Richmal Crompton was the author of the Just William books and was born in Bury in Lancashire. She later moved to Bromley in London and then back to Bury. She was condemned by the media in the 90s for racism and sexism in the books, but this was par for the course at the time and she was no worse than Enid Blyton
She also published many other books, including forty novels, but will always be remembered as the creator of Just William