Frank Atha Westbury facts for kids
Frank Atha Westbury (born May 5, 1838 – died September 24, 1901) was a popular writer who used the pen names "Atha" and "Atha Westbury." He wrote many exciting mystery adventure novels, stories for children, and poems in the late 1800s. His stories were often published in newspapers and magazines between 1879 and 1905. Two of his most famous books were The Shadow of Hilton Fernbrook, A Romance of Maoriland (1896) and Australian Fairy Tales (1897). These books made him one of the well-known children's writers in Australia during the Victorian era. Many of his adventure novels were set in New Zealand during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s, which he experienced firsthand as a soldier.
About Frank Atha Westbury
Frank Westbury was born with the name James Bleasby on May 5, 1838, in Hunslet, England. This was an industrial area near Leeds. His mother was Martha Bleasby, and his father was Benjamin Atha. He grew up with his grandfather, William Bleasby. He might have gone to Tadcaster Grammar School on a scholarship.
When he was 16, he joined the British Army's 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot. He served in several wars, including the Crimean War and the Second Anglo-Burmese War. He also served in New Zealand during the Second Taranaki War (1863–1866). During this time, he fought in the Battle of Gate Pa, where the British Army had many losses. He later said he wrote reports about the New Zealand Wars for a newspaper called The Manchester Guardian.
After leaving the Army in 1866, he moved to Melbourne, Australia. There, he started using the name Frank Atha Westbury and worked on his writing. He met other famous writers like the poets Henry Kendall, George Gordon McCrae, and Adam Lindsay Gordon. He also knew Marcus Clarke, who wrote the classic Australian novel For the Term of His Natural Life. Frank Atha Westbury got married three times in Australia and had six children.
Besides being an author, Westbury had other jobs. He worked as a clerk in Sydney, a secretary for a hospital in Melbourne, and a land agent in Adelaide. In Adelaide, he became friends with George E. Loyau, an important editor for The Pictorial Australian. Loyau published many of Westbury's stories. Frank Atha Westbury spent his last ten years in Hawthorn, Melbourne. He passed away from a stroke on September 24, 1901, at the age of 63.
His Main Books
Frank Atha Westbury wrote many stories and poems. His works were often published in parts (called serials) in newspapers and magazines. Here are two of his most important books:
- Australian Fairy Tales (1897): This was a collection of stories published in London, England. It helped make him famous as a children's writer.
- The Shadow of Hilton Fernbrook: A Romance of Maoriland (1896): This novel was also published in London. It was originally called The Mystery of Fernbrook and was published in parts in Australian newspapers between 1884 and 1886. This adventure romance was set in New Zealand.
Images for kids
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Australian Fairy Tales, 1897
