Francis Prevost

Born in 1862 as Harry Francis Prevost Battersby, he is best known under the pen name Francis Prevost. He was educated at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and first entered the Royal Irish Rifles before leaving that path for journalism.

Prevost wrote poetry and fiction, but he is also remembered for his interest in psychical research, a field that explored spiritualism and paranormal claims. That combination of literary work and fascination with unusual ideas gives him a distinctive place among late 19th- and early 20th-century writers.

He died in 1949. While he is not widely read today, his career still stands out for the way it bridged conventional literary life and the more curious intellectual movements of his time.