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Derbyshire's extensive 'literary links' are on the whole extremely well-documented, but once in a while a writer of talent slips the local historian's net, perhaps because the scribe in question left the county early in life, or on account of their work falling out of fashion or being rather too 'unusual' for popular tastes.

One such author - active from the 1930s right through to the 1970s - was MARGARET TROUNCER (formerly Lahey). Although the British Library catalogue and book dealers' lists suggest she produced 20 or so written works under her name, not a great deal is known about her apart from the tantalising snippets revealed in a short article in the Derbyshire Advertiser on 29 January 1954 and in her brief obituary in the Derby Evening Telegraph on 14 October 1982.

Those two sources reveal that Margaret Lahey was born in Paris in 1903 but brought up in Derbyshire where her father was in business in the lace trade.

She went to Derby High School for Girls 'during Miss Darke's time', which from Margaret's birth year must have been in the period 1913 to 1921. When Margaret left the school she went up to Oxford University and graduated with an M.A. before marrying and later pursuing a writing career.

She married Thomas Trouncer, who was in the R.A.F.. He was a brother of the the actor Cyril Trouncer (1898-1953), who numbered quite a string of film roles to his name in the late 1940s and early 1950s, including The Lady with a Lamp (1951), a somewhat idealised story of the life of Florence Nightingale.

Thomas and Margaret settled in London and had a family, but Thomas died early. Thereafter Margaret pursued her writing with more serious intent.

Margaret Trouncer's books were mostly 'historical romantic novels' and a period she particularly favoured was 18th century France, especially the era of the French Revolution. She also had a special interest in the lives of the Medieval saints, and as such was sometimes denoted a 'religious writer'.

She had a strong religious faith herself, firstly a devout Anglican and later a Roman Catholic. This came through in her writing - for example, A Grain of Wheat (1958), her story about St. Bernadette of Lourdes, was said to be a particularly moving and spiritually uplifting work.

When she died in October 1982, aged 78, her obituary said of her: 'She was a woman of astounding good looks and commanding appearance, who really looked the part of a romantic novelist'.

Internet searches and literature guides reveal little more about Margaret Trouncer. She was never a 'literary heavyweight' or 'best-selling novelist' in the modern sense, but she evidently had a talent for writing which persuaded well-known publishers to put her work into print. As such, this 'forgotten' author deserves her Derbyshire links to be recorded for posterity.

Does anyone know more about the life or work of Margaret Trouncer (Margaret Leahy during her time in Derbyshire) or indeed have a photograph of her? Perhaps there is one on the dustjacket of one of her books. And what of 'Miss Darke', presumably a former headmistress of Derby High School?

If you have anything to add please submit your memories or comments here by clicking the 'edit' link at the top of this article.

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County:  Derbyshire

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