Frank Arthur
Frank Arthur, born Arthur Frank Ebert on October 27, 1902, in Islington, London, was a British author known primarily for his crime novels. He received his education at Colfe's Grammar School and worked in various roles throughout his life, including as a clerk in a leather factory and a salesman in New Zealand. Notably, his career in literature began during World War II, with the publication of his first crime novel, "Who Killed Netta Maul?" in 1940, which later became known as "The Suva Harbour Mystery." His works often feature Inspector Spearpoint of the Fiji Constabulary, reflecting his time spent in the Fiji Islands. In addition to his crime fiction, Arthur wrote a mainstream historical novel and several plays, and he sometimes used pseudonyms for romantic and adventure fiction. His contributions to literature earned him recognition, including being named a member of the Order of the British Empire in 1947. Arthur passed away in November 1984, leaving behind a diverse body of work.
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Frank Arthur
Writer
- Born: October 27, 1902
- Birthplace: Islington, London, England
- Died: November 6, 1984
Biography
Frank Arthur, whose real name was Arthur Frank Ebert, was born October 27, 1902, in Islington, London, England. He was educated at Colfe’s Grammar School in London. In 1929, he married Eileen Reynolds Clarkson; they had two children. In his early years, Ebert held a number of jobs. Between 1919 and 1927, he was a clerk in a London leather factory. In 1928, he became a salesman in Auckland, New Zealand, later that year becoming an accountant in the Fiji Islands, where his later crime novels are set. He worked for the New Zealanddairy industry in London, between 1935 and 1939. From 1939 to 1967, he worked for the Ministry of Food, later called the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, in London. Between 1940 and 1944, he served in the Home Guard in defense of England.
He began publishing crime fiction during World War II, with Who Killed Netta Maul? (1940; reissued as The Suva Harbour Mystery, 1948). His crime novels feature Inspector Spearpoint of the Fiji Constabulary in Suva. Ebert published one mainstream novel, the story of the mother of the Duke of Monmouth, The Abandoned Woman: The Story of Lucy Walter, which appeared in 1964. He also wrote fifteen one- and three-act plays, is said to have written romantic fiction under another pen name, and has been identified as one of several writers who published adventure fiction under the pseudonym Pat Frank. In 1947, he was named a member of the Order of the British Empire. Ebert died in November, 1984.