Ellen Margaret Scanlan (15 January 1882 – 5 October 1968) was a New Zealand journalist and novelist. Her most famous novels were the ''Pencarrow'' series of four novels, published between 1932 and 1939.

Early life

Scanlan was born in Picton, New Zealand, in 1882, one of the three children of Michael and Ellen (née Kiely) Scanlan. The family later moved to Blenheim and Scanlan attended the convent school there.

Career and professional life

Scanlan started her working life as a secretary in

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

and later set up her own typing business there. She also wrote articles for the ''Manawatu Times'' newspaper and when the journalists enlisted for

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, she was invited to join the staff. In 1921 she attended the Arms Limitation Conference in Washington, D.C. - the only New Zealand journalist there and the only woman. From 1923 to 1948 she lived in England, writing fiction and freelancing as a journalist. Her reports covered the lives of royalty and celebrities, and the people and places behind the major political events in Europe at the time. She travelled back to New Zealand about every five years. Her publisher, Jarrolds Publishing suggested she write a novel about New Zealand and Scanlan began the series known as the Pencarrow quartet. ''Pencarrow'' was published in 1932, followed by ''Tides of Youth'' (1933), ''Winds of Heaven'' (1934) and ''Kelly Pencarrow''(1939). The novels were republished a number of times during the 1940s and 1950s and their popularity led to her place as the most popular New Zealand novelist of her generation. In 1948 Scanlan returned to live in New Zealand and continued to write fiction. Her last book was published in 1952, ''The Young Summer.'' Her autobiography, ''Road to Pencarrow'', was published in 1963. Scanlan was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in the 1965 Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to journalism and New Zealand writing. Scanlan died of a heart attack in

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

in 1968, aged 86, and was buried at Terrace End Cemetery in Palmerston North.

References

External links

Photograph of Nelle Scanlan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scanlan, Nelle 1882 births 1968 deaths People from Picton, New Zealand New Zealand women novelists 20th-century New Zealand novelists New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire Burials at Terrace End Cemetery 20th-century New Zealand women writers