Jane Shaw (3 December 1910 – 19 November 2000), born Jean Bell Shaw Patrick, was a Scottish author of fiction for children and young adults. From 1939 to 1969 she appeared with 40 books and numerous short stories. She is best remembered as the author of the "Susan" series.
Jean Bell Shaw Patrick was born in Glasgow on 3 December 1910, the daughter of John Patrick and Margaret Shaw Patrick.[1] Her father was a medical doctor. She was tutored at home by a governess until the age of eight, when she entered Park School on nearby Lynedoch Street. In her last two years at the school, she edited its magazine, the Park Chronicle. At the University of Glasgow she graduated with a Second Class Honours in English Literature and Language in 1932.[2] She then spent a year in London at the Maria Grey Training College for teaching.[3]
Careeredit
Instead of teaching, Shaw took her first job at the Times Book Club in London. She was then offered a job at William Collins, Sons, where the editor of children's books, Jocelyn Oliver, recognized her talent and encouraged her to write a story. The result was her first book, Breton Holiday, published in 1939.[1] Her house in Dulwich was bombed in World War II and she moved in with friends in Bath and Kent. She continued to write through wartime disruption and the births of two children: a further three books appeared during the war. After the war, several of her short stories were adapted for broadcasting on BBC's Children's Hour.[2]
The family move to Johannesburg in 1952 lay behind Venture to South Africa, telling of the upheaval a British family faces moving overseas.[4] In Johannesburg, she worked at the Children's Book Shop and continued writing books and short stories. Her popular "Susan" series of books has the title character staying in London and having adventures with her cousins, while her parents live in Africa.[2][5]
Shaw's books became collectibles after she stopped writing in 1970; some were reissued after her death.[6]
Personal lifeedit
In 1938, Jean Shaw married Robert Evans, an accountant, whom she had known since childhood. They set up home in Dulwich Village, London. The Evans had two children: Margaret Jane (born 1942) and Ian (born 1944). In 1952 her husband was offered an accountancy position in Johannesburg, and the family moved there.[3]
In 1978, after Robert Evans's retirement, the family returned to Scotland, setting up home on the Isle of Arran, which had been a favourite holiday destination in her childhood. Her husband died 1987. Jean Evans died in 2000 after a short illness, two weeks before her 90th birthday.[1] She was buried beside her husband, at the Shiskine cemetery on Arran.[1] Her literary and business papers, including manuscripts of unpublished works, are archived in the National Library of Scotland.[3]
Selected publicationsedit
The Holiday series:
Breton Holiday (1939) reissued in 1953 as Breton Adventure
Bernese Holiday (1940) reissued in 1953 as Bernese Adventure[7]
Wichwood Village, a blog about the author Jane Shaw, maintained by Robert Stewart from 2011 to 2019.
November 12, 2023
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Jane Shaw 3 December 1910 19 November 2000 born Jean Bell Shaw Patrick was a Scottish author of fiction for children and young adults From 1939 to 1969 she appeared with 40 books and numerous short stories She is best remembered as the author of the Susan series Jane ShawBorn3 December 1910GlasgowDied19 November 2000Isle of ArranNationalityBritishOccupationWriter Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Selected publications 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editJean Bell Shaw Patrick was born in Glasgow on 3 December 1910 the daughter of John Patrick and Margaret Shaw Patrick 1 Her father was a medical doctor She was tutored at home by a governess until the age of eight when she entered Park School on nearby Lynedoch Street In her last two years at the school she edited its magazine the Park Chronicle At the University of Glasgow she graduated with a Second Class Honours in English Literature and Language in 1932 2 She then spent a year in London at the Maria Grey Training College for teaching 3 Career editInstead of teaching Shaw took her first job at the Times Book Club in London She was then offered a job at William Collins Sons where the editor of children s books Jocelyn Oliver recognized her talent and encouraged her to write a story The result was her first book Breton Holiday published in 1939 1 Her house in Dulwich was bombed in World War II and she moved in with friends in Bath and Kent She continued to write through wartime disruption and the births of two children a further three books appeared during the war After the war several of her short stories were adapted for broadcasting on BBC s Children s Hour 2 The family move to Johannesburg in 1952 lay behind Venture to South Africa telling of the upheaval a British family faces moving overseas 4 In Johannesburg she worked at the Children s Book Shop and continued writing books and short stories Her popular Susan series of books has the title character staying in London and having adventures with her cousins while her parents live in Africa 2 5 Shaw s books became collectibles after she stopped writing in 1970 some were reissued after her death 6 Personal life editIn 1938 Jean Shaw married Robert Evans an accountant whom she had known since childhood They set up home in Dulwich Village London The Evans had two children Margaret Jane born 1942 and Ian born 1944 In 1952 her husband was offered an accountancy position in Johannesburg and the family moved there 3 In 1978 after Robert Evans s retirement the family returned to Scotland setting up home on the Isle of Arran which had been a favourite holiday destination in her childhood Her husband died 1987 Jean Evans died in 2000 after a short illness two weeks before her 90th birthday 1 She was buried beside her husband at the Shiskine cemetery on Arran 1 Her literary and business papers including manuscripts of unpublished works are archived in the National Library of Scotland 3 Selected publications editThe Holiday series Breton Holiday 1939 reissued in 1953 as Breton Adventure Bernese Holiday 1940 reissued in 1953 as Bernese Adventure 7 Highland Holiday 1942 The Moochers series The Moochers 1950 The Moochers Abroad 1951 The Penny series Penny Foolish 1953 Twopence Coloured 1954 Threepenny Bit 1955 Fourpenny Fair 1956 Fivepenny Mystery 1958 Crooked Sixpence 1958 The Thomas series Looking After Thomas 1957 Willow Green Mystery 1958 The Tall Man 1960 The Northmead series New House at Northmead 1961 Northmead Nuisance 1964 Dizzy and Alison series Anything Can Happen 1964 Nothing Happened After All 1965 Susan series Susan Pulls the Strings 1952 8 Susan s Helping Hand 1955 9 Susan Rushes In 1956 Susan Interferes 1957 Susan at School 1958 Susan Muddles Through 1960 10 Susan s Trying Term 1961 11 No Trouble for Susan 1962 Susan s Kind Heart 1965 Where is Susan 1968 A Job for Susan 1969 Individual titles House of the Glimmering Light 1943 Magic Ships 1943 The Crew of the Belinda 1945 Farm Friends 1953 Puppy Tales 1953 Venture to South Africa 1960 Crooks Tour 1962 Left Handed Tumfy 1962 illustrated by Gwyneth MamlokReferences edit a b c d Jean Evans Herald Scotland Retrieved 1 February 2016 a b c Lindsay Alison 2002 Susan and Friends The Jane Shaw Companion UK Bettany Press pp 23 24 ISBN 0 9524680 6 9 a b c Alison Lindsay The Jane Shaw Archive Bettany Press Jenkins Elwyn 1 November 2006 National Character in South African English Children s Literature Routledge pp 1 174 ISBN 978 1 135 86956 4 Thomas Lyn 26 July 2017 Desperately Seeking Susan Life Writing Projects Retrieved 10 May 2020 Jane Shaw Girls Gone By Publishers Retrieved 10 May 2020 Shaw Jane 1953 Bernese Adventure Children s Press Shaw Jane 1954 Susan Pulls the Strings Children s Press Shaw Jane 1955 Susan s Helping Hand Children s Press ISBN 978 0 00 165196 8 Shaw Jane 1964 Susan Muddles Through Collins Shaw Jane 1966 Susan s Trying Term Collins External links edit nbsp Children s literature portalWichwood Village a blog about the author Jane Shaw maintained by Robert Stewart from 2011 to 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jane Shaw Scottish author amp oldid 1111496711, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
