Lee Holloway

William Matthew Scott, who wrote under the pen name Will Scott, was a British author active from 1920 to 1965. He penned a vast number of works, including detective novels and stage plays that were adapted into films. Scott also contributed an estimated 2,000 short stories to various publications, a feat believed to be a record in the United Kingdom during his lifetime. While he gained later recognition for his children's series, "The Cherrys," published from 1952 to 1965, his earlier career was marked by his mystery fiction and theatrical work.

Born in Leeds in 1893, Scott's early life was shaped by a working-class environment. He began his career in the arts, working as a lithographic artist apprentice and later as a caricaturist and journalist. Poor health prevented him from serving in World War I. He eventually settled in Herne Bay, Kent, where he lived for much of his adult life and found inspiration for his writing. Scott was described as a private individual who avoided public attention, yet he was involved in local community activities, including directing an amateur dramatic society and creating an emblem for Herne Bay. He passed away in 1964.

William Matthew Scott was born in Leeds in 1893 into a working-class family. His father was a joiner, and his mother a tailoress. Scott's early life was spent in areas of Leeds that experienced poverty and public health challenges, though community life and access to education were also present. He showed an early aptitude for art, beginning as a lithographic artist apprentice. His interest in entertainment and visual arts, possibly influenced by sneaking into theaters as a child and by theatrical posters and comics, led to his first published drawing at the age of 14. He later worked as a caricaturist in Leeds and briefly as an art editor for Pan magazine in London before transitioning to full-time writing.

Scott's writing career spanned over four decades, producing works for both adults and children. He gained initial recognition for his detective novels and stage plays, some of which, like "The Limping Man," were adapted into films. A significant part of his output consisted of approximately 2,000 short stories published in magazines and newspapers, a volume that was considered exceptional for his time in the UK. In his later years, he became best known for "The Cherrys" series, a collection of children's books published between 1952 and 1965. He also utilized various pseudonyms, including "Anthony Grey" and "Wensley Smith."

Scott relocated to Herne Bay, Kent, in 1920, partly due to his "precarious" health and the desire for a less polluted environment. He resided there for most of his adult life, and the coastal town and its surroundings frequently featured as settings in his books, such as "Half-Term Trail." Despite his naturally "shy and private" disposition, Scott was involved in the local community. He directed the amateur dramatic society, The Mask Players, for a decade and created an emblem for Herne Bay. He also co-published an alternative weekly newspaper, the "Herne Bay Guardian," in the 1920s, which aimed to present local opinions and support community projects.

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