Harry Blyth

Harry Blyth aka Hal Meredeth (sic) was a prolific writer of stories for magazines during the 1890s. His creations included Gideon Barr (a detective, possibly Welsh), Roland Dare (an American fireman) and Sexton Blake (detective). Blake is probably his best -known creation, but Blyth had little success with him and sold the rights to the character to Alfred Harmsworth`s Amalgamated Press for a relatively small sum. Opinions vary as to how much the more successful incarnations of Blake owed to Blyth, though it is clear that some of the characteristics of Blyth`s creation are to be found in later versions.