Flora Macdonald Mayor (20 October 1872, Kingston Hill, Surrey – 28 January 1932, Hampstead, London), was an English novelist and short story writer, who published under the name F. M. Mayor.
Flora MacDonald Mayor was born on 20 October 1872, at Kingston Hill, Surrey. Her father, Joseph Bickersteth Mayor (1828–1916), was an Anglican clergyman and professor of classics and then of moral philosophy at King's College London. John E. B. Mayor was her uncle.[1] Her mother, Alexandrina Jessie Grote (1830–1927),[2] was niece of the utilitarianGeorge Grote as well as the Anglican clergyman and Cambridge moral philosophy professor John Grote. Flora had two older brothers – Robert J. G. Mayor (1869–1947) and Henry B. Mayor (1870–1948) – and a twin sister, Alice M. Mayor (1872–1961). Flora was educated at Surbiton High School and read history at Newnham College, Cambridge.[3]
Afterwards she became an actress. She later turned to writing. Her first book was a collection of short stories, Mrs Hammond's Children, published in 1901 under the pseudonym Mary Strafford.
In 1903 she became engaged to a young architect, Ernest Shepherd, who died in India of typhoid before Mayor was able to travel out to join him. She never married, and lived closely with her twin sister Alice MacDonald Mayor (1872–1961).
In 1913 her short novel, The Third Miss Symons, was published, with a preface by John Masefield.
Her best-known novel is The Rector's Daughter (1924). (In October 2009 this was described in the BBC's 'Open Book' programme as one of the best 'neglected classics'.)
She also wrote ghost stories, which were much admired by M.R. James.
She died on 28 January 1932 in Hampstead, London. Her correspondence and some literary papers are held at Trinity College, Cambridge.
Selected worksedit
Mrs Hammond's Children (1901)
The Third Miss Symons (1913)
The Rector's Daughter (1924) (reprinted by Persephone Books in 2021)
The Squire's Daughter (1929)
The Room Opposite and Other Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1935) (reprinted by Solar Press in 2023)[4]
Referencesedit
^"Mayor, John Eyton Bickersteth (MR844JE)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^Legget, Jane (2 March 1988). Local Heroines: A Women's History Gazetteer of England, Scotland and Wales. Pandora. ISBN9780863580376 – via Google Books.
^"The Room Opposite & Other Tales by F.M. Mayor". Solar Press. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
Further readingedit
S. Oldfield, Spinsters of this parish: the life and times of F.M. Mayor and Mary Sheepshanks (1984)
Works by F. M. Mayor at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
January 01, 1970
mayor, flora, macdonald, mayor, october, 1872, kingston, hill, surrey, january, 1932, hampstead, london, english, novelist, short, story, writer, published, under, name, contents, life, work, selected, works, references, further, reading, external, linkslife, . Flora Macdonald Mayor 20 October 1872 Kingston Hill Surrey 28 January 1932 Hampstead London was an English novelist and short story writer who published under the name F M Mayor Contents 1 Life and work 2 Selected works 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksLife and work editFlora MacDonald Mayor was born on 20 October 1872 at Kingston Hill Surrey Her father Joseph Bickersteth Mayor 1828 1916 was an Anglican clergyman and professor of classics and then of moral philosophy at King s College London John E B Mayor was her uncle 1 Her mother Alexandrina Jessie Grote 1830 1927 2 was niece of the utilitarian George Grote as well as the Anglican clergyman and Cambridge moral philosophy professor John Grote Flora had two older brothers Robert J G Mayor 1869 1947 and Henry B Mayor 1870 1948 and a twin sister Alice M Mayor 1872 1961 Flora was educated at Surbiton High School and read history at Newnham College Cambridge 3 Afterwards she became an actress She later turned to writing Her first book was a collection of short stories Mrs Hammond s Children published in 1901 under the pseudonym Mary Strafford In 1903 she became engaged to a young architect Ernest Shepherd who died in India of typhoid before Mayor was able to travel out to join him She never married and lived closely with her twin sister Alice MacDonald Mayor 1872 1961 In 1913 her short novel The Third Miss Symons was published with a preface by John Masefield Her best known novel is The Rector s Daughter 1924 In October 2009 this was described in the BBC s Open Book programme as one of the best neglected classics She also wrote ghost stories which were much admired by M R James She died on 28 January 1932 in Hampstead London Her correspondence and some literary papers are held at Trinity College Cambridge Selected works editMrs Hammond s Children 1901 The Third Miss Symons 1913 The Rector s Daughter 1924 reprinted by Persephone Books in 2021 The Squire s Daughter 1929 The Room Opposite and Other Tales of Mystery and Imagination 1935 reprinted by Solar Press in 2023 4 References edit Mayor John Eyton Bickersteth MR844JE A Cambridge Alumni Database University of Cambridge ArchiveSearch ArchiveSearch archivesearch lib cam ac uk Legget Jane 2 March 1988 Local Heroines A Women s History Gazetteer of England Scotland and Wales Pandora ISBN 9780863580376 via Google Books The Room Opposite amp Other Tales by F M Mayor Solar Press Retrieved 5 December 2023 Further reading editS Oldfield Spinsters of this parish the life and times of F M Mayor and Mary Sheepshanks 1984 External links editWorks by Flora Macdonald Mayor at Project Gutenberg Works by or about F M Mayor at Internet Archive Works by F M Mayor at Open Library Works by F M Mayor at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title F M Mayor amp oldid 1216424539, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
