Matilda Jane Evans
Encyclopedia
Matilda Jane Evans (7 August 1827 – 22 October 1886) was an Australia
n novelist, who wrote under the pseudonym Maud Jean Franc.
Matilda was the elder daughter of Dr Henry Congreve and his wife Elizabeth Ann, née Jacob. The family moved to South Australia
in 1852, started a school at Mount Barker
and on 16 February 1860 married the Rev. Ephraim Evans, a Baptist minister, who died 6 April 1863. In 1860 Mrs Evans opened a school at Angaston
which was still in existence in 1868. She wrote her first story, Marian; or the light of Some One's Home while she was at Mount Barker and it appears to have been immediately successful. The British Museum catalogue records an edition published at Bath in 1860, a second edition was published by John Darton and Company in 1861, and another edition published by Sampson Low appeared in the same year.
Evans had chosen as a pseudonym Maud Jean Franc, but in her later books variations in the spelling of both Maud and Jean appeared. Her second book Vermont Vale came out in 1866 and during the next 19 years 13 other volumes were published. She died of peritonitis in 1886 and was survived by two sons. The elder, Henry Congreve Evans (died 1899) was leader of the staff of the Adelaide Advertiser and author of the libretto of Immomeena: an Australian Comic Opera published in 1893. The younger, William James Evans, was joint author with his mother of Christmas Bells, a collection of short stories published in 1882. He also published in 1898 Rhymes without Reason and died in 1904.
The stories of Maud Jean Franc were often reprinted. A collected edition in 13 volumes was published in 1888 and 40 years after. They are pleasantly told tales somewhat sentimental and rhetorical in style, sincerely religious and didactic in theme.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n novelist, who wrote under the pseudonym Maud Jean Franc.
Matilda was the elder daughter of Dr Henry Congreve and his wife Elizabeth Ann, née Jacob. The family moved to South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in 1852, started a school at Mount Barker
Mount Barker, South Australia
Mount Barker is an expanding city, home to 10 258 residents that is 33 kilometres up the South Eastern Freeway, east of Adelaide, in South Australia. It is the seat of the District Council of Mount Barker, is the largest town in the Adelaide Hills, and is one of the fastest growing areas in the...
and on 16 February 1860 married the Rev. Ephraim Evans, a Baptist minister, who died 6 April 1863. In 1860 Mrs Evans opened a school at Angaston
Angaston, South Australia
Angaston is a town in the Barossa Valley, South Australia, 77 km north east of Adelaide. Its elevation is 347 m, one of the highest points in the valley, and has an average rainfall of 561 mm...
which was still in existence in 1868. She wrote her first story, Marian; or the light of Some One's Home while she was at Mount Barker and it appears to have been immediately successful. The British Museum catalogue records an edition published at Bath in 1860, a second edition was published by John Darton and Company in 1861, and another edition published by Sampson Low appeared in the same year.
Evans had chosen as a pseudonym Maud Jean Franc, but in her later books variations in the spelling of both Maud and Jean appeared. Her second book Vermont Vale came out in 1866 and during the next 19 years 13 other volumes were published. She died of peritonitis in 1886 and was survived by two sons. The elder, Henry Congreve Evans (died 1899) was leader of the staff of the Adelaide Advertiser and author of the libretto of Immomeena: an Australian Comic Opera published in 1893. The younger, William James Evans, was joint author with his mother of Christmas Bells, a collection of short stories published in 1882. He also published in 1898 Rhymes without Reason and died in 1904.
The stories of Maud Jean Franc were often reprinted. A collected edition in 13 volumes was published in 1888 and 40 years after. They are pleasantly told tales somewhat sentimental and rhetorical in style, sincerely religious and didactic in theme.