Ladbroke Black

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Ladbroke Black (21 June 1877 - 27 July 1940) was an English journalist and author who wrote mysteries, fantasy and science fiction stories often under pseudonyms such as Lionel Day, Lewis Jackson and Paul Urquhart.

Black was born in Burley-in-Wharfedale and was educated in Ireland and at Cambridge.

He was appointed assistant editor of The Phoenix 1897-1899 before taking up a similar position with The Morning Herald in London. In 1901 he became assistant editor of The Echo, joint editor of Today 1904-1905 and was a special writer on the Weekly Dispatch between 1905 and 1911.

He published his first novel, A Muddied Oaf co-written with Francis Rutter in 1902. He collaborated with Robert Lynd on the 1906 collection The Mantle of the Emperor. With Thomas Meech he wrote a series of noevls beginning with The Eagle (1906) under the pen name Paul Urquhart. He also wrote for newspapers and magazines, sometimes under the pen name Lionel Day. He also wrote some Sexton Blake books, but he is better known for his own detective creation Havlock Preed.

He lived in Wendover for many years. He married Margaret Ambrose and they had two sons and two daughters. His son Stephen Black was also an author; his daughter Brigit Ursula Hope Black (Biddy) married Erasmus Darwin Barlow.