Barry Hines

Melvin Barry Hines, FRSL (born 30 June 1939) is an English author who has written several popular novels and television scripts. Hines is best known for the novel A Kestrel for a Knave (1968), which he adapted for Ken Loach's 1969 film Kes.

Early life

Born in the mining village of Hoyland Common near Barnsley, England, Hines attended Ecclesfield Grammar School and played football for the England Grammar Schools team. After leaving school without any qualifications he took a job with the National Coal Board as an apprentice mining surveyor at Rockingham Colliery. A neighbour he chanced to meet at the coal face disapproved of his failure to meet his potential and Hines said that this was when he decided to return to school to take his examinations. He achieved four A levels and studied for a teaching qualification at Loughborough College. He worked as a Physical Education teacher for several years, initially for two years in a London comprehensive school, and subsequently at Longcar Central School in Barnsley where he wrote novels in the school library after the children had gone home. He later became a full-time author.