“THE GENTLEMAN WITH A BUSTER”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 827, 22 November 1929, Page 14

“THE GENTLEMAN WITH A BUSTER”

IDENTITY REVEALED THE identity ot' “The Gentleman with a Duster,” the author of “The Mirrors of Downing Street,” published in 1920, was revealed by the death of Mr. Harold Begbie, the writer, at his home at Ring wood. Hampshire. Mr. Charles Boon, the London publisher, was able to disclose the secret. He says: When Mr. Begbie wrote “The Mirrors of Downing Street,” I promised him that I would not disclose the secret until the day of his death. When the book was published ii created a great stir, and there were many guesses at the identity of the author. Mr. Begbie’s name was mentioned. but he never admitted its authorship publicly. I think it has been the most closely guarded of modern literary secrets. Of course. Mr. Begbie himself told a very few of his most intimate friends, but he did it under their pledge of secrecy and not once was he let down. Mr. Begbie was 58. He was the son of the late Rev. Mars Hamilton Begbie, anil was born at Fornham St. Martin, Suffolk He was a versatile writer and was a successful journalist before he became an even more successful writer of books.