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A Partner for Life
Wells met Amy Catherine Robbins while preforming a demonstration in biology. He regarded Catherine as a very smart and deep woman who embodied "all the understanding and quality that he wanted to find in life." After meeting Catherine he began to yearn for her to the point where he found his life intolerable.
Isabel and Wells stayed with Catherine and her mother for a while and shortly after this stay Isabel and Wells had a fight that ended their marriage. When Isabel and Wells separated Wells moved to London with Catherine and they began to live together. H. G. called Catherine by his pet name of Jane all the time.
When H. G. began to write more Catherine became his copyist, secretary, critic, and ran the house. This alleviated any household chores that Wells had to do so he could focus on writing and work.
Catherine's mother became sick and moved in with them. To accommodate Catherine's mother Wells bought a new house called Heatherlea in Worcester Park. Shortly after Wells bought their new house, Catherine and he went on vacation to Rome, Naples, and Paestum.
Catherine Wells was a very strong woman and even as Wells had affairs with other women she stayed with him. Catherine understood Wells completely which is why she stayed with him for so many years. Wells described Catherine as being the perfect housewife. Catherine read all of H. G.'s manuscripts and commented on them.
After being by the side of an author for a few years Catherine began to write a little bit. Catherine started with short stories, sending them to magazines and papers under false names so as not to be favored because of her name. Catherine also began a novel that she never finished.
H. G. Wells and Catherine were what they described as sexually ill-attuned. To make up for their lack of passion they kept a happy home. Nearly every famous figure of the time period visited the Wells household, including Arnold Benett, Noel Coward, and Charlie Chaplin. Catherine had people play a lot of games that she made including charades and improv comedies that she created.
When H. G. Wells ran off to Grasse, Catherine knew that he needed to be alone. Catherine realized that to stay happily married to the man that she loved she had to give him the space that he needed when he needed it. One day, when Wells was about 60, he came to finally understand himself, his youth, and his feelings. This realization made him and Catherine a lot closer and the bonds between them were strengthened.
Wells and Catherine both went to Paris so the H. G. could make a speech on government. The trip to Paris had tired Catherine out, after she admitted that she had not been felling well for a while but had hid it from the family. When Wells was away with his son Catherine arranged to have an operation done to try and cure her of her cancer but it was too late. The Book of Catherine Wells tells of her last months alive. H. G. Wells was by Catherine's side during her last months. He was attentive to her every need while hiding hid deep sorrow. Catherine died a proud death.
Copyright 2000 Roman Allemann