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Doreen. The Story of a Singer

Edna Lyall [pseud Ada Ellen Bayly]

Ada Ellen Bayly (1857-1903) was a British novelist who wrote stories about atheists who found Christianity. William Gladstone was a fan of one of her novels and she dedicated this book to him. She was a member of the Women's Liberal Association and campaigned for women's suffrage. She wrote 18 novels between 1879 and 1902 and died aged 45. Her pseudonym contains nine of the 13 letters of her name.

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Dust jacket (click to enlarge)

Detail of signature on dust jacket

Printing history: First published by Longmans Green in 1894. This is a popular reprint.

Printed by: Athenaeum Printing Works, Redhill

Notes: The signature is unusual. It is as if he was going to sign it 'E.Blampied' but rememebered that he signed dust jackets 'Blam', so he stopped after the first two letters of his surname and added a wavy line.

I am guessing at the date of publication, but it is listed on the back of Sally on the Rocks, which I estimate was published in 1915 and the figure of the woman is not as good as some of his later jacket designs.

This copy was issued in the late 1920s as there is an advert on the rear fold-in for Windyridge Revisted by W.Riley to be published in 'Spring 1928', and there is an inscription dated 1931 with the signature 'Doreen'.

I bought this book on eBay, Australia. I think that Australians looked after books with dust jackets better than the British did. The price has been cut out of the spine, so it was probably a gift.

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