Marion St. John Webb (1888–1930)

Marion St. John Webb, née Adcock, was born in Hampstead, London, the daughter of poet Arthur St John Adcock and his wife Marlon Louise Taylor. She began writing as a child and entered the St Marylebone Secondary School for girls at the age of five. She

wrote poems for a series of fairy books illustrated by her friend Margaret Tarrant; the two collaborated on about 20 books. Webb's creation of novels and poetry aimed for children predated A.A. Milne. Although her treatment of childhood now is regarded as sentimentalized, and typical of the time, some of her writings

are considered to be ahead of their time for their use fantasy parallel worlds, depictions of strong female leads, and intense characterizations of people considered on the margins of society.