Vivian Stuart
Encyclopedia
Vivian Stuart, née Violet Vivian Finlay (born 2 January 1914 in Rangoon, Burma – d. August 1986), was a British
writer from 1953 to 1986. She was published under different pen names; she signed her romance novel
s as Vivian Stuart, Alex Stuart, Barbara Allen, Fiona Finlay, and Robyn Stuart, she signed her military sagas as V.A. Stuart, and she signed her historical fiction
series as William Stuart Long.
In 1960, Stuart founded the Romantic Novelists' Association
with Denise Robins
, Barbara Cartland
, and others; she also was the first elected Chairman.
, whose Scottish family also owned James Finlay and Company Ltd. The majority of her youth was spent in Burma and India
, and during her life, she frequently journeyed between Rangoon, Singapore
, Java
and Sumatra
.
Finlay married three times during her lifetime, and had four children: Gillian Rushton, Jennifer Gooch, and twins Vary and Valerie Stuart.
Finlay studied medicine at the University of London
and obtained a pathologist qualification at the University of Budapest
in 1938, after which she emigrated to Australia with her second husband, a Hungarian Doctor with whom she worked. In 1942, she obtained a diploma in industrial chemistry and laboratory technique at Technical Institute of Newcastle
. Finlay joined the Australian Forces during World War II
and was attached to the IVth Army. She was later transferred to British XIV Army in Burma.
On 24 October 1958, she married her third husband, Cyril William Mann, a banker.
Violet Vivian Mann died in August, 1986, at age 72. She continued writing until her death.
Many of her romance novels were protagonized by doctors or nurses, and set in Asia or Australia. The novel, "Gay Cavalier" (Alex Stuart) caused trouble between Vivian and her Mills & Boon
editors. Vivian featured a secondary story line featuring a Catholic male and Protestant female who chose to marry. This so-called "mixed marriage" touched many peoples nerves in the United Kingdom at the time.
The "Australian Series" is factually and historically accurate. Much historical research went into this series. With extensive research from The Mitchell Library Sydney; The National Maritime Museum; British Public Records Office and the New York Public Library. A number of fictional characters and narrative were added due to the series being written in novel form.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
writer from 1953 to 1986. She was published under different pen names; she signed her romance novel
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
s as Vivian Stuart, Alex Stuart, Barbara Allen, Fiona Finlay, and Robyn Stuart, she signed her military sagas as V.A. Stuart, and she signed her historical fiction
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
series as William Stuart Long.
In 1960, Stuart founded the Romantic Novelists' Association
Romantic Novelists' Association
The Romantic Novelists' Association is a writers' association in the UK. Founded in 1960, mainly through the efforts of Denise Robins , Barbara Cartland , Vivian Stuart , and other authors like Elizabeth Goudge, Netta Muskett, Catherine Cookson, Rosamunde Pilcher and Lucilla Andrews.The RNA runs...
with Denise Robins
Denise Robins
Denise Robins, née Denise Naomi Klein was a prolific British romantic novelist and the first President of the Romantic Novelists' Association...
, Barbara Cartland
Barbara Cartland
Dame Barbara Hamilton Cartland, DBE, CStJ , was an English author, one of the most prolific authors of the 20th century...
, and others; she also was the first elected Chairman.
Personal life
Violet Vivian Finlay was born on 2 January 1914 in Rangoon, Burma (now also known as Myanmar). She was the daughter of Alice Kathleen (née Norton) and Sir Campbell Kirkman Finlay, the owner and director of Burmah Oil Company Ltd.Burmah Oil Company Ltd.
The Burmah Oil Company was a leading British oil business which was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:The company was founded in Glasgow, Scotland in 1886 by David Sime Cargill to develop oil fields in the Indian subcontinent...
, whose Scottish family also owned James Finlay and Company Ltd. The majority of her youth was spent in Burma and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and during her life, she frequently journeyed between Rangoon, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
and Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
.
Finlay married three times during her lifetime, and had four children: Gillian Rushton, Jennifer Gooch, and twins Vary and Valerie Stuart.
Finlay studied medicine at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and obtained a pathologist qualification at the University of Budapest
University of Budapest
The Eötvös Loránd University or ELTE, founded in 1635, is the largest university in Hungary, located in Budapest.-History:The university was founded in 1635 in Nagyszombat by the archbishop and theologian Péter Pázmány. Leadership was given over to the Jesuits...
in 1938, after which she emigrated to Australia with her second husband, a Hungarian Doctor with whom she worked. In 1942, she obtained a diploma in industrial chemistry and laboratory technique at Technical Institute of Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
. Finlay joined the Australian Forces during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was attached to the IVth Army. She was later transferred to British XIV Army in Burma.
On 24 October 1958, she married her third husband, Cyril William Mann, a banker.
Violet Vivian Mann died in August, 1986, at age 72. She continued writing until her death.
Writing career
She published her first novels in 1953, as Vivian Stuart, one of her married names, and using her most prolific pen name Alex Stuart. Under these pen names and as: Barbara Allen, Fiona Finlay and Robyn Stuart, she wrote romance novels. She used the pen name of V.A. Stuart to write two military sagas, "Alexander Sheridan Saga" and "Phillip Hazard Saga". She used the pen name of William Stuart Long to write the popular historical series: "Australians".Many of her romance novels were protagonized by doctors or nurses, and set in Asia or Australia. The novel, "Gay Cavalier" (Alex Stuart) caused trouble between Vivian and her Mills & Boon
Mills & Boon
Mills & Boon is a British publisher of romance novels. It was founded in 1908, and was independent until its purchase in 1971 by Harlequin Enterprises with whom the company had had a long informal partnership...
editors. Vivian featured a secondary story line featuring a Catholic male and Protestant female who chose to marry. This so-called "mixed marriage" touched many peoples nerves in the United Kingdom at the time.
The "Australian Series" is factually and historically accurate. Much historical research went into this series. With extensive research from The Mitchell Library Sydney; The National Maritime Museum; British Public Records Office and the New York Public Library. A number of fictional characters and narrative were added due to the series being written in novel form.
Single novels
- Along Came Ann (1953) aka Along Came Doctor Ann
- Proud Heart (1953)
- The Unlit Heart (1954)
- Eyes of the Night (1954)
- Pilgrim Heart (1955) aka Doctor in the Tropics
- Lover Betrayed (1955)
- No Single Star (1956)
- Life Is the Destiny (1958)
- Nurse in Malaya (1960)
- The Unlit Love (1961) aka Jungle Doctor
- The Summer's Flower (1961)
- The Brave Captains (1968)
- Black Sea Frigate (1971)
- The New Mrs. Aldrich (1976)
Non fiction
- The Beloved Little Admiral: Admiral of the Fleet the Hon. Sir Henry Keppel 1809-1904 (1967)
Non fiction in collaboration
- His Majesty's Sloop-of-War: Diamond Rock (1978) (with George T. Eggleston)
Single novels
- The Captain's Table (1953)
- Ship's Nurse (1954)
- Soldier's Daughter (1954)
- Gay Cavalier (1955)
- Island for Sale (1955)
- Bachelor of Medicine (1956)
- A Cruise for Cinderella (1956)
- Huntsman's Folly (1956)
- Garrison Hospital (1957)
- Queen's Counsel (1957)
- The Last of the Logans (1957)
- Master of Guise (1957)
- Master of Surgery (1958) aka That Wonderful Feeling
- Daughters of the Governor (1958)
- Castle in the Mist (1959)
- Peacock Pagoda (1959)
- Return to Love (1960)
- Star of Oudh (1960) aka On Her Majesty's Orders
- Doctor Mary Courage (1961) aka Only a Memory
- Spencer's Hospital (1961)
- Sister Margarita (1961) aka Nurse in Spain
- Doctor on Horseback (1962)
- The dedicated (1962)
- Doctor of Rhua (1964) aka The Piper of Laide
- Maiden Voyage (1964)
- Samaritan's Hospital (1965)
- There But for Fortune (1966)
- Random Island (1967)
- Strangers When We Meet (1968)
- Stranger in Town (1970)
- Young Doctor Mason (1970)
- Research Fellow (1971)
- A Sunset Touch (1972)
Anthologies in collaboration
- Fair Horizon / Desert Nurse / Queen's Counsel (1970) (with Jane ArborJane ArborJane Arbor was the pseudonym used by Eileen Norah Owbridge a British writer of 57 romance for Mills & Boon from 1948 to 1985....
, Rosalind BrettRosalind BrettRosalind Brett is a former British swimmer.During her swimming career Brett represented Great Britain in numerous world and European championships in butterfly and freestyle over various distances, winning a handful of medals as part of relay teams...
) - Nurse on Holiday / Country of the Heart / Last of the Logans (1972) (with Catherine Airlie, Rosalind BrettRosalind BrettRosalind Brett is a former British swimmer.During her swimming career Brett represented Great Britain in numerous world and European championships in butterfly and freestyle over various distances, winning a handful of medals as part of relay teams...
) - Return to Love / Stormy Haven / Nurse to Captain Andy (1972) (with Rosalind BrettRosalind BrettRosalind Brett is a former British swimmer.During her swimming career Brett represented Great Britain in numerous world and European championships in butterfly and freestyle over various distances, winning a handful of medals as part of relay teams...
, Jill Christian) - Send for Nurse Vincent / Island For Sale / Winter is Past (1973) (with Margaret Malcolm and Anne WealeAnne WealeJay Blakeney was a British newspaper reporter, well-known as romance writer under the pseudonyms Anne Weale and Andrea Blake. She wrote over 88 for Mills & Boon from 1955 to 2002...
) - Harlequin Classic Library (1980) (with Elizabeth Hoy, Susan Barrie, Mary Burchell, Juliet Shore, Jean S. MacLeod, Elizabeth Houghton and Jill Tahourdin)
Single novels
- Doctor Lucy (1956)
- Someone Else's Heart (1958)
- The Gay Gordons (1961)
- The Scottish Soldier (1966)
Alexander Sheridan Series
- Like Victors and Lords (1964) aka Victors and Lords aka Captain of Cavalry
- The Sepoy Mutiny (1973) aka Mutiny in Meerut aka Mutiny at Dawn
- Massacre At Cawnpore (1973)
- Cannons of Lucknow (1974) aka Battle for Lucknow
- The Heroic Garrison (1973)
Phillip Hazard Series
- The Valiant Sailors (1966)
- Brave Captains (1968) aka The Brave Captains
- Black Sea Frigate (1971) aka Hazard's Command
- Hazard of Huntress (1972)
- Hazard in Circassia (1973)
- Victory at Sebastopol (1973) aka Hazard to the Rescue
- Guns to the Far East (1975) aka Shannon's Brigade
- Escape from Hell (1976) aka Sailors on Horseback
Australians Series
- The Exiles (1979)
- The Settlers (1980)
- The Traitors (1981)
- The Explorers (1982)
- The Adventurers (1983)
- The Colonists (1984)
- The Gold Seekers (1985)
- The Patriots (1986) aka The Gallant
- The Empire Builders (1987)
- The Seafarers (1988)
- The Nationalists (1989)
- The Imperialists (1990)