Desmond Coke

Desmond Coke was an English writer born in London in 1879. He was educated at Shrewsbury School and University College, Oxford, and became known for popular comic fiction about school and university life, especially The Bending of a Twig and The Worst House at Sherborough.

During the First World War, he served in the army but was invalided out. After that, he worked briefly as a schoolmaster at Clayesmore, an experience that fits neatly with the setting and tone of the stories he is remembered for.

He also wrote under the pen name "Belinda Blinders," and some sources note his interest in collecting as well as writing. Desmond Coke died in 1931, leaving behind brisk, witty fiction that still appeals to readers who enjoy classic campus and public-school stories.