Oliver Onions

Born in Bradford, Yorkshire, on November 13, 1873, he was trained as an artist before turning to writing. He first worked as a commercial artist and illustrator, and that visual background carried into prose that is often vivid, atmospheric, and precise.

He published under the name Oliver Onions and wrote novels and short stories across several genres, though he is now especially remembered for supernatural fiction. Among his best-known works are the collection Widdershins and the widely anthologized tale The Beckoning Fair One; reference works also note the success of novels such as The Story of Louie and later The Story of Ragged Robyn.

Onions was married to the novelist Berta Ruck, and he continued writing for decades, building a reputation for subtle storytelling rather than flashy effects. He died in Aberystwyth, Wales, on April 9, 1961.