Francis (Frank) Howel Evans (1867–1931) was a Welsh author who wrote for many British

story paper A story paper is a periodical publication similar to a literary magazine, but featuring illustrations and text stories, and aimed towards children and teenagers. Also known in Britain as "boys' weeklies", story papers were phenomenally popula ...

s such as '' Chums'', ''

The Boy's Own Paper ''The Boy's Own Paper'' was a British story paper aimed at young and teenager, teenage boys, published from 1879 to 1967. Publishing history The idea for the publication was first raised in 1878 by the Religious Tract Society, as a means to enc ...

'', and '' The Boys' Friend'' during the first few decades of the 20th century. He also wrote under the

pen name A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...

s Atherley Daunt and Crutchley Payne. Many of his stories take place in the theatre. Evans is probably best remembered for his "Old Pawray" stories featuring the retired French detective Monsieur Jules Poiret, likely an inspiration for

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English people, English author known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving ...

Hercule Poirot Hercule Poirot (, ) is a fictional Belgian detective created by the English writer Agatha Christie. Poirot is Christie's most famous and longest-running character, appearing in 33 novels, two plays (''Black Coffee (play), Black Coffee'' and '' ...

. He also wrote six

Sexton Blake Sexton Blake is a fictional British detective, whose adventures captivated readers for over eight decades from 1893 to 1978. Blake featured in more than 4,000 stories by approximately 200 different authors, making him one of the most prolifica ...

stories for '' The Union Jack'' and ''The Penny Popular''. One of his stories was filmed as ''In the Shadow of Big Ben'' (1914), directed by Frank Wilson and starring

Tom Powers Thomas McCreery Powers (July 7, 1890 – November 9, 1955) was an American actor in theatre, films, radio and television. A veteran of the Broadway stage, notably in plays by George Bernard Shaw, he created the role of Charles Marsden in Eugene ...

Alma Taylor Alma Louise Taylor (3 January 1895 – 23 January 1974) was a British actress. Life Taylor was born in London. She made her first screen appearance as a child actor in the 1907 film ''His Daughter's Voice''. She went on to appear in more th ...

, and

Jack Raymond Jack Raymond (1886–1953) was an English people, English actor and film director. Born in Wimborne, Dorset in 1886, he began acting before the First World War in ''A Detective for a Day''. In 1921, he directed his first film and gradually he wo ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Frank Howel 1867 births 1931 deaths Welsh crime novelists Welsh male novelists Welsh mystery writers 20th-century Welsh writers Authors of Sexton Blake