Jean Spender

Lady Jean Spender, Australian writer, was born Jean Maud Henderson at Burwood, New South Wales in 1901. As J. M. Spender she wrote crime fiction.

On 6 April 1925 she married the then barrister Percy Spender at Coraki in Northern New South Wales. Percy Spender later became a politician and diplomat and was made KCVO, KBE, QC. The couple had two sons. One son, John Spender, was also a politician and diplomat. The other, Peter Spender, wrote and produced several documentary films.

Jean Spender wrote racy and successful crime thrillers, most of which are set in Sydney with a lightly disguised Percy Spender as the hero.

Spender was an aunt of Dale Spender, feminist scholar, teacher and writer.

Jean Spender died on 25 March 1970 at Sydney.