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DEATH OF AN AUSTRALIAN
AUTHORESS.
Mrs. Lillian M. Pyke.
Writer of School Stories.
Widely known as a writer of school
school stories for boys and girls, Mrs. Lil-
lian Maxwell Pyke, of Seymour-grove,
Brighton, died in a private hospital early
yesterday morning, at the age of 46 years.
She had been in ill-health for some time
past.
Born in Victoria, Mrs. Pyke was edu-
cated at the University High School. It
was there that she met Mr. L. A. Adam-
son, and a friendship was formed which
was to last a lifetime. Mrs. Pyke's hus-
band was a brother of Mr. W. C. Pyke of
Cole's Book Arcade, and was a noted
lacrosse player. Mrs. Pyke wrote under
two names. Her host of child readers
knew her as Lillian Pyke, but she wrote
her novels under the name of Erica Max-
well. Most popular among the novels
from her pen were "Wife by Proxy" and
''Ciem." Her last book, "Three Bachelor
Girls," was published last October. With
her children's books Mrs. Pyke attained
a popularity alomst as great as Ethel
Turner and Mary Grant Bruce. Among
her best known books are "The Best
School of All." "Sheila at Happy Hills,'
"Sheila the Prefect," "Bruce of Boonbe-
rong Camp," "Phil of the Camp," "Cap
Kiddies." The latter was written as a
result of first-hand experience gained in
a railway construction camp. Mrs. Pyke
first started writing after her husband's
death in Queensland in the early years of
the war. Previously she had dabbled in
literature, but did not take her writing
seriously until obliged to do so by force
of circumstances. A son of deceased is at
Wesley College, a daughter is in business
with a Melbourne architect, and another
daughter is studying at Melbourne Uni-
versity.
A short service will be conducted by
Rev. Dr. Strong at Sleight's Chapel, prior
to the funeral leaving for the Box Hill
Cemetery.
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