Born in 1886, in Holdenhurst, Bournemouth, Annie Mabel Hayes was the daughter of fish and fruit dealer William Hayes, and his wife Elizabeth Dowler. She married artist and author John Flaxman, and lived with him in Worcester and Malvern until her death in 1929. Her children's books fall into a variety of genres, including the Guide story, the girls' school story, and the holiday adventure story.