John Trevena (Ernest George Henham)

John Trevena (1870–1948) was the pen name of the British writer Ernest George Henham. Born near London in 1870, he lived for many years in Dartmoor, England. In his early years he published novels with Canadian themes under his own name; after 1907 he wrote under the name John Trevena, producing a large number of works set in Dartmoor, most notably the trilogy Furze the Cruel, Heather and Granite. Five of his works are held in this collection, including The Plowshare and the Sword: A Tale of Old Quebec, By Violence, A Drake by George! and Menotah: A Tale of the Riel Rebellion, which draw on Canadian history and frontier life. His works are often classified as inspirational coming-of-age fiction, focusing on characters tempered and shaped by harsh natural surroundings. Public information about him is limited, and few details of his life are recorded.