Annie French Hector facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Annie French Hector
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| Born | 1825  |
| Died | 10 July 1902, 1902 (aged 76–77) |
| Occupation | Writer |
Annie French Hector (born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1825 – died in London, 10 July 1902) was a popular writer in the 1800s. She wrote many novels using the pen name "Mrs Alexander". Her stories often featured a young girl facing tough choices about money, family, and love. These choices were sometimes made even harder by things like an inheritance.
Life Story
Annie French Hector was born in 1825. She was the only child of Robert French, who was a lawyer in Dublin. Her family believed they were related to important Irish families. On her father's side, she was connected to the poet Charles Wolfe. On her mother's side, she was related to Edmund Malone, who was a scholar of Shakespeare.
In 1844, Annie's father lost his money. The family first moved to Liverpool, and then settled in London.
Life in London
In London, Annie French met many people involved in literature. These included writers like Anna Maria Hall and Eliza Lynn Linton. She also met W. H. Wills, who worked for the magazine Household Words.
Annie gained attention in 1856. She wrote an article for Household Words called "Billeted in Boulogne." In 1858, she married Alexander Hector, who was an explorer and archaeologist. They had four children together: Ida, Alexander, Annie, and Mary.
Her Books
Annie wrote several novels when she was younger. Her first book, Kate Vernon, came out in 1854. However, it seems her husband did not approve of her writing. So, she stopped trying to publish her work while he was alive.
Writing as "Mrs Alexander"
After her husband passed away in 1875, Annie started writing again. She used his first name, Alexander, as her pen name. This is why she became known as "Mrs Alexander." She wrote over forty novels under this name. Many of her books were published by George and Richard Bentley.
Her books were very popular, especially in the United States. Some of her well-known novels include:
- The Wooing O't (1873)
- Ralph Wilton's Weird (1875)
- Her Dearest Foe (1876)
- The Freres (1882)
- A Golden Autumn (1897)
- A Winning Hazard (1897)
Her last novel was Kitty Costello (1902). This book was partly about her own life. It told the story of a young Irish girl who moved to London. Other novels she wrote include The Admiral's Ward (1883), The Executor (1885), A Crooked Path (1889), and The Snare of the Fowler (1892).
