David Whitelaw

Both of his parents died during his infancy and he and his elder brother Stephen (1873 - 1936) were raised by their grandparents, Theodore and Eliza Baxter, members of the North London branch of the Sandemanian church.

The Premier Magazine, published by the Amalgamated Press, (based at Fleetway House in Farringdon, London) ran between 1914 and 1931 and published atmospheric adventure and mystery fiction including authors such as Edgar Wallace, Sax Rohmer, Rose Champion de Crespigny and Achmed Abdullah.

His first novel, M'Stodger's Affinity, was published in 1896 and this was followed by a steady output of romantic thrillers.

In 1932 he invented the spelling card game Lexicon, which won worldwide popularity.

In his 1944 book The Lexicon Murders the killer uses the card game for the purpose of a secret code.