One of Kipling’s least-known works is at once his most autobiographical, a nostalgic if unsentimental look at his
alma mater, the United Services College in Westward Ho! (near Bideford), North Devon.
Stalky & Co.follows the colorful career of the three boys who virtually run the school, the eponymous Stalky (Arthur Corkran, also briefly known as “Corky”), M’Turk (William “Turky” McTurk), and Beetle (Reginald). The first two were based on Kipling’s actual school friends, while ‘Beetle’ is a fairly obvious stand-in for Kipling himself (and close enough to his actual nickname,
Gigger,
due to his spectacles which resembled giglamps). While the stories obviously romanticized some elements of their partnership, making them a bit too clever—and at times, one hopes, a bit too…
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Citation: Grasso, Joshua. "Stalky & Co". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 December 2019 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=1897, accessed 14 March 2025.]
