Evelyn Everett-Green

Evelyn Ward Everett-Green (17 November 1856 in London – 23 April 1932 in Funchal) was an English novelist who started with improving, pious stories for children, moved on to historical fiction for older girls, and then turned to adult romantic fiction. She wrote about 350 books, more than 200 of them under her own name, and others using the pseudonyms H. F. E., Cecil Adair, E. Ward and Evelyn Dare.

Early life and work

Evelyn was born at 7 Upper Gower Street, London. Her mother was a historian, Mary Anne Everett Green (née Wood), and her father, George Pycock Green, a portrait and landscape painter. The family were Methodists. She was the second of the family's three surviving daughters and had an older brother. She was baptised at Great Queen Street Wesleyan Methodist Chapel on 22 February 1857 as Eveline, but changed her name to Evelyn in later life. Like the rest of her family, she added Everett to her surname in honour of George Green's friend the Wesleyan historian James Everett.

From earliest childhood, Evelyn invented stories to tell her sisters. She was educated at home until the age of 12, then at Gower Street Preparatory School, where she wrote a historical tale about Lady Jane Grey. Next came a year at Bedford College, London on a Reid scholarship (1872–1873), during which she wrote Tom's Tempest Victory, her first novel. She continued to write while studying at the London Academy of Music. She also worked as a nurse in a London hospital for two years. Her brother's death in 1876 ended plans to go to India with him. She occupied herself with good works, including Sunday School teaching and nursing, and later hospital nursing.