Rumpole of the Bailey
A Chronological List of the Stories
1975
Rumpole of the Bailey (later known as Rumpole and the Confession of Guilt).
• Adapted for radio, then for print as: Rumpole and the Confession of Guilt. The television program was titled Rumpole of the Bailey.
Sources:
TV - BBC TV Play for Today Series.
Radio - Adapted for the 1980 radio drama series as: Rumpole and the Confession of Guilt.
Books - Published in print in 1981 in Regina v. Rumpole, and then printed in 1982 in: Rumpole for the Defence as: Rumpole and the Confession of Guilt. The printed story is faithful to the TV play in that it is a story from later in Rumpole's career, and when his son Nick is an adult about to depart for the USA. By the time it was published in print the contemporary stories were of the same point in time. This story is best read in that context and not as the point of entry to the the world of Rumpole. The place to start is Rumpole and the Younger Generation in Rumpole of the Bailey.
1978
Rumpole and the Younger Generation
Rumpole and the Alternative Society
Rumpole and the Honourable Member
Rumpole and the Married Lady
Rumpole and the Learned Friends
• Adapted for radio in 2012 as: Rumpole and the Explosive Evidence.
Rumpole and the Heavy Brigade
Sources:
TV - Rumpole of the Bailey - Series 1
Book - Rumpole of the Bailey - (1978) Same story list as the first TV series and released in conjunction with the broadcast. Readers might recognise the style of the opening page is borrowed from Shakespeare's Richard III - a clear indication that Mortimer's style is to incorporate the rich heritage of the English language in his writing.
1979
Rumpole and the Man of God
Rumpole and the Case of Identity
• Adapted for radio in 1980 as: The Defence of Guthrie Featherstone
Rumpole and the Show Folk
Rumpole and the Fascist Beast
Rumpole and the Course of True Love
Rumpole and the Age for Retirement
Sources:
TV - Rumpole of the Bailey - Series 2
Book - The Trials of Rumpole (1979). Same story list as the second TV series and released in conjunction with the broadcast.
1980
Rumpole and the Confession of Guilt
• Adapted for radio (1980) then print (1981) from the TV pilot episode (1975) and given a title for the first time.
Rumpole and the Dear Departed
Rumpole and the Gentle Art of Blackmail
Rumpole and the Rotten Apple
Rumpole and the Expert Witness
Rumpole and the Perils of the Sea
• Printed in 1981 as: The Boat People
Sources:
Radio - These five new stories (listed in bold) originated in the thirteen episode radio series, 1980. This radio series included an adaptation from the television screenplay of the TV pilot episode as: Rumpole and the Confession of Guilt - the second iteration. The printed version of 1981 was the third iteration.
Book - Regina v. Rumpole (1981) and then in Rumpole for the Defence (1982). These are different books. See notes below for 1981.
Rumpole’s Return
Sources:
TV - Rumpole’s Return special episode.
Book - Rumpole’s Return (1980). Same story as the 1980 TV special and released in conjunction with the broadcast.
Book - Regina v. Rumpole (1981). See notes below for 1981.
1981
Rumpole and the Spirit of Christmas
Rumpole and the Boat People [Second iteration but the first print title]
• Adapted for print from the radio episode of 1980: Rumpole and the Perils of the Sea
Sources:
Book - Regina v. Rumpole (1981) then Rumpole for the Defence (1982).
• Regina v. Rumpole was released in 1981 shortly after the December 1980 TV special Rumpole’s Return. Regina v. Rumpole was an anthology in two parts: Rumpole for the Defence and Rumpole’s Return. The following year Rumpole for the Defence was published separately. The two titles are not the same book. Each contained the five new 1980 radio series stories, the pilot TV episode, and one new story. However Regina v. Rumpole also contained Rumpole’s Return. Common to both books are the stories:
Rumpole and the Confession of Guilt [third iteration but the first print title]
Rumpole and the Gentle Art of Blackmail
Rumpole and the Dear Departed
Rumpole and the Rotten Apple
Rumpole and the Expert Witness
Rumpole and the Spirit of Christmas - a new story
Rumpole and the Boat People
1983
Rumpole and the Genuine Article
Rumpole and the Golden Thread
Rumpole and the Old Boy Net
Rumpole and the Female of the Species
Rumpole and the Sporting Life
Rumpole and the Last Resort
Sources:
TV - Rumpole of the Bailey - Series 3
Book - Rumpole and the Golden Thread (1983)
Same story list as the third TV series and released in conjunction with the broadcast
1986
Rumpole and the Haunted Courtroom
Source:
Newspaper story (The Observer newspaper, London) 21 December 1986.
Not printed elsewhere.
*An alternative date was found on a citation on the Internet suggesting 1995, but this does not fit with the evidence in the text itself: Rumpole mentions the fine "vintage" of 1984 Chateau Thames Embankment (Pommeroy's Plonk) and his son Nick as being head of the Department of Social Studies at the University of Miami (see Rumpole's Return). Nick isn't mentioned much beyond the mid-1980s stories. The University exists and has a life beyond Nick Rumpole - though without a Department of Social Studies.
1987
Rumpole and the Old, Old Story
• Adapted for radio in 2014 as: The Sleeping Partners
Rumpole and the Blind Tasting
Rumpole and the Official Secret
Rumpole and the Judge's Elbow
Rumpole and the Bright Seraphim
Rumpole's Last Case
Sources:
TV - Rumpole of the Bailey - Series 4
Book - Rumpole’s Last Case (1987). Same story list as the fourth TV series in conjunction with the broadcast but the first two stories are swapped around, and one new story (Rumpole and the Winter Break) is included in the book between the fifth and the sixth TV episode:
Rumpole and the Winter Break
Source:
Book - Rumpole’s Last Case (1987)
1988
Rumpole and the Bubble Reputation
Rumpole and the Barrow Boy
Rumpole and the Age of Miracles
Rumpole and the Tap End
Rumpole and Portia
• Adapted for radio in 2014 as: The Portia of our Chambers
Rumpole and the Quality of Life
Sources:
TV - Rumpole of the Bailey - Series 5
Book - Rumpole and the Age of Miracles (1988)
Same story list as the fifth TV series and released in conjunction with the broadcast. The book has the stories in the same order as the television series, with one additional story (Rumpole and the Chambers Party) between the fourth and fifth TV episodes.
Rumpole and the Chambers Party
Source:
Book - Rumpole and the Age of Miracles (1988)
1990/1991
Making the Connection
Source: Newspaper story (The Times, London) 22 December 1990.
Republished in Rumpole on Trial in 1992 as Rumpole and the Soothsayer.
* This is the only Rumpole story issued without the customary 'Rumpole and the...' style of title, except of course for Hilda's Story which is drawn from Hilda Rumpole's memoirs and not Horace Rumpole's. Making the Connection was, however republished in the more familar style and in a permanent form in a book, as noted.
Rumpole à la Carte
• Also listed in Mortimer’s archives as: Rumpole and the Haute Cuisine
Rumpole and the Summer of Discontent
Rumpole and the Right to Silence
Rumpole at Sea
Rumpole and the Quacks
Rumpole for the Prosecution
Sources:
TV - Rumpole of the Bailey - Series 6
Book - Rumpole à la Carte (1990)
Same story list as the sixth TV series and released in conjunction with the broadcast, although well before it was on air. The hardback was released late in 1990 and the paperback with the TV tie-in cover was released early 1991. The series went to air October to December 1991. Given that the stories were commissioned for television and adapted for printing it's a toss-up which date to observe.
1992
Rumpole and the Children of the Devil
• Also listed in Mortimer’s archives as: Rumpole and the Mask of Evil
Rumpole and the Miscarriage of Justice
Rumpole and the Eternal Triangle
Rumpole and the Reform of Joby Jonson
Rumpole and the Family Pride
Rumpole on Trial
Sources:
TV - Rumpole of the Bailey - Series 7
Book - Rumpole on Trial (1992)
Same story list as the seventh and final TV series, and released in conjunction with the broadcast. The book preceded the TV series by a few months. The book has the stories in a different order: using the list above from the TV series as a template the book has the order 1, 3, 2, 5, 4, 6 with a new story Rumpole and the Soothsayer is placed as the fifth in the book.
Rumpole and the Soothsayer [Second title].
Originally published in The Times newspaper in December 1990 as: Making the Connection.
Source:
Book - Rumpole on Trial (1992)
An additional story included in the book of the seventh TV series. It is placed fifth of the seven stories in the book.
Rumpole and the Hanging Judge
Source:
Included in the book : The Television Detectives Omnibus : Great Tales of Crime and Detection / edited by Peter Haining. London : Orion, 1992. ISBN 1857970195
Reprinted as The Armchair Detective : Great Tales of Crime and Detection in paperback in 1993. ISBN 1857971078
Reprinted again in paperback as The Television Detectives Omnibus. London : Bounty Books, 2003. ISBN 9780753708491
Not printed elsewhere.
This anthology of crime strories was first published in October 1992, three months after the Rumpole on Trial book above.
1995
Rumpole and the Model Prisoner
Rumpole and the Way through the Woods
Hilda's Story
• Adapted for radio in 2016 as: Rumpole and Hilda
Rumpole and the Little Boy Lost
Rumpole and the Rights of Man
Rumpole and the Angel of Death
Source:
Book - Rumpole and the Angel of Death (1995)
• This is the first book containing new Rumole stories published after the Thames TV series ceased. It was pubished in October 1995, two months before Rumpole and the Christmas Squeeze below.
Rumpole and the Christmas Squeeze
• Adapted for radio in 2016 as: Memories of Christmas Past
Source:
Newspaper story (The Sunday Times newspaper, 24 December 1995).
This very short story was combined with the following year's Christmas story for radio Rumpole and the Widow Twanky and called Rumpole and the Old Familiar Faces. Under this title it was included in the book Rumpole Rests His Case (2001) and should be read in that format. The new title is an expanded version of both stories with revisions and additional text.
1996
Rumpole and the Widow Twanky
Source:
BBC Radio reading by Timothy West - December 1996.
This very short story was combined with the previous year's Christmas newspaper story Rumpole and the Christmas Squeeze and called Rumpole and the Old Familiar Faces. Under this title it was included in the book Rumpole Rests His Case (2001) and should be read in that format. The new title is an expanded version of both stories with revisions and additional text.
1997
Rumpole and the Nanny Society
Source:
Magazine story - Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Number 670, June 1997.
Reprinted in The Cutting Edge: The Best and Brightest Mystery Writers of the 1990s / edited by Janet Hutchings. New York : Carroll & Graf, 1998. ISBN 9780786705269
Not printed elsewhere.
Rumpole and the Boy
• Collected in Rumpole at Christmas (2009)
• Also listed in Mortimer’s archives as: Rumpole and the Christmas Pterodactyl
Source:
Newspaper story (Daily Mail). The 1997 date is given in the Rumpole at Christmas book without being more specfic.
1998
Rumpole and the Absence of Body
Source:
BBC Radio reading - 13 December 1998. Read by Bernard Cribbins.
Magazine story (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine September/October 1999). Not printed elsewhere.
Rumpole and the Actor Laddie
Source:
BBC Radio reading: 14 December 1998. Read by Bernard Cribbins.
Book: Rumpole Rests His Case (2001)
*These two 1998 radio readings of new Rumpole stories at Christmas were on consecutive days.
1999
Rumpole and the Millennium Bug
• Collected in Rumpole at Christmas (2009)
Source:
Newspaper story (The Indepedent, London) 24 December 1999.
2000
Rumpole and the Case of Rumpy-Pumpy
Source:
Newspaper story (The Evening Standard newspaper, London), 19 October 2000. Not printed elsewhere.
Rumpole and Carrots the Clown
Source:
Manuscript only. Not known to have been published in any form.
*This is the only Rumpole story listed in the publicly available John Mortimer archives index for which no publication source can be identified. All other stories in the archive, with either known or alternative titles, have been verified as issued either in print, television or radio forms.
2001
Rumpole and the Old Familiar Faces [comprises two shorter stories and has a new name].
• This story, itself shorter than the average Rumpole short story, was an amalgamation two very short Christmas stories plus embellishments and some additional linking text: Rumpole and the Christmas Squeeze (1995) and Rumpole and the Widow Twanky (1996).
Rumpole and the Remembrance of Things Past
Rumpole and the Asylum Seekers
Rumpole and the Camberwell Carrot
Rumpole and the Actor Laddie - [Second iteration and the first appearance in print].
Rumpole and the Teenage Werewolf
Rumpole Rests His Case
Source:
Book: Rumpole Rests His Case.
Rumpole and the Old Familiar Faces was published in the United States in the Holiday/Summer 2001 issue of The Strand Magazine a few months before the story was published in Britain in the book Rumpole Rests His Case.
Rumpole and the Actor Laddie was printed for the first time in Rumpole Rests His Case after it first appeared as a BBC Radio reading in 1998.
2002
Rumpole and the Primrose Path
Rumpole and the New Year's Resolution
Rumpole and the Scales of Justice
Rumpole and the Right to Privacy
Rumpole and the Vanishing Juror
Rumpole Redeemed
Source:
Book - Rumpole and the Primrose Path (2002)
Rumpole’s Bonfire Night
Source:
Magazine story: The Mail on Sunday’s You Magazine supplement (London) on 27 October 2002 and also in the USA in The Strand Magazine Number 10, 2003. Not printed elsewhere.
2004
Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders
Source:
Book - Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders (2004)
See the Penge page of this website for notes about the differences between the mentions of this case in the earlier short stories and the account of the case which appeared in the novel. The book was published in October 2004, shortly before the two Christmas stories for 2004 - one in the United States and the other in Britain. While this book is the earliest Rumpole tale, it is framed by the characters present in the most recent book Rumpole and The Primrose Path and other surrounding short stories of the early 2000s.
Rumpole and the Christmas Break
• Collected in Rumpole at Christmas (2009)
Source:
Magazine story (Strand Magazine, no. 14) - Published in the United States
Tale of Rumpole of the Bailey’s Christmas Party
• Collected in Rumpole at Christmas (2009) as: Rumpole and the Christmas Party
Source:
Newspaper story (Daily Express) - Published in Britain
2005
Rumpole and the Kings of Rock
Source:
Magazine story (Strand Magazine, number 15). Not printed elsewhere.
Rumpole and Father Christmas
• Collected in Rumpole at Christmas (2009)
Source:
Newspaper story (Strand Magazine, number 20)
2006
Rumpole and the Wedding Guest
Source: The Strand Magazine, No. 18, February/May 2006
The Mortimer archive dates this story at 1998. If The Strand Magazine was the first place of publication this story remained in draft form for eight years. It is not known to have been published elsewhere.
Rumpole and the Reign of Terror
Source:
Book - Rumpole and the Reign of Terror (2006). The Mortimer archies has a draft of this story with the working title: Rumpole and the War on Terror. Published in October 2006, after Rumpole and the Wedding Guest, but before the Christmas story Rumpole and the Health Farm Murder.
Rumpole and the Health Farm Murder
• Collected in Rumpole at Christmas (2009).
Source:
Newspaper story (Daily Mail). Subsequently published in The Strand Magazine in 2007 as: Rumpole’s Slimmed Down Christmas
2007
Rumpole’s Slimmed Down Christmas [second title]
• Published in The Strand Magazine with a new title. Originally published in 2006 as Rumpole and the Health Farm Murder and later collected in Rumpole at Christmas (2009) under the original title. In the American version of the Christmas book, itself renamed Rumpole at Christmas, the story was given this second title.
The Anti-Social Behaviour of Horace Rumpole. US title: Rumpole Misbehaves
Source:
Book - The Anti-Social Behaviour of Horace Rumpole / Rumpole Misbehaves (2007)
Although this might qualify as a novel it is more accurate to describe it as a long short story. The book is about twice the length of the average thirty page Rumpole story in the early collections, at least as measured in reading time. The extra large font and the efforts made by Penguin to disguise its brevity by adding blank pages between chapters are signs of desperation to lengthen the book in the hope of justifying the full price charged for this slim volume.
2009
Rumpole and the Brave New World
• John Mortimer’s last and unfinished Rumpole story which his publisher described as being the start of a novel and a fragmentary work. It is a few of pages of text.
Sources:
Newspaper story - The Guardian, 24 January 2009
Book - Forever Rumpole (2011)
Rumpole and the Christmas Party [second title]
• First published in 2004 in The Daily Express newspaper as: Tale of Rumpole of the Bailey’s Christmas Party
Source:
Book - Rumpole at Christmas (2009)
Note: The following seven stories were collected from obscure newspaper and magazine printings and assembled for the first time for wider publication in the collection called: Rumpole at Christmas.
Rumpole and the Old Familiar Faces
• Reprinted from: Rumpole Rests His Case, 2001.
Rumpole and the Christmas Break
• Reprinted from a 2004 magazine printing
Rumpole and the Boy
• Reprinted from a 1997 newspaper printing
Rumpole and the Millennium Bug
• Reprinted from a 1999 newspaper printing
Rumpole and the Christmas Party [Second print title]
• Reprinted with a new title from the 2004 newspaper printing of: Tale of Rumpole of the Bailey’s Christmas Party
Rumpole and Father Christmas
• Reprinted from a 2005 newspaper printing
Rumpole and the Health Farm Murder
• Reprinted from a 2006 newspaper printing
Source:
Book - Rumpole at Christmas
North American title: A Rumpole Christmas. This version omitted Rumpole and the Millennium Bug and Rumpole and the Christmas Party, and retained the second title - Rumpole's Slimmed Down Christmas - for Rumpole and the Health Farm Murder.
This collection differs from the other Rumpole collections in that most of the stories were not previously published in book form and were not widely available. Therefore it is considered as the final book in the sequence rather than a “best-of” collection such as the Omnibus series.