Julia Frankau

Born in 1864, Julia Frankau was an English novelist, critic, and journalist who published both under her own name and under the pen name Frank Danby. She became known in the 1880s and 1890s for fiction that drew on fashionable London life and for writing that could be witty, biting, and socially observant.

Her books often stirred strong reactions. One of her early novels, Dr. Phillips: A Maida Vale Idyll, was especially noted for its portrayal of Jewish life in West London and for the controversy it caused. Across her career, she wrote novels, sketches, and commentary that engaged with class, reputation, marriage, and the limits society placed on women.

Frankau died in 1916, but she remains an interesting literary figure because of both her bold public voice and her place in a remarkable family of writers and artists. She was also the mother of Gilbert Frankau, who became a well-known novelist and poet in his own right.