Gilbert Frankau was a prominent British novelist, short story writer, and poet active during the first half of the twentieth century. Born in London to a Jewish family, he was baptized into the Anglican Church at the age of thirteen. He received his education at the prestigious Eton College before entering his family's cigar business. Following the death of his father, Arthur Frankau, in 1904, he took over as the managing director of the company on his twenty-first birthday.
Despite his early career in commerce, Frankau achieved widespread popularity as a writer. He served during World War I, during which he established himself as a war poet. His literary output was diverse, encompassing traditional novels, short stories, and a notable selection of verse novels. His work captured the attention of a broad reading public, making him one of the popular literary figures of his era.
Throughout his life, Frankau experienced a complex spiritual journey. Having transitioned from his Jewish heritage to Anglicanism in his youth, he ultimately converted to Roman Catholicism in his final months. He died of lung cancer in 1952 at the age of sixty-eight, leaving behind a legacy of popular fiction and wartime poetry.
