Henry Seton Merriman

Henry Seton Merriman (1862-1903) was the pseudonym of Hugh Stowell Scott, an English novelist.

Born Hugh Stowell Scott in Newcastle-on-Tyne on 09/05/1862, he became an underwriter at Lloyd’s of London, and having achieved enough success, was able to concentrate on his writing as a career. He was an inveterate traveler, frequently in the company of fellow author Stanley J. Weyman. His novel With Edged Tools was first published in 1894 and became a bestseller in its time.

In March 1919 it was announced that African Film Productions would be filming it and in August of that year it premiered at the New Bijou in Johannesburg. Charles Sparrow and M.A. Wetherell were the rivals in love for Mabel May and the film was directed by Joseph Albrecht, who took over from Dick Cruikshanks when the actor/director became ill. Merriman’s The Sowers, set and banned in Russia, was filmed in Hollywood and starred Blanche Sweet and Thomas Meighan. Merriman died on 19/11/1903 of appendicitis. (FO)