Sheila Stuart (Gladys May Baker, 1892–1974) was a Scottish writer. She was best known for her children's books, especially among schoolgirls.
Early life
Stuart's father was a Church of Scotland minister: she was born and brought up in a manse in
Johnstone
Johnstone ( sco, Johnstoun,
,
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire () ( sco, Renfrewshire; gd, Siorrachd Rinn Friù) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland.
Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Re ...
. She went to school in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated pop ...
, then entered Leng and Co of
Dundee (later incorporated into
D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd), where she trained as a journalist. During the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...
she served as a
VAD.
Stuart began her career as a journalist, writing for ''Scottish Field'' and ''
The People's Friend
''The People's Friend'' is a British weekly magazine founded by John Leng on 13 January 1869 as an offshoot of '' The People's Journal'' and currently published by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. Its tagline is "The famous story magazine". It was or ...
'', although she also wrote books on antiques during this period.
Children's writer
Stuart is best known for her children's books about Alison and her brother Niall, based in the north-west of Scotland. The publication of every new book in the series caused great excitement "among schoolgirl borrowers", because of their tales of "courage, determination and adventure".
[Philip, p. 145.]
Death
Sheila Stuart died in 1974 in
Crieff
Crieff (; gd, Craoibh, meaning "tree") is a Scottish market town in Perth and Kinross on the A85 road between Perth and Crianlarich, and the A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy. The A822 joins the A823 to Dunfermline. Crieff has bec ...
,
Perthshire
Perthshire ( locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the nor ...
, where she had moved on her husband's retirement.
Works
*''Alison's Highland Holiday'' (1946)
*''More Adventures of Alison'' (1947)
*''Alison's Christmas Adventure'' (1948)
*''Well Done Alison!'' (1949)
*''Alison's Easter Adventure'' (1950)
*''Alison's Poaching Adventure'' (1951)
*''Alison's Kidnapping Adventure'' (1952)
*''Alison's Pony Adventure'' (1953)
*''Alison's Island Adventure'' (1954)
*''Alison's Spy Adventure'' (1955)
*''Alison and the Witch's Cave'' (1956)
*''Alison's Yacht Adventure'' (1957)
*''Alison's Riding Adventure'' (1958)
*''Alison's Cliff Adventure'' (1959)
*''Alison's Caravan Adventure'' (1960)
*''The Riddle of Corran Lodge'' (1959)
References
Sources
*Philip, A. ''The Librarian and the Bookworld'', J. Clarke, pp. 43–44, 1954–1955
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stuart, Sheila
1892 births
1974 deaths
Scottish children's writers
Scottish women novelists
20th-century Scottish novelists
20th-century British women writers
People from Renfrewshire
20th-century Scottish women