Francis Edward Smedley (4 October 1818 – 1 May 1864) was an English novelist. His name appears in print usually as Frank E. Smedley.

Life

He was born with deformed feet, a disability that impaired his mobility and prevented him from attending regular school. Instead he was privately educated by his uncle.The Reverend Edward Smedley, an usher at Westminster. He was the father of Menella Smedley. The family were cousins of the Dodsons. His cousin, the poet

Menella Bute Smedley Menella Bute Smedley (1820–1877) was a novelist and poet. A relative of Lewis Carroll, she wrote some minor novels and books of poems, including the anonymous, ''The Story of Queen Isabel, and Other Verses'', 1863. She translated the old German ...

, later kept house for him and acted as his secretary. Smedley died in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

in 1864 and is buried in Marlow Parish Churchyard, Buckinghamshire.

Works

Smedley contributed his first book, ''Scenes from the Life of a Private Pupil'', anonymously to '' Sharpe's London Magazine'' in 1846-1848. Smedley is credited with being the editor of that magazine. In 1849 he arranged for a book to be produced titled "Seven Tales by Seven Authors". The authors included Edwina Burbury and

George Payne Rainsford James George Payne Rainsford James (9 August 1799 – 9 June 1860), was an English novelist and historical writer, the son of a physician in London. He was for many years British Consul at various places in the United States and on the Continent. ...

. The proceeds of the book were directed to Burbury who had "financial difficulties" and she was given the copyright. The book was republished in 1860 and Smedley purchased the copyright from Burbury to allow this and recording its history in that edition's introduction. Smedley's first essay proved so successful that it was expanded into '' Frank Fairlegh'', and published in book form in 1850. His next book, '' Lewis Arundel or The Railroad of Life'', was originally contributed to the same magazine, which he for some time edited, and was published in book form in 1852. Of his other writings the best known is '' Harry Coverdale's Courtship'' (1855). These stories are racily told. Either

Hablot Knight Browne Hablot Knight Browne (10 July 1815 – 8 July 1882) was a British artist and illustrator. Well known by his pen name, Phiz, he illustrated books by Charles Dickens, Charles Lever, Augustus Septimus Mayhew and Harrison Ainsworth. Early life Of Fr ...

("Phiz") or

George Cruikshank George Cruikshank or Cruickshank ( ; 27 September 1792 – 1 February 1878) was a British caricaturist and book illustrator, praised as the "modern William Hogarth, Hogarth" during his life. His book illustrations for his friend Charles Dicken ...

supplied illustrations for most of his books.

References

*Ellis, S.M. "Frank Smedley." ''The Fortnightly.'' London: Chapman and Hall, 1865. (pp. 271–85
googlebooks
Retrieved April 25, 2009 * *

Notes

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Smedley, Francis 19th-century English novelists 1818 births 1864 deaths People from Great Marlow English male novelists 19th-century English short story writers English male short story writers Victorian novelists Victorian short story writers English magazine editors Writers from Buckinghamshire Writers with disabilities 19th-century English poets English male poets Victorian poets