Mary Eliza Kennard facts for kids

Mrs Edward Kennard (published in 1893)

Mary Eliza Kennard (1850–1936) was an English writer. She wrote many novels and non-fiction books. Most of her books were published under the name Mrs Edward Kennard.

Kennard was known for her stories about the English country house world. Her books often featured exciting activities like hunting, shooting, and fishing. During her most popular time, people called her "the Diana of fiction." This was a special nickname, comparing her to Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting.

Her Early Life and Family

Mary Eliza was born in Sydenham in 1850. She was the oldest daughter of Samuel and Mary Dickson Laing. Her father, Samuel Laing, was a very important person. He was the chairman of the Brighton Railway company and also a well-known author.

Mary Eliza believed her love for writing came from her family. She once said, "I fancy that any small love of literature which I may possess is hereditary." She mentioned that her father wrote several important books, and her grandfather, Mr. S. Laing, was also a famous author.

Becoming a Writer and Country Life

On April 19, 1870, Mary Eliza Laing married Edward Kennard. He used to be a journalist. Edward later became a landed gentleman by buying a large property called the Barn Estate. This estate was in the countryside, near the towns of Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. The main house on the property was called The Barn, located near Little Bowden.

Mary Eliza and Edward had two sons, Lionel (born 1872) and Malcolm (born 1874). Mary Eliza first started writing stories for her sons. These stories were published in a book called Twilight Tales. She began writing more seriously to keep her mind busy after her sons went away to school.

Kennard's novels often took place in the rural world she knew so well. Her first novel, The Right Sort, came out in 1883. Her books were usually about hunting, shooting, and fishing. For example, Landing a Prize (1891) was a story about salmon-fishing. She wrote this book after spending several summers fishing for salmon in Norway. She also worked with other famous writers like Bram Stoker and Arthur Conan Doyle on a group novel called The Fate of Fenella (1892).

A Love for Automobiles

Mary Eliza and her husband were both very interested in early cars. They each owned an automobile. Mary Eliza bought a Napier car, which was an eight-horsepower, two-cylinder model. She even let someone race her car with her as a passenger! While she liked her husband's choice of the Napier, she personally preferred to drive a smaller car called a De Dion voiturette.

Her driving adventures were not always smooth. Once, she even turned her car over on the tramlines in Nottingham! In 1903, she published a novel called The Motor Maniac. This book was all about automobiles. A newspaper called The Spectator didn't give it a great review. However, The Times newspaper later praised Kennard. They called her "a very widely read and prolific author" who wrote "rattling good tales."

Later Years and Legacy

Mary Eliza Kennard became a widow in 1910. By 1912, she was living in Leamington. By the time she passed away in 1936, many people had forgotten her as a writer.

The Times newspaper wrote about her after her death. They said she earned a lot of money from her books. But then, she was completely forgotten. The newspaper noted that she faced this "complete oblivion" with a calm attitude. Even though she became blind and had trouble moving around later in life, she dealt with these challenges with great strength. In her old age, she enjoyed listening to BBC radio and spending time with her grandchildren.

Selected Books