Annie Keary

Born at Bilton Rectory near Wetherby, Yorkshire, on March 3, 1825, she grew up in a clerical household and showed an early gift for imagination and storytelling. Some of her first tales were written for the motherless children of her older brother, and that family setting helped shape her lifelong interest in writing for young readers.

Alongside children’s books such as Sidney Grey, she went on to write novels including Janet's Home, Clemency Franklyn, Oldbury, and Castle Daly. She also wrote educational works, including Early Egyptian History, and, with her sister Eliza Keary, produced Heroes of Asgard, a retelling of Norse mythology.

Poor health affected much of her adult life, and she spent time abroad, including a winter in Egypt and periods near Cannes. She died at Eastbourne on March 3, 1879; her final novel, A Doubting Heart, was left incomplete and finished after her death.