Evelyn Bridgett Patricia Ward-Thomas, better known by the pen nameEvelyn Anthony, was a British writer. Anthony was born in the Lambeth district of London. She had a very prolific writing career, translated into at least 19 languages and her 1971 The Tamarind Seed was adapted for a film in 1974, starring Julie Andrews as Judith Farrow.
Early life and education
She was born Evelyn Stephens to Henry and Elizabeth. Her father had a fortune which came from the indelible ink invented by his grandfather Dr. Henry Stephens. She was a keen reader as a child and attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart school in Roehampton. She was evacuated to the West Country during World War II. Her parents‘ marriage was not happy and by the time she was 12 they had divorced. She was close to her father and when his health deteriorated within two years of the divorce she cared for him at home.
Personal life
She met Michael Ward-Thomas on a double date in The Dorchester and both were attracted to each other. He worked for the Consolidated African Selection Trust. They switched partners and were married a few months later. They bought Horham Hall in 1968 but found that it was costly and sold it in 1976 and moved to Naas, County Kildare where she had relatives. Increased income from her writing allowed her to buy Horham Hall back in 1982. In 1994 she became the first female High Sheriff of Essex. In 1995 her daughter Kitty died of a heroin overdose, leading Evelyn to not write for another seven years. In 2004 her husband died of a stroke. She was survived by her children Susan, Anthony, Ewan, Christian and Luke as well as 16 grandchildren.
Writing
Her pen name is derived from the name of St. Anthony of Padua, patron saint of lost things. Her writing career began with short stories that she submitted to womens magazines after the second world war. Anthony's first historical novel, Rebel Princess, focused on Catherine the Great. Other Anthony historical novels depicted Anne Boleyn and Queen Victoria. Her historical novels Far Fly The Eagles and Valentina were both set during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. The later novels had a theme of espionage. Her 1971 The Tamarind Seed was adapted for a film in 1974, starring Julie Andrews as Judith Farrow, a British Home Office functionary and Omar Sharif as Feodor, a Soviet air attaché-lovers involved in Cold War intrigue. Her books were translated into at least nineteen languages.
Partial bibliography
The following bibliography includes both historical novels and thrillers.
