author
Cyril F. (Cyril Frederic) Austin
1884–1915
Best known for the charming children's verse tale Edward Buttoneye and His Adventures, this early-20th-century writer also served in the British Army during World War I. His life was brief, which gives his surviving work an added sense of rarity.
1 Audiobook
Edward Buttoneye and His Adventures
by Cyril F. (Cyril Frederic) Austin
About the author
Born in Chiswick, London, on October 6, 1884, he was the son of Louis Frederic Austin, a journalist and literary figure, and Wilhelmina Austin. His best-known book is Edward Buttoneye and His Adventures, a whimsical story in verse illustrated by Hilda Austin.
Records connected with his wartime service show that he joined the Artists Rifles in 1907 and later served as a Second Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment. He was killed in action in northern France on March 10, 1915, at age 30, only days after his marriage.
Although little biographical detail survives, his small body of work has remained accessible through public-domain archives. That lasting visibility comes largely from Edward Buttoneye, a lively, imaginative book that still gives readers a glimpse of his playful style.