“ GHOSTED” BIOGRAPHIES

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1931, Page 6

“ GHOSTED” BIOGRAPHIES

AUTHOR’S NEWEST CHANGE

LONDON, Sept. 26. Netley Lucas, the former Borstal hoy who became a Royal biographer, will he aide to write “ I'lie Autobiography of a Crook” alter lie has served the 18 months to which lie was sentenced for obtaining £225 from a literary agent by false pretences.

Lucas, who, under the pen-name ot Evelyn Graham, specialised in “ghosted’’ biographies —many without author-ity—-of Royalties and prominent persons including the King the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Connaught, and Lord Lonsdale, wrote to a literary agent as “Lady Angela Stanley, lady-in-waiting to Queen Alexandria,” offering a biography of the late Queen Mother. Accompanying his letter from Lord Stamfordham praising the biography.

Lucas’ parents died in his youth, and at the age of 14, for pilfering at school, he was sent to an industrial school. Twice charged with forgery, he absconded from bail and later masqueraded as a naval officer, swindling girls, -r•'.>-<<"

Sent'again to a Borstal institution, he engaged in extensive forgeries after his release, and was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment. After that he went to Canada, where he was once more imprisoned, and then deported. On returning to England he began writing.

Lucas pleaded that lie had done nothing that was not habitual in Fleet Street and a common practice in the literary world. He heard the sentence smilingly.