Mabel Knowles
Mabel Winifred Knowles (1 January 1875 – 29 November 1949) was a British writer and mission worker. She wrote hundreds of romances and books for children, plus some science fiction, and used the pen names May Wynne and Lester Lurgan.
She was born in Streatham, England, to Emma Letitia (Paxton) and William Knowles. Her father was a merchant banker, and she was educated at home. Her first book, Life's Object, offered advice to girls and told them not to focus on athletics or “foolish mawkish love stories.”
Under the name Lester Lurgan she wrote detective and science fiction stories, including A Message from Mars (1912). This book was later made into a film in 1913, described as Britain’s first science fiction film, and was connected to Richard Ganthony’s popular play of the same name. The use of the Lester Lurgan name helped lead to May Wynne being credited with hundreds of books.
Knowles wrote for magazines such as Cassell's Family Magazine, The Lady's Realm, and The Pall Mall Magazine, while producing a large number of historical romances and children’s books. From about 1924 she led the St Luke's Mission Church in London while continuing to write. The Church of the Ascension in London's Victoria Docks had opened a mission house for women workers in 1909.
She wrote more than 300 books during her life and died in London in 1949, while preparing a mission service for women.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 11:22 (CET).