Witness for the Defence: 'She was utterly without imagination''

Alfred Edward Woodley Mason was born in Camberwell, London on the 7th May 1865.

He was educated at Dulwich College and then graduated from Trinity College, Oxford.

His first stab at a career was as an actor in 1894 in George Bernards Shaw’s ‘Arms and the Man’. Acting was replaced the following year with the publication of his first novel, ‘A Romance of Wastdale’ beginning a literary career that eventually encompassed over 30 novels, as well as 3 plays, numerous short stories, biographies and articles. His most famous work, and filmed several times, is the classic ‘The Four Feathers’.

His famous detective character Inspector Hanaud was set up as a counterpoint to Sherlock Holmes and was a stout, professional policeman from the French Sûreté who relied primarily on psychological insights to bring down the perpetrators of the crimes he was faced with.

In the 1906 General Election Mason was elected as the Liberal Member for Coventry but served only a single term. During the Great War he served initially with the Manchester Regiment. After several promotions he finished his military career as a Major having served also in Spain and Mexico, where he set up counter-espionage networks.

After the war Mason became increasingly involved in the many productions of films from his works, from the silents through to talkies. All the while he continued to write.

A E W Mason died on the 22nd November 1948 in London. He was 83.

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