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Alfred Edward Woodley Mason (7 May 1865 Dulwich, London - 22 November 1948 London) was a British author and politician. He is best remembered for his 1902 novel The Four Feathers.

Life

He studied at Dulwich College and graduated from Trinity College, Oxford in 1888. He was a contemporary of fellow Liberal Anthony Hope, who went on to write the adventure novel The Prisoner of Zenda.

His first novel, A Romance of Wastdale, was published in 1895. He was the author of more than 20 books, including At The Villa Rose (1910), a mystery novel in which he introduced his French detective, Inspector Hanaud. His best-known book is The Four Feathers, which has been made into several films. Many consider it his masterpiece. Other books are The House of the Arrow (1924), No Other Tiger (1927), The Prisoner in the Opal (1929) and Fire Over England (1937). He contributed a short story, The Conjurer, to The Queen's Book of the Red Cross.

Mason was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for Coventry in the 1906 general election. He served only a single term in Parliament, retiring at the next general election in January 1910.

Mason wrote three plays that were produced and presented by Sir George Alexamder in St James's Theatre. He wrote, "I had three plays produced by George Alexander; one a failure, Colonel Smith, one which made a moderate profit, Open Windows, and one which was a considerable success, The Witness for the Defence.^[1] The light farce Colonel Smith opened 1 April 23, 1909. The Witness for the Defence opened 1 Feb. 1911, starring Sir George Alexander as Henry Thresk. In 1913 Mason's problem play Open Windows opened on the evening of 11 March, starring Sydney Valentine as Phillip Hammond, Irene Vanbrugh as Cynthia Herrick, Sir George Alexander as John Herrick, with Rosalie Toller as Elsie Herrick.^[2]^[3]

Mason served with the Manchester Regiment in the First World War, being promoted Captain in December 1914. He transferred to the General List in 1915 and the Royal Marine Light Infantry in 1917 with the rank of Major. His military career included work in naval intelligence, serving in Spain and Mexico, where he set up counter-espionage networks on behalf of the British government.

He died in 1948 while working on a non-fiction book about Admiral Robert Blake. Mason had been offered a knighthood but declined it declaring that such honors meant little to a childless man.

Books

Novels featuring Inspector Hanaud

Other novels

The Courtship of Maurice Buckler (1896)
Lawrence Clavering (1897)
The Philanderers (1897)
Parson Kelly (1899) (with Andrew Lang)
Clementina (1901)
The Four Feathers (1902)
The Truants (1904)
Running Water (1906)
The Broken Road (1907)
A Romance of Wastdale (1910)
Miranda of the Balcony (1911)
The Turnstile (1912)
The Witness for the Defence (1913)
The Summons (1920)
The Watchers (1924)
The Winding Stair (1924)
No Other Tiger (1927)
The Dean's Elbow (1930)
The Three Gentlemen (1932)
The Sapphire (1933)
Fire Over England (1936)
The Drum (1937)
Konigsmark (1938)
Musk and Amber (1942)
The Crystal Trench (2001)

Short story collections

Ensign Knightley: And Other Stories (1901)
The Four Corners of the World (1917)
Inspector Hanaud Investigates (1931)
Dilemmas (1934)

Nonfiction

The Royal Exchange (1920)
Sir George Alexander & the St. James' Theatre (1935)
The Life of Francis Drake (1941)

References

^ Mason, A. E. W. (1935). Sir George Alexander and the St. James' Theatre. Ayer Publishing.
^ "Open Windows". The Railway Official Gazette: p. 46. 1913. {{cite journal}}: |page= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
^ "NEW PLAY BY A.E.W. MASON; "Open Windows" Is Produced in London and Is Well Received". NY Times. 1913. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

M. Stenton and S. Lees, "Who's Who of British MPs" Vol. II (Harvester Press, 1978)

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Charles Murray	Member of Parliament for Coventry 1906–1910	Succeeded by John Foster

[1] Mason, A. E. W. (1935). Sir George Alexander and the St. James' Theatre. Ayer Publishing.

[2] "Open Windows". The Railway Official Gazette: p. 46. 1913. {{cite journal}}: |page= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

[3] "NEW PLAY BY A.E.W. MASON; "Open Windows" Is Produced in London and Is Well Received". NY Times. 1913. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

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 His first novel, ''A Romance of Wastdale'', was published in 1895. He was the author of more than 20 books, including ''[[At the Villa Rose (novel)|At The Villa Rose]]'' (1910), a mystery novel in which he introduced his French detective, [[Inspector Hanaud]]. His best-known book is ''[[The Four Feathers]]'', which has been made into several films. Many consider it his masterpiece. Other books are ''[[The House of the Arrow]]'' (1924), ''No Other Tiger'' (1927), ''[[The Prisoner in the Opal]]'' (1929) and ''[[Fire Over England]]'' (1937). He contributed a short story, ''The Conjurer'', to ''[[The Queen's Book of the Red Cross]]''.
-Mason was elected as a [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Coventry (UK Parliament constituency)|Coventry]] in the [[United Kingdom general election, 1906|1906 general election]]. He served only a single term in Parliament, retiring at the next [[general election]]  [[United Kingdom general election, January 1910|in January 1910]]. In 1913 Mason's [[Problem play|problem play]] ''Open Windows'' opened on the evening of 11 March in [[St James's Theatre]], starring Sydney Valentine as ''Phillip Hammond'', [[Irene Vanbrugh]] as ''Cynthia Herrick'', [[George Alexander (actor)|Sir George Alexander]] as ''John Herrick'', with Rosalie Toller as ''Elsie Herrick''.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Open Windows|year=1913|month=March|journal=The Railway Official Gazette|page=p. 46}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=NEW PLAY BY A.E.W. MASON; "Open Windows" Is Produced in London and Is Well Received|journal=NY Times|year=1913|month=March 12,}}</ref>
+Mason was elected as a [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Coventry (UK Parliament constituency)|Coventry]] in the [[United Kingdom general election, 1906|1906 general election]]. He served only a single term in Parliament, retiring at the next [[general election]]  [[United Kingdom general election, January 1910|in January 1910]].
+Mason wrote three plays that were produced and presented by [[George Alexander (actor)|Sir George Alexamder]] in [[St James's Theatre]]. He wrote, "I had three plays produced by George Alexander; one a failure, ''Colonel Smith'', one which made a moderate profit, ''Open Windows'', and one which was a considerable success, ''The Witness for the Defence''.<ref>{{cite book|author=Mason, A. E. W.|title=Sir George Alexander and the St. James' Theatre|year=1935|publisher=Ayer Publishing|url=http://books.google.com/books?isbn=0405087624}}</ref> The light farce ''Colonel Smith'' opened 1 April 23, 1909. ''The Witness for the Defence'' opened 1 Feb. 1911, starring Sir George Alexander as Henry Thresk. In 1913 Mason's [[Problem play|problem play]] ''Open Windows'' opened on the evening of 11 March, starring Sydney Valentine as ''Phillip Hammond'', [[Irene Vanbrugh]] as ''Cynthia Herrick'', Sir George Alexander as ''John Herrick'', with Rosalie Toller as ''Elsie Herrick''.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Open Windows|year=1913|month=March|journal=The Railway Official Gazette|page=p. 46}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=NEW PLAY BY A.E.W. MASON; "Open Windows" Is Produced in London and Is Well Received|journal=NY Times|year=1913|month=March 12,}}</ref>
 Mason served with the [[Manchester Regiment]] in the [[First World War]], being promoted [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|Captain]] in December 1914. He transferred to the [[General List]] in 1915 and the [[Royal Marine Light Infantry]] in 1917 with the rank of [[Major]]. His military career included work in naval intelligence, serving in [[Spain]] and [[Mexico]], where he set up [[counter-espionage]] networks on behalf of the British government.