There are a few odds and ends about Phyllis online but she has a decent entry in The Encyclopaedia of Girls' School Stories which reveals that she was born Phyllis Barton in Leeds on 19 January 1896, the elder daughter of Thomas Barton, an insurance manager, and his wife Ada Mary Pollard. She was educated at Leeds High School but had no higher education following her father's early death.
In 1930 she married Sydney Matthewman, an author and journalist whose father ran the Swan Press in Leeds. They moved to London, then Hindhead, Surrey. Sydney had a breakdown and Phyllis took a post as the secretary to an elderly lady and began writing. Sydney helped with the plotting and placing the stories through his publishing contacts. Sydney set up an agency with Eleanor Brent-Dyer as one of his clients. Brent-Dyer had been an acquaintance many years before through one of Phyllis's aunts; in 1964, when the Matthewmans moved to Albury Edge, Merstham, Surrey, and then moved with them when they moved to Redhill, Surrey, Brent-Dyer shared their house until her death in September 1969. Sydney died a year later. Phyllis died in Redhill on 6 July 1979.
Novels (series: Daneswood; Kirkwood Priory; Mr. Jones)
Chloe Takes Control (Danewood). London, Girl's Own Paper Office, 1940.
The Queerness of Rusty (Daneswood). London & Redhill, Lutterworth Press, 1941.
Jill on the Land. London & Redhill, Lutterworth Press, 1942.
Josie Moves Up (Daneswood). London & Redhill, Lutterworth Press, 1943.
Set to Partners. London, Mills & Boon, 1944.
Timber Girl. London & Redhill, Lutterworth Press, 1944.
A New Role for Natasha (Danewood). London & Redhill, Lutterworth Press, 1945.
Clubs Are Trumps. London & Redhill, Lutterworth Press, 1946.
Justice for Jacqueline (Danewood). London & Redhill, Lutterworth Press, 1946.
Utility Wedding. London, Mills & Boon, 1946.
Because of Vivian (Kirkdale Priory). London & Redhill, Lutterworth Press, 1947.
Stable Companions. London, Mills & Boon, 1947.
Pat at the Helm (Danewood). London, C. & J. Temple, 1948.
How Could You, Jennifer?. London, Mills & Boon, 1948.
Thanks to Mr. Jones (Mr. Jones), illus. John Harris. London, C. & J. Temple, 1948.
Peter - New Girl (Mr. Jones), illus. John Harris. London, C. & J. Temple, 1948.
The Intrusion of Nicola (Daneswood). London & Redhill, Lutterworth Press, 1948.
River of Enchantment. London, Mills & Boon, 1948.
Colour of Romance. London, Mills & Boon, 1949.
Mr. Jones Tips the Scales (Mr. Jones). London, Latimer House, 1950.
Peter Plays Sleuth (Mr. Jones). London, Latimer House, 1950.
The Veil Between. London, Mills & Boon, 1950.
The Turbulence of Tony (Kirkwood Priory). London, Latimer House, 1951.
The Coming of Lys (Kirkwood Priory). London, Latimer House, 1951.
The Amateur Prefects (Kirkwood Priory). London, Latimer House, 1951.
The Imprudence of Pru. London, Mills & Boon, 1951.
Winged Cupid. London, Mills & Boon, 1951.
Clutch of Circumstance. London, Mills & Boon, 1952.
Castle to Let. London, Mills & Boon, 1953.
Welcome Enemy. London, Mills & Boon, 1953.
Amanda at the Manor. London, Oliphants, 1954.
Luck for Lindy. London, Mills & Boon, 1954.
River Holiday. London & Edinburgh, Oliphants, 1954.
The School in the Forest (Forest School). London & Edinburgh, Oliphants, 1954.
Sir, She Said. London, Mills & Boon, 1954.
The Beckoning House. London, Mills & Boon, 1955.
Beginners, Please. London, Mills & Boon, 1955.
Linda at the Forest School (Forest School). London & Edinburgh, Oliphants, 1955.
Fetters of a Dream. London, Mills & Boon, 1956.
Middles of the Forest School (Forest School). London & Edinburgh, Oliphants, 1956.
Romance Goes Tenting. London, Mills & Boon, 1956.
Daughter of Neptune. London, Mills & Boon, 1957.
Safari with Wings. London, Mills & Boon, 1957.
Cupid in Mayfair. London, Mills & Boon, 1958.
Wife on Approval. London, Mills & Boon, 1958.
Food of Love. London, Mills & Boon, 1959.
Ace of Hearts. London, Mills & Boon, 1960.
Call Me Cousin. London, Mills & Boon, 1960.
Cupid Under Capricorn. London, Mills & Boon, 1961.
Maiden's Castle. London, Mills & Boon, 1962.
The Mystery of Snake Island, illus. Joan Milroy. London, University of London Press (Dolphin Books H14), 1962.
Voyage into Happiness. London, Mills & Boon, 1962.
Ward of Court. London, Mills & Boon, 1963.
A Brother for Jane. London, Mills & Boon, 1964.
Make Up Your Mind, Nurse. London, Mills & Boon, 1964; Toronto, Harlequin, 1964.
The Wonderful Year. London, Mills & Boon, 1964.
Bolt of Cupid. London, Mills & Boon, 1965.
The Heart is Highland. London, Mills & Boon, 1965.
No Magic Carpet. Leeds, E. J. Arnold, 1966.
Tread Warily. London, Mills & Boon, 1966.
Magic of the Moon. London, Mills & Boon, 1967.
Cue for Cupid. London, Mills & Boon, 1968.
A Rose Distilled. London, Mills & Boon, 1968.
Imitation Marriage. Toronto, Harlequin, 1968; London, Mills & Boon, 1969. (reprint? 1952)
It Began in Elm Ward. London, Mills & Boon, 1970.
Two for Tea. London, Mills & Boon, 1970.
It Began with Planchette. London, Mills & Boon, 1972.
The Time for Loving. London, Mills & Boon, 1972.
Non-fiction
John Williams. London & Edinburgh, Oliphants, 1954.
William Chalmers Burns. London & Edinburgh, Oliphants, 1954.
Irene Petrie. London & Edinburgh, Oliphants, 1955.
James B. McCullagh. London & Edinburgh, Oliphants, 1957.
Robert Morrison. London & Edinburgh, Oliphants, 1957.
Sir Malcolm Sargent. London, Cassell, 1959.
Novels as Kathryn Surrey
Bees at Marlings. London, C. & J. Temple, 1945.
Maids a-Waiting. London, Comyns, 1948.
Non-fiction as Kathryn Surrey
Sir Alexander Fleming. London, Cassell, 1959.
Novels as Jacqueline Yorke
Brides of the Devil. London, Comyns, 1946.
Instruction for Adventure. London, Comyns, 1948.
(* My thanks to Bryan Hall for correcting a couple of points in the original post. For additional information about Bryan's association with Phyllis, Sidney and Elinor, see Bryan's website.)
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