldington, Kent
1910 Moves
to Capel House, Orlestone, Kent
1911 October Under
Western Eyes
1912 January A
Personal Record (Some Reminiscences)
October ’Twixt Land and
Sea
1913 September Chance,
with ‘main’ publication date of January 1914
1914 July–November Visits
Poland with family; delayed by outbreak of First World War; returns via Austria
and Italy
1915 February Within
the Tides
September Victory
1917 March The
Shadow-Line
1919 March Moves
to Spring Grove, near Wye, Kent
August The Arrow of
Gold
October Moves to Oswalds,
Bishopsbourne, near Canterbury, Kent
1920 June The
Rescue
1921 Collected
editions begin publication in England (Heinemann) and America (Doubleday)
February Notes
on Life and Letters
1922 November The
Secret Agent staged in London
1923 May–June Visits
America, guest of F. N. Doubleday
December The Rover
1924 May Declines
knighthood
August 3 Dies at Oswalds
(Roman Catholic burial, Canterbury)
September The Nature of a
Crime (with Ford)
October The Shorter
Tales
1925 January Tales
of Hearsay
September Suspense
1926 March Last
Essays
1928 June The
Sisters