Moffat Town :- D.E. Stevenson, Author Return to :- [Moffat Homepage] [Moffat Server Index] [Description] [Where We Are] [History] [People] [Attractions] [Events] [Where To Stay] [Where To Eat] [Moffat Business Index] [Amenities of Moffat]

They Were Here : William Wallace * Robert Bruce * Archibald Johnstone * Lord Claverhouse * James Boswell J.L. McAdam * Thomas Telford * Robert Burns * James Hogg * Charles Lapworth D.E. Stevenson * Air Chief Marshal Lord Hugh Dowding * Robin Jenkins * Mora Dickson

D. E. Stevenson :

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D.E. Stephenson was a distant relative of the great Robert Louis Stephenson. Although her books are out of print in Britain, she has a considerable following in the United States, from where visitors come to see the town and hills she loved..

Her full name was Dorothy Emily Peploe, Stevenson being her maiden name. She was born in Edinburgh, the descendant of civil engineers who designed and built many Scottish lighthouses. Bell Rock, Skerryvore and Bass Rock were amongst those attributed to Stevenson designers. Her father's cousin was Robert Louis Stevenson, the poet and writer buried in Samoa. The General Earl Roberts of Kandahar was her maternal grandfather. With associations such as these, her life predictably involved literature and the army.

After being educated privately, Dorothy travelled extensively in France and Italy with her parents, gaining a deep interest in art and history. She married Major J. R. Peploe of the Highland Light Infantry, moving from place to place with regimental postings. However, the permanent address of the couple was 1, Nith Place, Moffat, where they appear to have enjoyed residence.

Dorothy Emily Peploe began writing in the 1930s, publishing at least thirty books up to the early 1970s. Some of the books reflect on life in the Borders. The following list is by no means complete, and aficionados of D.E. Stevenson's work may like to e-mail additional information to the writer of this section. Copies of some of her books are in the local section of Moffat Library, to whose librarian the writer is most grateful for assistance.

On her death, Dorothy Emily Peploe was buried in the Moffat town cemetery just north and east of the town.

The Works of D.E. Stevenson :

N.B. : Titles and dates of publication. US published titles follow UK ones. Some re-issue publishers noted.

Readers interested in D.E. Stevenson are strongly recommended to visit the excellent site by Susan Monaghan at http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Garden/1024/.