Rosman, Alice Trevenen (1882-1961)

Also known as
Rosna (1882-1961)
Field of activity
essayist; journalist; novelist; Editor, Journalist, Novelist and Writer
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1462730

Biographies

ROSMAN, ALICE (GRANT) TREVENEN (1882-1961), writer, was born on 18 July 1882 at Kapunda, South Australia, daughter of Trevenen Rosman, accountant, and his wife Alice Mary Bowyer, née Varley, and great-granddaughter of Henry Mildred, pioneer and politician. Alice built card-houses and invented tales of their inmates for her sister Mary. Although not Catholic, they attended St Mary's convent, Franklin Street, Adelaide, and boarded at St Mary's Dominican convent, Cabra, Alice until 1899. Early stories appeared in the Observer, Chronicle and Southern Cross. In 1901 she began an Adelaide branch of the Girls' Realm Guild, which published a magazine she edited, the Young Queen.

View the full record at Australian Dictionary of Biography

Alice Rosman was an editor, journalist, novelist and writer. She is best known for her work as a novelist, under the pseudonym Alice Grant Rosman. She achieved success particularly in the United States of America and Canada during the 1920s and 1930s, where she was a best-seller for four consecutive years.

Alice Trevenen Rosman was born in Kapunda, South Australia on the 18 of July 1882, to parents Trevenen Rosman and Alice Mary Bowyer (née Varley). As a child, Alice showed early signs of creativity and a talent for story-telling, which she used to entertain her younger sister Mary. She and her sister attended Catholic primary and secondary schools, though they were not Catholic themselves. During her schooling years Alice wrote numerous short stories and poems, some of which were published in newspapers. She finished school in 1899. By 1901, she was editing the magazine The Young Queen, published by the Adelaide branch of the Girls' Realm Guild, which she had established.

Between 1906 and 1911, Alice worked as a journalist for various publications, including the Gadyfly, the Bulletin (for which she used the pseudonym 'Rosna'), the Daily Herald, Lone Hand, the Australasian, Sydney Mail and Steele Rudd's Magazine.

In 1911 Alice and her sister Mary moved to England. While Mary taught piano at a girl's school, Alice continued her work writing for publications. Between 1915 and 1920 she wrote for the British Australasian, and between 1920 and 1927 was the assistant editor of Grand Magazine. During these years, Alice also published her first novels, using the pseudonym Alice Grant Rosman. The novels were Miss Bryde of England (1915) and The Tower Wall (1916), and they went largely unnoticed. Her first successful novel was The Window, published in 1926; twelve editions were printed in five months, and it was translated into several languages.

In 1927, Alice retired to focus on her novels, and published seventeen stories between then and 1939. Many of these sold near 100, 000 copies, even during the Depression. Her birthplace Australia featured in The Back Seat Driver (1928) and The Sixth Journey (1931), as well as her first two novels. Her most successful markets - particularly for her romance fiction - were those outside of Britain: Canada and the United States of America. Alice Rosman's work was known for its easy style and humor, and was often called by reviewers as 'light fiction'.

Alice Rosman died in Highgate, England, on 20 August, 1961.

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

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Resources for Alice Trevenen Rosman

Selected resources (4)

Australian Dictionary of Biography

Australian Women's Register

  1. Rosman, Alice Trevenen (1882-1961)Australian Dictionary of Biography Online : Rosman, Alice Trevenen (1882-1961)
    Edgar, Suzanne
    [2006]
    Published: Australian National University
    Series: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110460b.htm
  2. State Library of South Australia: The Young Queen (September 1902 - June 1903)
    Cover title. Issued from Sept. 1902-June 1903 as a "manuscript magazine", edited by and with contributions from Alice Grant Rosman. Volume 2, Number 1.
    369.46 Y68 b
  3. State Library of South Australia: Correspondence of Alice Grant Rosman
    Letters written by Alice Grant Rosman plus photograph and cutting. Ms Rosman was an early Mills & Boon author, lived in London during the war and travelled by ship to New York. She was born in SA. Her friends included Mary Grant Bruce and Margaret Preston.
    ACC 1058

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  1. Website: History Australia : journal of the Australian Historical Association
    publications.epress.monash.edu
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    View 2 matching archived pages
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  1. INSOLVENCY BUSINESS.
    The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Tuesday 19 October 1886 p 4 Article
    ... INSOLVENCY BUSINESS. Tuesday.-Thomas - Thomas Bowdran, Percival J. Franklin, Robert Diggs, David Millie Mllllie Trevenen Rosman, Chen C1 cn Chow (otherwise James Thompson), lhompion) Simon Toline ... rredenck Gamaliel rhonipnon, Irnltnck Henry Lindock, Alice Vvkevt, «'nulo nicotuigi, Alirsd Ramsden ... 222 words
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  2. SOCIAL EVENT. Victoria Square College Ball.
    The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) Friday 22 May 1931 p 5 Article
    ... Alice Webster, Bar ton. Betty Gsynor. Ada Sheridan. Euie Marwick. dare McKittwick, Bresland. Kama ... Bampurt, Kath Beard; Messrs. C. and H. Trevenen, Jack Barton. Tom Dwyer, Prank Uurenee, Jack Burton, Bon Grove. Phil Jack son, X. Rosman, Zeck. Batenan. Harry Baker, Pierce. J. fully, B. Herrert. I-. ... 343 words
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  3. Family Notices
    The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889) Friday 1 October 1880 p 4 Family Notices
    ... late Mr. J. Pearce, of Mintaro. ROSMAN-VARLEY -On the 29th Septem ber, at Christchurch, Kapunda. by the Rev. J. M. Donaldson. Trevenen Rosman, to Alice Bowyer only daughter, of John Varley, Esq., ... 271 words
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