Category: British authors

  • Bannisdale, V.E.

    About the author Vane Erskine Bannisdale was the pseudonym of Vane Erskine Portal. She (he?) wrote two pony books, Back to the Hills and Riders of the Hills, both of which were illustrated by Lionel Edwards. Finding the booksBoth titles can be expensive because they were illustrated by Lionel Edwards, but reasonably priced copies do…

  • Lane Foster, Marcia

    Lane Foster, Marcia

    About Marcia Lane Foster (Nellie Marcia Lane Foster, 1897-1983) was born in Devon, and studied art at St John’s Wood School of Art, the Royal Academy, and printmaking at the Central School of Arts and Crafts. She studied wood engraving with Noel Rooke, who encouraged her to submit her designs for commercial work. She produced…

  • Young, D A

    About the author D A Young (Derek Anderson Young) wrote just the one pony book that I have been able to find: Ponies in Secret. It is unusual in being illustrated in colour throughout, with colour plates and a frontispiece by Maurice Tulloch. It’s a pity the author didn’t write more. This story of a…

  • Wynne, May

    Wynne, May

    About the author May Wynne (the pseudonym for Mabel Winifred Knowles) is better known as an author of epic numbers of girl’s stories (Blundering Bettina and The Daring of Star are just two). She was active in the first half of the 20th century, and wrote two pony books about the Exmoors, Heather and Pixie.…

  • Wynne, Elizabeth

    Wynne, Elizabeth

    About the author Wendy Douthwaite also wrote under the pseudonym Elizabeth Wynne, under which name two books appeared as the Heronsway series.  From the badging as a series, and the ending of the second book, which talks about anupcoming trek, I assume there were meant to be more books; but for whatever reason, it seems…

  • Woodhouse, J B

    About the author Hilltop Horses was published by CSSM (Christian Special Services Mission), so I assume that the book has a Christian slant. As far  as I can tell, the author wrote just the one book under that name. As yet, I have not been able to dig up any biographical information about the author.…

  • Wiseman, David

    Wiseman, David

    About the author David Wiseman was born in Manchester, and educated at Manchester University. He served in the forces, became a teacher, and then a head teacher. He’s written several children’s books, amongst which is this story of a mysterious horse, Moonglow  (1980). Finding the bookEasy to find in all its printings. Sources and linksBiographical information from…

  • Winstone, Daphne

    About the author Many of the books written by young authors are biographies of ponies, who start off life well, fall into bad hands, and then are rescued, usually by their original owners. Flame is no different. He is an Arab/Exmoor cross of 13.3 hh, who is bought as a youngster by the Farnham family,…

  • Williams, Dorian

    Williams, Dorian

    About the author Dorian Williams (1914–85) was, to those of us of a certain age, the voice of show jumping. He commentated in the glory days of horses on television, when the Horse of the Year Show and the Royal International Horse Show were on television every evening while the shows were on. Educated at…

  • Willard, Barbara

    Willard, Barbara

    About the author Barbara Willard (1909–94) is not really a ponybook author; the inhabitants of Ghylls Hatch in her excellent Mantlemass series are horse breeders (at least in the earlier books), but the action is definitely not horse-centred. That said, this is an extraordinarily good historical series, and I can heartily recommend it. Her one…