Biography.guide
Home › People › Writer › Mabel Knowles
Portrait of Mabel Knowles

Mabel Knowles

1875 – 1949

Popular writer and church worker

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Mabel Knowles

Lived 1875 – 1949 (aged 73–74). Mabel Knowles was a British writer and missionary.

Mabel Winifred Knowles who wrote as May Wynne and Lester Lurgan (1 January 1875 – 29 November 1949) was a British popular writer and church worker. She wrote 100s of historic romances and books for children. She wrote a few sci-fi books including the book of the first British Sci Fi film. She gave 25 years to leading a mission in London.

Life Knowles was born in Streatham in 1875. Her parents were Emma Letitia (born Paxton) and William Knowles. Her father was a merchant banker and she was home educated. as it was based on his successful play of the same name that had been popular in 1899. "A Message from Mars" was made into a film in 1913. The film was Britain's first Sci-Fi film, it starred Charles Hawtrey and its plot was very similar to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

The choice of Lester Lurgan as a name gave way to May Wynne who is credited with writing hundreds of books.

Selected works The Great Adventure (Ward, Lock & Co., 1948) Malys Rockell Thirteen For Luck

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
1875, Streatham
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Also known as
Mabel Winifred Knowles, May Wynne, Lester Lurgan, Mabel Winifred Knowles

People in Mabel Knowles's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Mabel Knowles's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mabel Knowles?

popular writer and church worker

When was Mabel Knowles born?

Mabel Knowles was born in 1875 in Streatham.

When did Mabel Knowles die?

Mabel Knowles died on 29 November 1949 in London.

What was Mabel Knowles's occupation?

Mabel Knowles was a writer and missionary.

What nationality was Mabel Knowles?

Mabel Knowles was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Mabel Knowles

· Wikidata: Q18559820

· DBpedia: Mabel Knowles

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mabel Knowles. https://biography.guide/mabel-knowles/

MLA: "Mabel Knowles." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mabel-knowles/.

Chicago: "Mabel Knowles." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mabel-knowles/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-26 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:13 UTC