Phyllis Matthewman

Phyllis Matthewman (née Barton) (19 January 1896 – 1979), British writer of children's books, mostly boarding school stories, and adult fiction.

Personal life

Matthewman was born in Leeds, the elder daughter of Thomas Barton, an insurance manager, and Ada Mary (née Pollard). She had a sister, Joyce. In 1930, she married Sydney Matthewman, a literary agent, who ran,[1][2][3] or whose father ran the Swan Press in Leeds.[4] They had no children. In 1964, her long-time friend Elinor Brent-Dyer was persuaded to leave the unmanageably large Victorian villa at which she had previously run a school in order to live with the Matthewmans, which she did until her death in 1969. After first living together as tenants in half of a house called Albury Edge, at Redhill, Surrey, they bought a house together, Gryphons, also at Redhill, in 1965.[5] Phyllis's aunt, who knew the Dyer family, had introduced them in childhood. Sydney Matthewman served as Brent-Dyer's agent.[6][7][8][9][10]

Selected books

Daneswood series

  • Chloe Takes Control, 1940
  • The Queerness of Rusty, 1941
  • Josie Moves Up, 1943
  • A New Role for Natasha, 1945
  • Justice for Jacqueline, 1946
  • Pat at the Helm, 1947
  • The Intrusion of Nicola, 1948

Kirkdale Priory series

  • Because of Vivian, 1947
  • The Turbulence of Tony, 1951
  • The Coming of Lys, 1951
  • The Amateur Prefects, 1951

The 'Mr. Jones' books

  • Thanks to Mr. Jones, 1948
  • Peter-New Girl, 1948
  • Mr. Jones Tips the Scales, 1950
  • Peter Plays the Sleuth, 1950

Other children's books

  • Jill on the Land (1942)
  • John Williams, biography of John Williams (missionary), (1954, Oliphants)
  • The Mystery of Snake Island (1962, University of London Press)
  • No Magic Carpet (1966, EJ Arnold)

Adult romance fiction

  • Set to Partners (1944, Mills & Boon)
  • Utility Wedding (1946, Mills & Boon)
  • Stable Companions (1947, Mills & Boon)
  • How Could You, Jennifer! (1948, Mills & Boon)
  • River of Enchantment (1948, Mills & Boon)
  • Colour of Romance (1949, Mills & Boon)
  • The Veil Between (1950, Mills & Boon)
  • The Imprudence of Prue (1951, Mills & Boon)
  • Winged Cupid, (1951, Mills & Boon)
  • Clutch of Circumstance (1952, Mills & Boon)
  • Imitation Marriage (1952, Mills & Boon)
  • Castle to Let (1953, Mills & Boon)
  • Welcome Enemy (1953, Mills & Boon)
  • Luck for Lindy (1954, Mills & Boon)
  • Sir, she Said (1954, Mills & Boon)
  • The Beckoning House (1955, Mills & Boon)
  • Beginners, Please (1955, Mills & Boon)
  • Fetters of a Dream (1956, Mills & Boon)
  • Romance Goes Tenting (1956, Mills & Boon)
  • Safari with Wings (1957, Mills & Boon)
  • Cupid in Mayfair (1958, Mills & Boon)
  • Wife on Approval (1958, Mills & Boon)
  • Food of Love (1959, Mills & Boon)
  • Ace of Hearts (1960, Mills & Boon)
  • Call Me Cousin (1960, Mills & Boon)
  • Cupid Under Capricorn (1961, Mills & Boon)
  • Maiden's Castle (1962, Mills & Boon)
  • Voyage into Happiness (1962, Mills & Boon)
  • Ward of Court (1963, Mills & Boon)
  • A Brother for Jane (1964, Mills & Boon)
  • Make Up Your Mind, Nurse (1964, Mills & Boon)
  • The Wonderful Year (1964, Mills & Boon)
  • Bolt of Cupid, (1965, Mills & Boon)
  • The Heart is Highland (1965, Mills & Boon)
  • Tread Warily (1966, Mills & Boon)
  • The Magic of the Moon (1967, Mills & Boon)

Adult thrillers

  • Brides of the Devil (1946), published under the name Jacqueline Yorke

References

  1. ^ Cubé, Caroline (1999). "Finding Aid for the Swan Press Records, 1924-1930". Online Archive of California. The Regents of the University of California. Retrieved 30 May 2023. Includes letters to and from the printer, Sydney Matthewman
  2. ^ "Sydney Matthewman, small press poetry by or associated with Matthewman or published by the Swan Press". University of Leeds Library. University of Leeds, Library, Special Collections. Retrieved 30 May 2023. Sydney Matthewman (1902-?), poet and printer, established the Swan Press in Leeds in the 1920s
  3. ^ "Poet and Printer dies at Redhill". Surrey Mirror. 11 September 1970. p.3 col.1.
  4. ^ Sims, Sue; Clare, Hilary (2020). The Encyclopaedia of Girls' School Stories. Girls Gone By Publishers. p. 338. ISBN 9781847452603. In 1930 she married Sydney Matthewman, a well-read man with literary ambitions, whose father ran the Swan Press in Leeds
  5. ^ "House histories".
  6. ^ The Encyclopaedia of School Stories: The encyclopaedia of girls' school stories, Rosemary Auchmuty, Joy Wotton, Ashgate, 2000, p. 223-4
  7. ^ "Phyllis Matthewman".
  8. ^ "New Chalet Club - the Author".
  9. ^ "7: I. Reviews & Criticism 1906-1945".
  10. ^ Heywood, Sophie (2016). "The children's collections at the University of Reading". Strenae. 11 (11). doi:10.4000/strenae.1625.