A. M. Irvine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A. M. Irvine | |
|---|---|
 A. M. Irvine in about 1920 | |
| Born | Amelia Mary Irvine 13 April 1866 |
| Died | 20 November 1950 (aged 84) Deal, Kent, England |
| Known for | Author |
Amelia Mary Irvine (13 April 1866–20 November 1950) was an Irish author who, as A. M. Irvine, wrote 28 books, several on a medical theme, but mostly stories for girls.
[1] Her first published book was The Specialist in 1904 and not 1907.
Of Scottish and Irish descent, 'Amy' Irvine was born in Coleraine in County Londonderry, Ireland in 1866, one of seven children of Louisa Caroline née Brady (1840-1912) and the Reverend Arthur Benjamin Irvine (1838-1907), vicar of Holy Trinity Church in West Bromwich, near Birmingham from 1874 to 1902. Although his stipend was meagre, the Rev. Irvine ensured his children were adequately educated for their future lives.[2] Amy Irvine was educated at Sandwell Hall, an Anglican boarding school. In 1891[3] and 1901 she was living at home with her parents, the last of her siblings to do so.[4]
Writing career
She developed an interest in medical life and in 1907 published her first novel, The Specialist, which features a minor staple of Edwardian fiction, the life-transforming operation. Another novel on a medical theme, aimed at girls, was The Frantic Misfortunes of a Nurse, Or, The Probationer (1910).[1] In 1911 Irvine bought 78 West Street in Deal, in Kent and here she lived for nearly 50 years.[5][6] In Deal she lived a simple self-sufficient life supported by her writing. She studied the violin and cello sufficiently well to be able to supplement her income by giving music lessons. In addition she painted landscapes, but this was for her own pleasure.[2]
During World War I she served as a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurse. The majority of her novels were aimed at schoolgirls, including The Worst Girl in the School and A Girl of the Fourth.[1]